Is this type of prayer biblical?

[edkugler]

I am a new member and this is my first post. I am posting it here because I cannot determine the appropriate place for my question. Please advise me and/or give me your ideas about it.

Last night I attended a small service on a college campus. This small group of Christians engaged in a mode of prayer that I had never witnessed in any of the churches or Christian meetings I have attended over many years. Every time any member made a call to pray for a particular person or other need, one member would start praying and then all of the others would begin praying aloud simultaneously so that there was a cacophony.

When I mentioned that I had not ever experienced this kind of prayer, I was told that it was very common and widespread and biblical. They quoted a passage (I can't remember) where Jesus told his disciples to pray with him and they all prayed aloud together.

Can you tell me if you are familiar with this kind of prayer? Is there really biblical evidence that Jesus wants us to pray like this when we are worshiping together? Who are the Christians that pray like this? Why haven't I encountered this in all of the Christian worship I have engaged in, in my long life (I am 68)? Is there a name for this kind of prayer so I can Google or Wikipedia search it to learn more about it?

Thank you very much for whatever help you can give me.

Edwin

[tt1106]

Many times when I engage in intercessory prayer with my brothers and sisters in Christ, we pray simultaneously.

Ummmm and Lord, help edkugler discover the answers to his question.
Amen.

[livingwaters]

I, also, attend a church where when prayers are asked for a person, we all pray to God aloud, together. Also, if a person goes to the altar to receive prayer and/or to be annointed with oil, we go up and pray to the Lord, together, for that person's needs.

We all need prayers...Thank you Lord that we can and must come together to prayer for others who are in need. Power is in prayers!!!! Corporate prayer can accomplish much, as God sees HIS people lovingly praying for others...GOD answers prayers...HE is faithful!!! Glory to God~:saint:

That's, my opinion and belief....God is LOVE!!!! Love thy neighbor as thyself!!!!

Thank you Lord Jesus for dying at Calvary for all of us.....:hug::pp:)

[turtledove]

moved from prayer requests by wiseoldowl, prayer request's facilitator.

[RabbiKnife]

I am not aware of any biblical passage that says that Jesus and his disciples prayer out loud together.

But, there is certainly no prohibition on the practice. Prayer is my conversation with God, whether anyone else is speaking to Him at the time or not!

If it was preaching or teaching all at the same time, that would be a completely different matter.

[Whispering Grace]

Last night I attended a small service on a college campus. This small group of Christians engaged in a mode of prayer that I had never witnessed in any of the churches or Christian meetings I have attended over many years. Every time any member made a call to pray for a particular person or other need, one member would start praying and then all of the others would begin praying aloud simultaneously so that there was a cacophony.

First of all, welcome to the board. :)

I don't see why it would be unbiblical for everyone to pray all at once out loud.

We are a noisy lot in my church. You should hear us praise the Lord together. ;)

[Theophilus]

Once, my (then 6 year old) daughter heard her grandfather, who hosted a small (and quite local) radio show praying on that show with several in-studio "congregants"...and she said, "Wow, that sounds like Chinese!"

Several family members were scandalized, but I had a quite the internal chuckle.

No, there's nothing wrong with everyone lifting their voices aloud in prayer, any more than there is with just one person leading in prayer while others pray silently. The important point is that you pray. :)

[RoadWarrior]

I am sorry to move this thread again, but since the OP is not a Christian, the appropriate forum is Christians Answer.

[Emanate]

Perhaps I am a dissenting voice, and I certainly see no problem with simultaneous prayer. However, what I have witnessed growing up in various pentecostal churches is that it most oft quickly devolves into disorganization. I believe, as Paul alluded, everything should be done in order, with structure.

[ServantofTruth]

We all grow up with different externals of our faith in Jesus Christ. The way the church looks or hall, the songs, the service format and yes the prayers. As long as the bible and love are central, we won't go far wrong.





BIG SofTy SofT outside, bible core. :pp

[mcgyver]

Although there is no clear prohibition against simultaneous (vocalized) prayer; I think that there are certain precepts in scripture which would be applicable to the situation.

In his instructions to the church in Corinth the Apostle Paul writes:

"How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification. If anyone speaks in a tongue, let there be two or at the most three, each in turn, and let one interpret. But if there is no interpreter, let him keep silent in church, and let him speak to himself and to God. Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others judge. But if anything is revealed to another who sits by, let the first keep silent. For you can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may be encouraged. And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints." (1 Cor. 14:26-33 NKJV)

and in a previous passage he writes (1 Cor. 14: 14-19)

"For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful. What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding. Otherwise, if you bless with the spirit, how will he who occupies the place of the uninformed say “Amen” at your giving of thanks, since he does not understand what you say? For you indeed give thanks well, but the other is not edified.
I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all; yet in the church I would rather speak five words with my understanding, that I may teach others also, than ten thousand words in a tongue."

