As disciples, we play an important role in accompanying one another on the discipleship journey.
One way we do this is to pray for each other.
While all Christians may pray for one another, this guidance is intended for those occasions when prayer ministry takes place as a formal activity of a church, or by a lay/ordained representative.
Watch the Praying with Others video
We asked four people to share their experiences of praying with other people, and their top tips for starting a prayer team.
We encourage you to watch this video as a team, pausing when asked to discuss your own experiences and reflections.
You can also download the video to watch offline.
In every act of worship, the Church celebrates the grace of God who desires wholeness of body, mind and spirit for all people.
Prayer ministry may particularly take place during pastoral visits or church services, at local events and festivals, or in chaplaincy contexts.
Services
Some churches have a prayer team who pray with people during or after a church service. This often involves asking God to do or change something, or to provide guidance – for example healing prayer; prayers for life transitions like new jobs, homes or vocational discernment; or praying for people experiencing disappointment, grief or other challenges.
A guidance document has been created for anyone who feels led or called by the Spirit of God to start such a team ministry. It is based on Methodist theological and safeguarding policy, and the experiences of Methodists who lead such teams. No one should be forced to participate in this style of prayer, and this guidance is only intended for those who have already decided to explore it.
Festivals
The guidance may also be useful for praying in other contexts, such as at local festivals or during community activities like toddler groups or community lunches. Extra care should be taken in such public settings to ensure adequate safeguarding and explanation of what is happening.
Home visits
Much of this guidance will also be applicable for pastoral visitors in home visits, though it will need contextualising. For example, considerations of private spaces and being alone with a person may be different.
Before you go
Praying for healing
The Bible makes confident claims that God can heal people. And yet, we regularly pray for people who are unwell and nothing seems to happen. Healing is not the same as curing. God might reply in a very different way, including reminding us that praying for a cure isn’t always the right thing to do.
Praying for forgiveness
Jesus teaches us to forgive the sins of others (eg Matthew 6:14). However, in situations of hurt and harm, pressuring a survivor to forgive their abuser can cause feelings of stress, trauma, and guilt. When praying with a survivor, do not ask for forgiveness for a perpetrator, or that God helps the survivor to be able to forgive them, unless they have specifically asked for this.
If you feel compelled to pray that a perpetrator would come into a loving relationship with God, this should be done in your private prayers, not with the survivor present.
Safeguarding and confidentiality
As with all activities, make sure you complete safeguarding training. In order to build a relationship of trust with the person being prayed for, it is important to be clear that you will treat the things they share with you in confidence.
There are two exceptions to this: if they specifically give you permission to share something they have said with another person, or if the person says something that leads you to think they or another person are at risk. Always follow good safeguarding practice.