Extemporaneous Prayer

[Ivy]

I would love to know the name of the obscure cofcer who coined the sacred phrase "guide, guard, and direct us". It had to be
some highly regarded, yet unknown, elder male who one day felt inspired. I think I must have been in my late tweens or early teens when I first heard it uttered in a service.

[Moogy]

I just googled "guide, guard, and direct us" prayer. On the first two pages of hits, most were clearly COC. A couple were unclear. One was from a LUTHERAN church. Did they steal the phrase from the COC? Has anyone heard it in another church?

[illuminator]

Sitting through some individual's prayers is torture. Besides the many phrases repeated over and over, one guy used "O Master" over and over. I would get distracted and start counting them. And as he went on, the O's got longer. OOOOOO Master!

[HighLiter871]

Right after "Guide, guard and direct us" came "Discourage us in the things that are wrong, and give us more courage to do that which is right." GAAA-A-A-A! Now I'm 6 years old again, sitting in that crummy little "church-house", just beginning to feel boredom, guilt and fear, all mucked together.

[AtPeace]

The benefit to planned prayers, unique to each service, is that they continue the common theme for that day, which is also reflected in the songs, sermon, and comments at the communion table. The continuity of message is extremely helpful to me in learning and growing during that hour of focused higher thought, which is what church attendance is for me.

[Lev]

The benefit to planned prayers, unique to each service, is that they continue the common theme for that day, which is also reflected in the songs, sermon, and comments at the communion table. The continuity of message is extremely helpful to me in learning and growing during that hour of focused higher thought, which is what church attendance is for me.

Agreed. And yet how many of us have heard sermons in the COC, damning the denominations for their use of prayer books. We only use the Bible! Well, OK, but you use song books. If it's OK to sing pre-written songs why is it not OK to pray pre-written prayers?

Lev

[zeek]

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[Lev]

Do we have a New Testament example of anyone "leading" others in prayer? I know there are references to people praying together such as Paul with the elders from Ephesus but I don't think that's the same as is done in modern churches. I'm not really even sure that one can be lead in prayer. It seems to me that for it to be worth anything each person must pray whatever is in or on his or her heart not what ever collection of worn out phrases some bubba mumbles into a microphone.

Good question. I wonder about this too. There's the bit in 1 Cor 14 about "how can those in the room say amen?" in the context of speaking/praying in tongues. Then there are the several cases in Acts (e.g. Acts 4 and Acts 12) when people were praying together--not necessarily with one person 'leading' but still. It very well might be something the COC, and to be honest, pretty much all denominations, read into the text--especially considering Jesus' instruction to go into your closet and pray in secret.

Lev

[Heloves]

Isogesis is the pits. Hosea 4:6 is a reality in all denominations. Most organized religions take "do all things in decency and order and twist it." 1 Corinthians 15 seems to teach the early services were more like our "Sunday school". Many spoke, but were not to be rude. "We are called by the word and Spirit, not born there. If, indeed, we are called. But the tendency to bash what we came from does not meet the specs of "forgive them for they know not what they do".
We have very little of what actually happened during Christ ministry. John tells us that. It may have been rehearsed, but "Into thy hands I commend my spirit" was probably not. Nor Forgive them for they know not what they do. Heart matters are that. For some weekly communion is "duty",for other an absolute, joyful renewal.

[Struggler]

I heard a biddy say more than once that a C of C service is just like what was in the "early church," save for the styles of clothing.
How asinine.