I've bolded the pertinent verses...

Although Paul is primarily addressing "tongues" (whether because there were numerous dialects and language groups in Corinth, or whether there was another "Heavenly" language is open to debate) I think we have an injunction against the confusion and resulting divisiveness experienced in the church at Corinth...the "cacophony" if you will when everyone is speaking at the same time, whether in prayer or prophecy.

I know that for me personally, if everyone is praying aloud at the same time, it is next to impossible to pick out who is praying about what; nor to (as Paul wrote) give my "Amen"...and I can not see how this is honoring to God IMO, for it results in confusion.

Therefore, I would say that if one should feel led to pray aloud then others should be silent until he who is praying is finished; this is the way we pray in our fellowship.

As an aside, I have seen powerful movements of the Holy Spirit as one was led to pray...and as they prayed others (in turn) were "cut to the heart" (for lack of a better term) by that which was spoken in prayer by the first person...something that would have been next to impossible to hear if all were praying aloud at once.

Anyway...that's my take on it :)

[Tanya~]

This thread has been moved around and now has landed in Christians Answer, so please remember that the rules are a little different in here. The main thing to keep in mind is that all replies are to be directed to the person who started the thread and not to others participating. Thanks, and carry on!

[*Hope*]

Perhaps I am a dissenting voice, and I certainly see no problem with simultaneous prayer. However, what I have witnessed growing up in various pentecostal churches is that it most oft quickly devolves into disorganization. I believe, as Paul alluded, everything should be done in order, with structure.

I completely agree. Beware of disorder and chaos.

[Lomesir22]

Just tonight I went to a small prayer meeting where three pray-ers would pray over me. For a part of the time, they would pray in tongues together. Other times, one would pray in English and the other two would continue to pray in tongues. While this isn't the chaotic scene the OP described, it's still multiple prayers at once. Yet, there was order and a sense of structure and, most importantly, peace.

Multiple prayers at one time are just fine (God can hear each one), and can be awesomely powerful, but beware of church settings in which there is no peace. Peace is one of the fruits of the Spirit, and if there is no peace, you have to wonder whether the Spirit is present.

[turtledove]

Yes, peace, a fruit of the Holy Spirit, is a good indicator of God's abiding presence during prayers. It seems to me that when there is peace it is like water dropping into a sponge...but when there is no peace it is like the water is splashing loudly on a rock and bouncing off. With no peace present... something is wrong. :)

Galatians 5:22 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,..."

[Reynolds357]

I am a new member and this is my first post. I am posting it here because I cannot determine the appropriate place for my question. Please advise me and/or give me your ideas about it.

Last night I attended a small service on a college campus. This small group of Christians engaged in a mode of prayer that I had never witnessed in any of the churches or Christian meetings I have attended over many years. Every time any member made a call to pray for a particular person or other need, one member would start praying and then all of the others would begin praying aloud simultaneously so that there was a cacophony.

When I mentioned that I had not ever experienced this kind of prayer, I was told that it was very common and widespread and biblical. They quoted a passage (I can't remember) where Jesus told his disciples to pray with him and they all prayed aloud together.

Can you tell me if you are familiar with this kind of prayer? Is there really biblical evidence that Jesus wants us to pray like this when we are worshiping together? Who are the Christians that pray like this? Why haven't I encountered this in all of the Christian worship I have engaged in, in my long life (I am 68)? Is there a name for this kind of prayer so I can Google or Wikipedia search it to learn more about it?

Thank you very much for whatever help you can give me.

Edwin

This type prayer is most definitely Biblical and has been prayed throughout Church history. If you are lookin for a prayer that is not biblical, then silent prayer would fit the bill for that. At no time were we commanded to pray silently, nor do we see believers in the Bible praying silently. In corporate prayer, all pray, so all pray aloud just as prayers were offered in the Bible.

[Lomesir22]

Exclusively silent prayer is not Biblical, but silent prayer in general is. Prayer is prayer, said aloud or in your heart.

As she kept on praying to the Lord, Eli observed her mouth. Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard. Eli thought she was drunk and said to her, "How long will you keep on getting drunk? Get rid of your wine." - 1 Samuel 1:12-14

After Hannah explains that she's not drunk, but rather very anguished, Eli says:

"Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him." - 1 Samuel 1:17