Heavenly Father, make my church a disciple–making church. Build this Body of Christ until we all attain to the unity of the faith, growing in the knowledge of your Son and maturing to the full measure of Christ–likeness. That the world may know you have sent us.
In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Full Prayer
Please pray aloud:
Heavenly Father, make my church a disciple–making church.
Your Son calls us to follow him and be his disciples. To follow in his footsteps and learn from him, becoming like him in every way. But his call to be his disciple also comes with a high cost—To deny ourselves. To daily take up our cross and die. To renounce all things. And to share in his sufferings.
These are hard teachings, God, and we hesitate and tremble at their weight. So remind our spirits, Lord, that Jesus does not ask us to do what he has not first done himself. And then give us the strength a resilience to live a life worthy of this calling we’ve received.
A disciple–making church is intentional in the process. So improve our systems of discipleship, God. How can we better help people better live out their faith? How can we help everyone take a step forward in their faith, regardless of their tenure in you Church? If there are classes or curriculum or service opportunities we should cut or add, show us.
And then, make us diligent as disciples. Make us imitators of Christ, every day, every hour, and every moment, regardless of where we are or who we are with. Until we all reach unity in the faith and become mature, attaining to the whole measure his fullness:
To serve like Christ, suffer like Christ, speak like Christ, give like Christ, trust like Christ, confront like Christ, comfort like Christ, prioritize like Christ, resist like Christ, rest like Christ, surrender like Christ, worship like Christ, lead like Christ, teach like Christ, forgive like Christ, welcome like Christ, weep like Christ, rejoice like Christ, defend like Christ, live like Christ, die like Christ, and love like Christ!
In Jesus’ name. Amen.
…until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Ephesians 4:13
