Prayer points with Scriptures · 21 points
Prayer Points for the Church
These prayer points for the church are for pastors, prayer teams, small groups and church members who want to pray for their own congregation with Scripture. They move from thanks for the church God has given us, through repentance and renewal, to love and unity in the church family, devotion to the Word and prayer, our leaders and hurting members, and the church’s growth and witness. Each point has a Bible verse and a short prayer that prays it.
They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
Acts 2:42 (BSB)
At a prayer meeting, take one section at a time. Read the verse aloud, pray the short prayer together, then give the room a minute to pray in their own words, naming people and needs. On your own, pray one section a day through the week, or print the list and keep it in your Bible.
Thanksgiving for the church
1Thanks that the church belongs to Jesus
Lord Jesus, thank You that the church is Yours. You promised to build Your church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. When we feel small or weary, remind us whose work this is.
And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.
Matthew 16:18 (BSB)2Thanks for our partners in the gospel
Father, we thank You every time we remember the people of this church. Thank You for our partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, for every hand that serves and every voice that prays.
I thank my God every time I remember you. In every prayer for all of you, I always pray with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now,
Philippians 1:3-5 (BSB)3Thanks for the grace given to us
God of all grace, thank You for the grace You have given us in Christ Jesus: sins forgiven, lives changed, gifts given to each one. Keep us from ever taking Your kindness to this church for granted.
I always thank my God for you because of the grace He has given you in Christ Jesus.
1 Corinthians 1:4 (BSB)
Repentance and renewal
4Returning to our first love
Lord Jesus, where we have abandoned our first love, forgive us. Show us how far we have drifted, turn us back, and give us the love we had at first, so that we serve You from the heart and not from habit.
But I have this against you: You have abandoned your first love. Therefore, keep in mind how far you have fallen. Repent and perform the deeds you did at first. But if you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.
Revelation 2:4-5 (BSB)5Humility toward one another
Father, clothe us with humility toward one another. Where pride has made us defensive, competitive or cold, forgive us. You give grace to the humble; make us a church that is quick to listen, quick to apologize and glad to serve.
Young men, in the same way, submit yourselves to your elders. And all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
1 Peter 5:5 (BSB)6Hearts searched and cleansed
Search us, O God, and know our hearts. See if there is any offensive way in our church, any hidden sin, bitterness or idol we have tolerated. Bring it into the light, cleanse us, and lead us in the way everlasting.
Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my concerns. See if there is any offensive way in me; lead me in the way everlasting.
Psalm 139:23-24 (BSB)
Love and unity in our church family
7Unity in our church family
Holy Spirit, help us preserve the unity You have given us through the bond of peace. Give us humility, gentleness and patience, so that we bear with one another in love, especially when we disagree.
with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, and with diligence to preserve the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.
Ephesians 4:2-3 (BSB)8Love that shows we are His disciples
Lord Jesus, You loved us first. Teach us to love one another as You have loved us, so that our neighbors look at this church and know that we are Your disciples.
A new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you also must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.”
John 13:34-35 (BSB)9Forgiveness where there is hurt
Father, where there are complaints and old hurts between us, help us bear with one another and forgive as the Lord forgave us. Over everything, clothe us with love, the bond of perfect unity.
Bear with one another and forgive any complaint you may have against someone else. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which is the bond of perfect unity.
Colossians 3:13-14 (BSB)10Carrying one another’s burdens
Lord, open our eyes to the burdens in our church family: illness, grief, money worries, lonely homes. Show us how to carry one another’s burdens with meals, visits, rides and prayer, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
Carry one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.
Galatians 6:2 (BSB)
The Word, prayer and serving
11Rich in the word of Christ
Lord Jesus, let Your word dwell richly in our church: in the pulpit, in our classes and small groups, and in our homes. As we teach one another and sing together, fill our hearts with gratitude to God.
Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.
Colossians 3:16 (BSB)12A praying church
Father, make us a church devoted to prayer, watchful and thankful. Fill our prayer meetings, teach our children to pray, and let us bring every plan and problem to You before we try to fix it ourselves.
Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful,
Colossians 4:2 (BSB)13Every member doing their part
Lord, You are the head of this church. Help each one of us do our part in greeting, teaching, serving, giving and praying, so that the whole body grows up into Christ and builds itself up in love.
Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Christ Himself, who is the head. From Him the whole body, fitted and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love through the work of each individual part.
Ephesians 4:15-16 (BSB)14Faithful in meeting together
God, keep us from drifting away from one another. Make us faithful in meeting together, and show us how to spur one another on to love and good deeds and to encourage those who are tired.
And let us consider how to spur one another on to love and good deeds. Let us not neglect meeting together, as some have made a habit, but let us encourage one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
Hebrews 10:24-25 (BSB)
Our leaders and our people
15Our pastors and elders
Holy Spirit, help our pastors and elders keep watch over themselves and over the whole flock. Give them tenderness, courage and joy as they shepherd the church of God, which He bought with His own blood.
Keep watch over yourselves and the entire flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which He purchased with His own blood.
Acts 20:28 (BSB)16The next generation
God of our fathers, help us declare to the next generation the praises of the LORD and the wonders You have done. Bless our children, students and young families, and give them a faith of their own.
We will not hide them from their children but will declare to the next generation the praises of the LORD and His might and the wonders He has performed.
Psalm 78:4 (BSB)17Comfort for the hurting
Father of compassion and God of all comfort, draw near to every hurting person in our church: the grieving, the sick, the lonely, the discouraged. Comfort them, and make us able to comfort others with the comfort we have received from You.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.
2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (BSB)
Growth and witness
18The Lord adding to our number
Lord, You are the one who adds to the church those who are being saved. Bring people to faith in Jesus through our church, not for our name or our numbers, but so that more of our neighbors know You.
praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
Acts 2:47 (BSB)19Boldness to share the gospel
Sovereign Lord, see the fears that keep us quiet, and enable Your servants to speak Your word with complete boldness: at work, at school, with family and across the fence.
And now, Lord, consider their threats, and enable Your servants to speak Your word with complete boldness,
Acts 4:29 (BSB)20A light in our community
Father, make our church a city on a hill that cannot be hidden. Let our light shine in this community through good deeds done in Jesus’ name, so that people see them and give glory to You.
You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a basket. Instead, they set it on a stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
Matthew 5:14-16 (BSB)21Glory to God in the church
God, You are able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine. Do in this church what only You can do, by Your power at work within us, and let all the glory be Yours in the church and in Christ Jesus.
Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
Ephesians 3:20-21 (BSB)
A closing prayer
Lord Jesus, this is Your church, bought with Your own blood. Thank You for every person in it. Forgive our sins, heal our divisions and make us one. Fill us with Your Spirit, keep us devoted to Your Word and to prayer, and send us out to love our neighbors and tell them about You. Do more than we ask or imagine, and let all the glory be Yours. Amen.
Pray with a voice
Short prayers with a voice to pray along with, each drawn from one passage.
Questions
Why should we pray for our church?
Jesus prayed for His church, asking that all who believe in Him would be one so that the world may believe (John 17:20-21). Paul told the churches he never stopped praying for them (Ephesians 1:16; Colossians 1:9), and the first believers in Jerusalem devoted themselves to prayer together (Acts 2:42). Praying for your church keeps it dependent on God and keeps its members caring for one another.
How do you lead a prayer meeting for the church?
Open with a short Scripture reading and thanks, then move through a few themes, such as confession, unity, leaders, the hurting and outreach. Read one verse for each theme, pray briefly, and leave room for others to pray in short, simple sentences so more people can take part. Close by praying together, for example with the closing prayer on this page.
What Bible verses can I pray over my church?
Good starting points are Acts 2:42 (devotion to teaching, fellowship and prayer), Ephesians 4:2-3 (unity), John 13:34-35 (love), Colossians 3:16 (the word of Christ), Acts 4:29 (boldness), Matthew 5:14-16 (light in the community) and Ephesians 3:20-21 (glory to God in the church). Every point on this page includes its verse.
More prayer points
Every verse on this page is quoted word for word from the Berean Standard Bible (BSB), which its publishers dedicated to the public domain. Copy, print and share these prayer points freely with your church.