“As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” (Proverbs 27:17 – NIV) Today, I launch a new clergy collegial blog. I hope we will encourage and empower each other toward success and excellence in pastoral ministry. As I sit in the Pastor’s Study at Cambria Heights Community Church, I often ponder the possible feedback of clergy colleagues as it relates to preparing sermons, counseling in particularly difficult situation, designing fresh worship, balancing competing priorities of ministry, marriage and family, maintaining self-care, pursuing personal dreams and private interests outside of ministry and family, and finding resources to meet the ever evolving and changing needs of the people whom I serve. After a sustained period of prayer, reflection and meditation, I realize I can invite you to come “In The Pastor’s Study” for an exchange of ideas.

Thursday, January 5, 2012

The Prayer of Invocation - Worship Training Aids


The Prayer of Invocation

·       (1) This prayer specifically invites the Holy Spirit into the worship experience.
·       Otherwise, our worship is “man-made” and will not be found pleasing in the sight of God.
·       Welcome the Holy Spirit to the worship experience just as you would any visitor to the church.

·       (2) Ask the Holy Spirit to consecrate our worship experience.
·       Worship and praise are sacrifices similar to the offerings that were presented in the temple during the Old Testament times.
·       The sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving must be consecrated just as those various offerings had to be.
·       Psalm 100:4 – “Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.”

·       (3) Pray the scriptures.
·       Excerpts from Psalms 90 to 107 can be very helpful in drafting a prayer of invocation
·       Also, consider Psalms 1-42.
·       “The Song of Moses and Miriam”        Exodus 15:1-21
·       “The Song of Deborah”                         Judges 5:1-31
·       “David’s Song of Praise”                      2 Samuel 22:1-51
·       “David’s Psalm of Thanks”                   1 Chronicles 16:8-36
·       Revelation 4:8-11
·       Revelation 5:9-14
·       Revelation 7:9-17
·       Revelation 11:15-18
·       Revelation 19:1-8

·       (4) As always, our prayers should be heart felt and intensely personal.
·       Consider offering an extemporaneous meditation from the heart.

·       (5) Intercessory petitions for the Pastor, the ministry of the local church, the bereaved, the sick and shut-in, etc, should be reserved for the Meditation or Intercessory Prayer.
·       Contrast the Psalms and the praise passages with Philippians 4:6-7 and James 5:13-16
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