Praying Together: Corporate Prayer in the Bible

Corporate prayer is the united prayer of the Christian community, when two or more believers gather to seek God with one heart. Jesus promises a special presence to those who unite in His name: "If two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them" (Matthew 18:19-20). James 5:16 affirms that "the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." When the Church prays together, it expresses the unity of the body of Christ and amplifies the spiritual impact of intercession. Corporate prayer is not merely the sum of individual prayers, but an expression of communion in the Spirit. The biblical record shows that united prayer preceded the great works of God. In Acts 1:14 the disciples "all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication" before Pentecost. In Acts 4:31, the Church prayed with one heart, and "the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost." Philippians 4:6 invites believers to bring every request to God "by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving." Regular times of common prayer, intercession for the needs of the assembly, and shared worship build a true culture of corporate prayer that opens the way to revival.