In 1854, the New Park Street Church extended an invitation to a young man to become their pastor. Their terms were simple and clear: he would come and preach for a six-month probationary period, at the end of which an evaluation would take place and consideration given to a permanent invitation.

The young man, only nineteen years old, countered with a three-month probationary period because, as he said, "The congregation might not want me, and I do not wish to be a hindrance." That young man was Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

The congregation was about 200 on his arrival, but within ten months they were forced to move out of their facility to accommodate the burgeoning crowds. During the entirety of his pastorate, thirty-eight years, over 14,000 people were added to the church, and it has been estimated that he preached to more than ten million people.

When, on one occasion, he was asked, "Mr. Spurgeon, what is your secret?" he replied without hesitation, "My people pray for me." Elsewhere he elaborates:

"The sinew of the minister's strength under God is the supplication of his church. We can do anything and everything if we have a praying people around us. But when our dear friends and fellow helpers cease to pray, the Holy Ghost hastens to depart, and 'Ichabod' is written on the place of assembly.

"What can we do without your prayers? They link us with the omnipotence of God. Like the lightning rod, they pierce the clouds and bring down the mighty and mysterious power from on high.... The Lord give me a dozen importunate pleaders and lovers of souls, and by his grace we will shake all London from end-to-end."¹

Unrelenting Prayer

Though an avid proponent of God's sovereignty, the Apostle Paul expressed his simultaneous conviction that prayer was indispensible. His emphasis on intercession for his ministry is noteworthy:

"Finally, brethren, pray for us that the word of the Lord may spread rapidly and be glorified, just as it did also with you" (2 Thess. 3:1 NASB).

"Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving; praying at the same time for us as well, that God may open up to us a door for the word, so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ, for which I have also been imprisoned; in order that I may make it clear in the way I ought to speak" (Col. 4:2-4).

In both of these passages, Paul employs imperative verbs. His requests for prayer are not delicate suggestions or wishful thinking—they are fully authoritative, apostolic commands intended to be carried out continuously.

And for what purpose are the people of God mandated to pray? "That the word of the Lord may spread rapidly and be glorified" and "that God may open up to us a door for the word, so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ." God's eternal purpose creates no hesitation where his request for prayer is concerned.

A similar request appears near the conclusion of the epistle to the Ephesians. Paul likens authentic Christianity to a violent battle. Christians wage war, not only against the sinful inclinations of their own flesh and the rebellious world system, but against the "spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places" (Eph. 6:12). After identifying a Christian's resources and "battle armor," Paul turns to the subject of prayer as the principle source of strength in which the warfare is to be successfully fought.

The source of strength for the battle is external to the Christian. It is to be found in God through the means He has appointed. Hence, Paul petitions his readers: "With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints, and pray on my behalf" (Eph. 6:18-19).

The Spirit of the Church

The congregation has been given certain responsibilities for the preaching of the Word of God. Each Christian needs to recognize his appointed duty to make consistent supplication for the Spirit's blessing on behalf of himself, the preacher, and others who will come under the sound of the proclaimed word.

During the Great Awakening, it was the practice of a Welsh pastor to teach the following prayer to new converts: "Unless I have the power of heaven in the Word of Life, I shall die."

This congregational responsibility also has implications for Christian families. Parents should consistently pray with their children for this blessing to attend the preaching of the Word.

On several occasions my own children have asked, "Daddy, why do you always pray for the Holy Spirit to help you when you preach?" To which I have replied, "Because we want God's Word to be accompanied by power. This is how God changes people."

Most importantly, this intercessory responsibility has direct bearing on Christians as an assembled people. Aware of their absolute dependence on divine enablement, congregations need regularly to make petition for the transforming effects of the Spirit through the preaching of the Word. This can occur during the worship service, in Bible studies, in discipleship groups, and in Christian education classes.

Moreover, local congregations need to give serious consideration to prayer meetings that are altogether devoted to this concern. Marcel is particularly pointed here:

"When, then, will the believers en masse understand that they are primarily responsible for the preaching which they hear, yes, more than their preachers? If every pastor knew and felt that the congregation was praying and that each member had prayed, that the congregation was supporting him, interceding for him ... what preacher would not feel himself a new man? and whose preaching would not be transformed. Once again, preaching the word is a function and activity of the Church, not the function and specialty of a man."²

Dutch pastors often recite a familiar saying to their congregations. Though it defies exact translation into English, it can be summarized as follows: "If you pray me full, I'll preach you full."³ Does your congregation "pray your pastor full"? This is your mandate. This is your holy responsibility.

 

¹Charles Haddon Spurgeon, The Metroplitan Tabernacle Pulpit (repr. Ed., Pasadena: Pilgrim Publications, 1980), vol. 23, p. 445.

²Pierre Ch. Marcel, The Relevance of Preaching (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1963), pp. 101-102.

³This quotation was given by Dr. Joel Beeke in a class at Westminster Seminary entitled "Experimental Preaching."

 

Adapted from Spirit Empowered Preaching, copyright © 1998, 2007 by Arturo G. Azurdia III, published by Christian Focus Publications, www.ChristianFocus.com. Used by permission.