Here are a few of the things I am praying about for our Sunday worship.

1. Pray for People to Come. There are a thousand things people could do this weekend. I pray that people will consider being a part of worship with us or somewhere this Sunday morning. I usually am also specific in my prayers. I ask that God would encourage those to come who need this message. For example, a sermon on parenting might not be needed by everyone, but someone may desperately need it.
2. Pray for a Welcoming Church. I ask God to be present in people’s lives from the moment they arrive on our campus. I hope they find our guest parking. I want people in the parking lot to be friendly. I pray for the greeters at the door to make a great impression. I specifically ask that people get connected in a meaningful way as part of their worship experience.
3. Pray for the Worship. People have planned and prepared for morning worship, but we still need God’s intervention in every aspect. I want the people on the stage to be smiling and leading us with a positive attitude and a faithful heart. I pray the music connects to the overall message of the day. I plead with God on behalf of all the speaking participants. We can do everything right, but we need the Spirit of God to be present during our worship.
4. Pray for the Sermon. I have prepared all week for this one half-hour of speaking. I ask that God would fill my mind, heart, and soul with his Spirit. I pray I would speak clearly and accurately. Lately, I have been earnestly praying that he would limit the distractions from the people listening.
5. Pray for the Children. While I am speaking, twenty to forty kids will be gathered in back at our Church. I ask that God would bless the leaders of those children with a wise and discerning voice. I hope they are full of love and grace, even with difficult kids. I ask God to work in every part of our children’s ministry, from the nursery worker to the fifth-grade leader. May this time on Sunday shape those children for a lifetime and prepare them for eternity.

These are the prayers I offer up each week. I pray each one of them off and on throughout the week. Then, I pray them on Saturday night and at least twice on Sunday morning (once alone and once with a group). Maybe you would consider joining me in prayer. Anything good that happens at Church worship is because of the work of the Lord. In everything, the Lord be praised … and thank you for your prayers.