A Prayer about the Necessity of Christian Community

All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation…2 Corinthians 5:18

Reconciling Father,

Yesterday, we prayed about 

your treasured gift of Christian community, 

today, we remember its necessity.

You could have shared the message of the gospel without us,

but you designed us to serve you by spreading the good news.

As Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote, 

“But God put his Word into the mouth of human beings 

so that it may be passed on to others….

[You have] willed that we should seek and find 

God’s living Word in the testimony of other Christians.”*

This is why we must seek out face-to-face fellowship 

with those who know and love the good news of the gospel. 

Because the “Christ in my heart is weaker 

than the Christ in the word of other Christians.”*

Thank you for that sister who spoke up in Sunday school, 

sharing her favorite verse; 

thank you for how her words reminded me 

that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 

Thank you for our faithful Bible study leaders, 

who study the lesson and draw us to see the truths in your Word 

we would never have seen on our own. 

Thank you, of course, for our faithful pastors and ministry leaders, 

who work so hard to preach and teach the gospel week after week,

year after year. 

Our hearts are indeed “uncertain” 

when we are left to ourselves; 

with our brothers and sisters in Christ, we become sure.

In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Read 2 Corinthians 5:17-21. 

This prayer inspired by Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s book, Life Together. Quotes from page 32.