Category: Ministry
10 Encouraging Bible Verses About the Power of Prayer
Whether we’ve found ourselves in a challenging situation or season or we’re just journeying through everyday life, prayer is a powerful tool that we always have at our disposal. As pastors and leaders, we can always benefit from spending time in conversation with God.
Thankfully, there are many Bible verses about prayer to help us as we engage in this spiritual practice. We hope that these verses encourage your faith and remind you of the precious gift of prayer – feel free to share them with anyone in your life or ministry who needs them, too.
“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.”
1 John 5:14
This verse reminds us that God is truly listening when His children approach Him. As we pray the will of God over any situation in our lives, we can be sure that He hears us. That reassurance gives us confidence to approach God, no matter what the circumstances may be.
“The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.”
Psalm 145:18
Sometimes, our hearts can convince us that God is far from us – but this scripture reminds us that feeling is simply not true. The Psalmist reminds us that when we call on God, He draws near to us. What an incredible gift we have in that promise!
“For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”
Matthew 18:20
This gospel passage reminds us of the importance of praying with others in our community. There is power in joining together to pray and petition. Jesus even says that when we align our hearts in prayer, He is with us as we do it!
“Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”
Hebrews 4:16
Prayer is a gift in and of itself, but as we pray, we also receive other gifts. This verse in Hebrews tells us that we can approach God with confidence, expecting that we will receive the mercy and grace we need for our current moment.
“Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.”
James 5:16
This passage in James shows us that we are meant to pray for each other! Praying and confessing in community is a valuable part of the Christian life. According to scripture, confessing our sins and praying for one another brings healing. It’s so comforting to know that prayer truly works – it’s powerful and effective.
“About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose. The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!”
The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house.”
Acts 16:25-32
This miracle in Acts was brought about through prayer and worship. What an incredible story! While Paul and Silas could have chosen to feel forgotten and defeated in prison, they instead decided to pray and worship God, even in a seemingly impossible situation. They were rewarded with their freedom — and even more importantly, an opportunity to share the gospel! This story reminds us that when things seem bleak, it’s the best time to pray. God can work on our behalf to help us and to bring His gospel to others!
“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.”
Romans 8:26
Have you ever known you needed to pray, but felt like you didn’t know what to say? This verse is a great encouragement to our hearts when we feel so burdened or confused that we can’t find the words. The Holy Spirit intercedes on our behalf even when our prayers don’t feel eloquent or coherent. God knows our hearts, even when we can’t articulate them well.
“Lord, hear my prayer, listen to my cry for mercy; in your faithfulness and righteousness come to my relief.”
Psalm 143:1
Reading the Psalms is a great reminder that we have permission to come to God honestly, making our request no matter what emotion we’re feeling. This verse gives us a blueprint for praying in difficult times, asking God to hear our cries and give us mercy, according to His faithful and righteous character.
“Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Matthew 26:41
This reminder from Jesus himself shows us that prayer can keep us from succumbing to sin — it’s a powerful spiritual weapon in fighting temptation. Prayer truly does offer us access to God, who is always ready to help us when it feels like the flesh will win out over the spirit. He is available to help us overcome any temptation we may face!
“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”
2 Chronicles 7:14
This passage reminded Solomon and the Israelite people that God would draw near to them and heal them, even after they had turned away from Him yet again. It offers us a beautiful picture, too — that God’s heart is always ready to heal his people when we return to Him. Even today, we can use this Old Testament passage as a guideline for repentance, praying humbly and seeking God’s face.
We hope these Bible verses about the power of prayer encourage you and help you serve your congregation in this season. We know how much you pour into your ministry, and we’re always looking for ways to support you. If you’re looking for a new way to incorporate prayer into your church community, try Church Base’s interactive prayer wall! Our Connection module offers a simple way for congregants to share their requests and pray for others.
Get started with Church Base’s Connection module — it’s completely free for your church to use.
7 Back-To-School Outreach Ideas For Your Church
As the temperatures dip and schools open their doors again for a new year, we have many opportunities to serve teachers, students, and parents in our communities. This time of year can feel hectic for some, so it’s a great season to offer practical support and care. If you’d like to figure out ways to effectively reach the families and educators in your church and in your community as a whole, here are a few ways to engage with them in the weeks ahead.
1. School Supply Drive
Families in your area may be wondering how they’ll be able to afford school supplies for the year ahead. To meet this need in a practical way, host a backpack drive or have families in your church drop off essential school supplies. You can even schedule a “packing party,” a night for your church to gather together and pack backpacks with everything students will need for the year ahead. This is a great way to serve your city, practice generosity as a community, and build community within your church!
2. Clear an Amazon Wishlist
Did you know that many teachers spend their own money to stock their classrooms for the year? If you have teachers in your congregation, ask them to build a wishlist on Amazon so that your church family can help them clear their list and serve their classrooms effectively. You can even set up a special offering for this in your online giving software, allowing people to give as they’re able and then clearing the wishlist items with those funds.
3. Parents’ Night Out
After beginning a new rhythm of school drop-offs, sports practices, and other extracurricular activities, lots of parents are tired. Host a fun event for the kids in your church community by giving the parents a night away from parenting! Allow them to drop their kids off for a fun night of games and pizza, and let them go out to a nice, quiet meal for an hour or two. This may seem like quite an undertaking, but with Church Base’s Community module, planning and executing an event like this is simple. You can schedule volunteers, check kids in seamlessly, and print name tags or check-in stickers to keep things simple for drop-off and pick-up. The parents in your church will thank you!
4. Tutoring or After-School Care
Want to provide practical support in your community? After the school doors close, open yours. You can provide one-on-one tutoring with volunteers, or you can simply offer a space for students to study or play while their parents are still at work, eliminating the financial burden of daycare for working caregivers.
5. Coffee + Care Packages for Teachers
We love to offer support for families — and we want to do the same for educators! Offer a Saturday morning coffee stop with light breakfast and small care packages for teachers in your surrounding area, whether they attend your church or not. It’s a great way to bless them and let them know their local church cares about them. It’s also a great way to connect with teachers who may not be believers yet, or who are new to the area and looking for a new church to call home.
6. Family Movie Night
If you want to throw a party that’s fun for the entire family, how about a movie night? With the Community module on Church Base, you can easily gather RSVPs and make a plan. Choose a movie that’s fun for all ages, stock up on pizzas, and enjoy a night that’s truly fun for parents and kids alike. Back-to-school is a great time to offer a night like this — your children and youth leaders can join in serving, connecting with new families and inviting them to the next event or small group for their child or teen’s age group.
7. Adopt a Teacher
To make a lasting impact in a teacher’s life, adopt them (and their classroom) for the entire school year. It’s never been easier to set this up than with the Connection module on Church Base! With targeted push notifications, an interactive prayer wall, and public and private chat rooms, you’ll be able to connect with teachers throughout the year, keeping up-to-date on their practical and prayer needs. Imagine the impact you could make if every Sunday School class or small group in your church adopted a teacher for the year — you could potentially serve an entire school, offering Christ’s love and support in a meaningful way from August to May.
Church Base makes it easy to plan events, engage with your church, and serve your community — along with so much more!
Sign up for Church Base today (it’s FREE!) and make this the best back-to-school season yet.