A Prayer for Our Church

Article by

Founder & Teacher, desiringGod.org

O Lord, by the truth of your Word, and the power of your Spirit and the ministry of your body, build men and women at Bethlehem . . .

  • Who don't love the world more than God,
  • who don't care if they make much money,
  • who don't care if they own a house,
  • who don't care if they have a new car or two cars,
  • who don't need recent styles,
  • who don't care if they get famous,
  • who don't miss steak or fancy fare,
  • who don't expect that life should be comfortable and easy,
  • who don't feed their minds on TV each night,
  • who don't measure truth with their finger in the wind,
  • who don't get paralyzed by others' disapproval,
  • who don't return evil for evil,
  • who don't hold grudges,
  • who don't gossip,
  • who don't twist the truth,
  • who don't brag or boast,
  • who don't whine or use body language to get pity,
  • who don't criticize more than praise,
  • who don't hang out in cliques,
  • who don't eat too much or exercise too little;
  • But

  • who are ablaze for God,
  • who are utterly God-besotted,
  • who are filled with the Holy Spirit,
  • who strive to know the height and depth of Christ's love,
  • who are crucified to the world and dead to sin,
  • who are purified by the Word and addicted to righteousness,
  • who are mighty in memorizing and using the Scriptures,
  • who keep the Lord's Day holy and refreshing,
  • who are broken by the consciousness of sin,
  • who are thrilled by the wonder of free grace,
  • who are stunned into humble silence by the riches of God's glory,
  • who are persevering constantly in prayer,
  • who are ruthless in self-denial,
  • who are fearless in public witness to Christ's Lordship,
  • who are able to unmask error and blow away doctrinal haze,
  • who are tough in standing for the truth,
  • who are tender in touching hurting people,
  • who are passionate about reaching the peoples who have no church,
  • who are pro-life for the sake of babies and moms and dads and the glory of God,
  • who are keepers of all their promises, including marriage vows,
  • who are content with what they have and trusting the promises of God,
  • who are patient and kind and meek when life is hard.

Pressing for all there is in Christ,

Pastor John