Prayer Renewal Briefing
for Evangelical Church Leaders in Addis Ababa
From: Dr. Rebecca Alemayo, Prayer Ministry Coordinator
To: Church Leadership Council
Date: May 19, 2025
Introduction
Dear esteemed brothers and sisters in Christ,
Grace and peace to you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. I write to you with a burden from the Holy Spirit regarding the state of prayer in our congregation. As Scripture teaches us in 1 Thessalonians 5:17, we are commanded to “pray without ceasing.” Prayer is not merely a spiritual discipline but the very lifeblood of our communion with God and the foundation of all fruitful ministry. In recent months, I have observed certain patterns that indicate a spiritual drought in our prayer life as a church body. This briefing note aims to identify these symptoms and suggest biblical remedies that might restore vibrancy to our communion with the Lord.
Current Symptoms of Prayer Deficiency
1. Corporate Prayer Gatherings
Our weekly prayer meetings now draw less than 8% of our congregation, compared to 30% attendance three years ago. The intercessions have become routine and perfunctory rather than fervent appeals to the throne of grace. As James 5:16 reminds us, “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much,” yet our corporate prayers lack this scriptural fervency.
2. Worship Services
Prayer occupies less than five minutes of our ninety-minute worship service. We rush through our invocations and benedictions. The congregation remains silent during prayer times rather than engaging with affirmations or “Amens.” The Apostle Paul exhorted believers in 1 Timothy 2:1 that “supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men,” yet our worship services rarely demonstrate this comprehensive approach to prayer.
3. Home Fellowship Groups
Bible study has completely overshadowed prayer in our fellowship groups. Leaders allocate an average of only three minutes for opening and closing prayers combined. Requests focus predominantly on physical ailments rather than spiritual growth, missions, or kingdom advancement. The early church, as recorded in Acts 2:42, “continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers,” maintaining a biblical balance we have lost.
4. Leadership Meetings
Our leadership councils begin with perfunctory prayers but seldom pause during deliberations to seek divine guidance when faced with difficult decisions. The Jerusalem Council in Acts 15 demonstrated a model where prayer and fasting accompanied important decision-making processes, a practice we have neglected.