Is your church sensing a call to change? If so, it must also hear a call to pray. When we move in new directions, our movement should not be a daring dash on our feet, but a committed crawl on our knees.

Change at its core is a test over faith and prayer. “Everything that does not come from faith is sin….I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made.” Romans 14:23; 1 Timothy 2:1.

The presenting issue might be church growth, evangelism, worship style, finances, leadership, organisation or a new building. But the question is, Are we willing to be instructed by God, to trust him, and to obey him? Are we willing first to get on our knees and stay there until we know God’s specific will, and until we receive wisdom and power from his Spirit?

Ironically, it was knees that got the church into trouble in the time of Esther—the knees of Mordecai, when he refused to bow to Haman. But it was also knees that got the church back on its feet! When the crisis came, Esther did not respond with handwringing or endless committees. She called for Jews to engage in three days of fasting and prayer. Then, when believers were sure of God’s will and empowerment, Esther stepped with courage into the crisis. God blessed with incredible deliverance. Look at each advance in Bible times—such as the revival under Nehemiah and the Spirit’s power at Pentecost—and we see a fellowship of prayer informing and driving the advance.

Look at great missionary movements—like those led by Hudson Taylor in China and David Livingstone in Africa—and we see success in proportion to time in prayer.

Look at modern revivals, and we find the same. Early Adventism was marked by much prayer—more often spontaneous than planned. In other Christian circles, the “Prayer Meeting Revival” of 1857-59 was a movement on its knees. The revival began with six people in New York City, led not by a preacher but by a quiet businessman. The time was marked by intercession, repentance and confession, without hysteria or fanaticism. Ultimately, this revival impacted an estimated one in every 30 people across America. Dwight L. Moody, at age 21, received his call into Christian service during this period.

Yet how often we find ourselves stretching, straining, pushing and pulling, rather than praying. It seems we would rather do anything than pray! Ministry professionals among us—myself included—are trained in theology, preaching, counselling, church dynamics and administration. But how many of us have been trained in God’s school of prayer? How many of us stay long enough and quietly enough before the throne to be baptised in God’s Spirit?

Consider this: “Wherever the need of the Holy Spirit is a matter little thought of, there is seen spiritual drought, spiritual darkness, spiritual declension and death….

“Since this is the means by which we are to receive power, why do we not hunger and thirst for the gift of the Spirit? Why do we not talk of it, pray for it, and preach concerning it?...For the daily baptism of the Spirit every worker should offer his petition to God. Companies of Christian workers should gather to ask for special help.”*

We gather, but usually not for prayer. We gather for business, discussion, conflict resolution, planning and policy-making. There is often a need for these, but there is always a need for prayer. Angels must cringe in embarrassment over our prayerlessness. How frequently we come into difficulty because we don’t thoroughly seek God’s will and bathe our ventures in his grace.

So, if we’re out for change, let’s make this change before all others—prayer before action, prayer throughout action, prayer beyond action. Then, like Esther, we can step with courage into crisis, and be part of a great deliverance.

* Ellen G. White, Acts of the Apostles, p. 50.

This article first appeared in modified form in Mid-America Outlook, July 2006. Copyright © 2009 by Ed Gallagher (South Pacific edition). / Scripture quotations taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission.