Should Prayer Meetings be interesting?
Psalms 122: 1 "I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord."
Psalms 134:1-2 "Behold, bless ye the Lord, all ye servants of the Lord,
which by night stand in the house of the Lord.
2 Lift up your hands in the sanctuary,
and bless the Lord."
Psalms 100:1-4 "Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands.
2 Serve the Lord with gladness:
come before his presence with singing.
3 Know ye that the Lord he is God:
it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves;
we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
4 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving,
and into his courts with praise:
be thankful unto him, and bless his name.
"The prayer meetings should be the most interesting gatherings that are held, but these are frequently poorly managed. Many attend preaching, but neglect the prayer meeting. Here, again, thought is required. Wisdom should be sought of God, and plans should be laid to conduct the meetings so that they will be interesting and attractive. The people hunger for the bread of life. If they find it at the prayer meeting they will go there to receive it." {4T 70.3}
"The prayer and social meetings should be the most interesting gatherings that are held. Plans should be laid, and wisdom sought of God, to conduct these meetings so that they will be interesting and attractive. The people hunger for the bread of life. If they find it at the prayer-meeting, they will go there to receive it. Long, prosy talks and prayers are out of place anywhere, and especially in the social meeting. They weary the angels as well as the people who listen to them. Our prayers should be short, and right to the point. Let the Spirit of God pervade the hearts of the worshipers, and it will sweep away all formality and dullness." {RH October 10, 1882, par. 13}
If Prayer Meetings are not interesting, it will only be a matter of time before members stop attending. Serious thought should be given to how to make prayer meetings one of the "most interesting" gatherings of the week. I would suggest that variety, change, short prayers, focus, testimonies, will all play a role in bringing about interesting prayer meetings.