A church in southern China has recently updated its service process. A significant change encourages the congregation to offer a silent prayer before departing after the pastor's benediction.
Such a service process provides a valuable example for churches nationwide. In some churches, some members often rush out right after the service, disrupting the church order.
Christian prayer is a form of connection with God, much like saying farewell words to a dear friend rather than leaving rudely without saying anything. This manner is applied to interpersonal relationships, let alone worshiping God in church.
One Christian testified that he used to approach worship casually, perceiving it as mainly ritualistic apart from the sermon. However, once he attended a church in another city, he noticed a few believers around him praying quietly, so he chose to recite the Lord's Prayer. He felt a deep sense of strength and joy that day though it was his repeated approach. Since then, he has made it a habit to pray silently after service.
Silent prayer is also an effective way for believers to reflect on the Sunday sermon. For numerous messages delivered in a sermon, silent prayer allows meditation on its content, helping one gradually internalize and exemplify the messages in the faith journey.
A Christian woman shared she would pray silently in the church after every sermon. In addition to communicating with the Lord, she would reflect on the messages she had heard that day, summarizing and internalizing them to gain a deeper understanding and bear in mind the messages of the sermon.
Silent prayer can also enhance the solemnity of the worship atmosphere. A seeker once attended a church service and was deeply moved by the reverent scene of numerous believers staying to pray silently after the service, refreshing his perspective on the Christian faith.
Imagine if we hurried out of the church after the service for various reasons, creating a sense of disorder at the venue—what kind of impression would that leave on seekers? Conversely, suppose Christians engage in silent prayer after the sermon and leave the church orderly. In that case, it creates a more orderly atmosphere in the church, leaving a positive impression on the seekers and helping them feel more drawn to the gospel.
(The article was originally published by the Gospel Times and the author is a Christian in Fujian Province.)
- Edited and translated by Poppy Chan
