I was speaking with a commissioner at General Assembly who lamented that so much of the business seemed routine. He felt that what we needed to do was to set aside all the routine business and spend the time dealing with pressing issues like the serious and ongoing decline of the church—which wasn’t even mentioned. I remember number of years ago attending The Presbyterian Church in Canada’s national thinktank and one of the amazing conclusions was that there should be regular days of prayer and discernment across the whole church. For the sake of convenience and manageability, it was suggested that they be held on a regional basis. I think someone even suggested that they might take the place of synod meetings. It is hard not to agree with such suggestions. If ever we decided to do such a thing, it would take a discipline and even a depth of devotion that most are not used to. (When was the last time you and your congregation were involved in a three or
four-day prayer meeting to seek God’s direction?)
There are many questions. Is this suggestion just some pipe dream of evangelical pietists, confessionalists and charismatics? Does it pass the unspoken Presbyterian litmus test of common sense? Is this really what we should be doing? Is it only an urgent matter but not an important one?
Indeed, to my mind, it is the most important thing we can possibly do and it really matters for our future. In true Presbyterian fashion, such a gathering would no doubt also have the preaching of the Word and sung prayers of adoration, confession, thanksgiving and supplication and perhaps even discussion to share what was discerned, but the main focus of activity would be prayer—both in speaking to God and listening to Him through the word of scripture and even in periods of silent reflection.
I even dare to call for our church to have a national Presbyterian three-day concert of prayer. It will not solve all our problems but I believe if we did it with a sense of urgency, earnestness, faith and passion it might give us a new beginning—a real renewal of our calling as church and agents of God’s kingdom.
In this regard I’m reminded that there is urgency to this matter. We do not have much time left. As the scripture reminds us in the words of Jesus as he addressed the early church: The Time Is Near!
As a denomination we are standing in the valley of decision. As I speak with many in our church, both leaders and people in the pew, no one seems to know which way to go to turn things around so that we will be a passionate and shining light for Christ in the land. There are programs to raise stewardship, there are activities to show compassion to others, there are committees to deal with all manner of issues but in it all it seems there is a feeling that we are just maintaining—that we just keep on doing the same things we did last year or the last 50 years. I don’t pretend to have all the answers and I have little expectation there is a quick fix, but it seems to me that to move on in confidence we need to believe that God has a plan for us and that if we seek Him with our whole heart He will reveal to us what He is doing and our part in it.
John Calvin and John Knox believed that prayer was the key that unlocked the treasure chest of God’s blessing and they turned their nations upside down. I believe it too.
