In his book, 
Power Through Prayer, E.M . Bounds makes the following powerful, prophetic statement.
“What the church needs today is not more machinery, or better – not new organizations or more and novel methods, but men whom the Holy Ghost can use-men of prayer, men mighty in prayer. The Holy Ghost does not flow through methods, but through men. He does not come on machinery, but on men. He does not anoint plans, but men-men of prayer.” (E.M.Bounds, Power Through Prayer, Whitaker House, 1982)
We do machinery, organisation and methods so well, but perhaps no so, prayer.
It’s time for us to revive the importance of “prayer.” We can dance around at the edges, pour dollars into programmes, pretty up our buildings, but without prayer, it seems to me that it’s all just machinery.
In that same chapter, Bounds also writes, “Men are God’s method. The church is looking for better methods; God is looking for better men.”
Amen to that! And what about this:
“Let’s not play games with ourselves. Let’s not divert attention away from the weak prayer life of our own churches. In Acts 4, when the apostles were unjustly arrested, imprisoned, and threatened, they didn’t call for a protest; they didn’t reach for some political leverage. Instead, they headed to a prayer meeting. Soon the place was vibrating with the power of the Holy Spirit (vv.23-31). The apostles had this instinct: When in trouble, pray. When intimidated, pray. When challenged, pray. When persecuted, pray.”
“We must face the fact that for our churches and ministries to be all God wants them to be, they MUST be saturated with prayer. No new revelation or church-growth technique will change the fact that spiritual power is ALWAYS linked to communion with God. If you and I are prayerless, if our churches have no appetite for God’s presence, we will never reach our full potential in him.’
(Both quotes from: ‘Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire’ by Jim Cymbala. Zondervan 1997).
Great comment
“Men are God’s method. The church is looking for better methods; God is looking for better men.”
… and women?
Hi Celeste, I’m pretty certain this use of ‘men’ is not gender specific.
I too believe that this vital energy within the corporate church life is sadly lagging behind the rest of our programs and activities. Call a Day of Prayer and you soon learn who the prayers are – the faithful few who will turn up each time, with the majority missing in action. This is something that I struggle with because as the Prayer Coordinator at our Corps I find it most difficult to get too many to a prayer meeting except for the faithful “Intercessory Group” who constantly receive prayer requests and gladly pray for those people who entrust us with some very personal needs. A Corps that is to be powerful has to be powerful in prayer. Let’s bring it on. In fact, I’ll turn off the TV and spend more time praying tonight that God will raise up people mighty in prayer. Don’t get me wrong in my saying this because I wouldn’t dare to say that people don’t spend personal time in prayer – that would be judgmental and I won’t go down that track. I am speaking here of vibrant corporate prayer which can make a huge difference in any Corps. A Corps that wants to go places spiritually must be a praying Corps.
Val, keep it going, keep calling people to prayer because you are a voice from the Lord and a light shining in the darkness. Ask the CSM nect Sunday to issue a special invitation for people to join you in a time of prayer for revival.
Ray, I have just returned to this post after doing what I said I would do – some quality time with God. What He has revealed to me is that we need to start with our Leadership Team. We should be spending far more time in prayer together. We don’t have a CSM but we do have this team and although the CO’s are away for the next few weeks at a conference and then furlough I believe that where there is a will there is a way. In the same book that you mentioned I came across this little gem from the pen of John Wesley.
“Give me one hundred preachers who fear nothing but sin, and desire nothing but God, and I care not a straw whether they be clergymen or laymen; such alone will shake the gates of hell and set up the Kingdom of heaven on earth. God does nothing but in answer to prayer.”
May he help us all to get real about prayer for revival.
Thanks Val. Your passion for prayer inspires me.