1. Show Up!

Your faithful attendance makes a bold statement to encourage others regarding a steadfast commitment to corporate prayer.
Discipline yourself in the Spirit to attend even when feelings are contrary (1 Tim. 4:7-8).
"I have no sympathy with the excuse that people have not time to attend…with many the excuse is due to sheer carelessness or indifference." —D.L. Moody
"It is customary to mark engagements in our diary. If meeting the King with our fellow believers is important it will surely be reserved in our diary. Invitations to dinner or to recreational events will have to be fitted in elsewhere. Jesus says that we have not because we fail to ask (James 4:2). Is the audience with our Monarch esteemed by you as a priority? Does your diary reflect that fact?" —Erroll Hulse

2. Come Prepared

Be ready to commune with God before you arrive.
Ask Him to direct your hearts to specific issues that need prayer.

"The members should come to the meeting in the spirit of prayer. It ought to be on their hearts from week to week" —D.L. Moody

3. Be Genuine

Share the passions of your own heart.
Avoid any temptations to "please man" or impress others with your abilities (Mt. 6:5).
"When you pray, remember whose attention you wish to gain" —Robert Reymond
"Remember that we meet for prayer, and let it be prayer; and, oh, that it may be that genuine, familiar converse with God which shall drive out the formality and pomposity which so much mar our public supplications." —C.H. Spurgeon

4. Pray Specifically

When appropriate, use individual names (see Romans 16) and particular circumstances rather than vague generalities.

5. Don’t Pray About Everything

Leave some requests unmentioned for the participation of others.

6. Pray for the Needs of Others

Although some personal prayers, especially those that confess individual sin, are acceptable, nothing can appear more disheartening or selfish than to hear one continually pray for his or her own needs during a public prayer meeting.
Philippians 2:3-4 is fitting: "Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind let each of you regard one another as more important than himself; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others."

7. Pray for the Universal Church

Though we have many needs internally, God’s kingdom extends beyond the walls of the Grace Tabernacle.
We must have a global passion to see strong churches (Acts 15:41) and the Gospel extended to "the remotest part of the earth" (Acts 1:8).

8. Call in Prayer Requests in Advance When Possible

This saves valuable time during the meeting itself.
Requests that are submitted at the meeting should be compressed, crisp and clear.

9. Avoid Monotonous Repetition

This is the same people praying the same words, using the same sentences, articulated in the same tone week in and week out (Mt. 6:7).
"Oh, for warm hearts, burning with red hot desires which make a channel from the lips with glowing words; then indeed, this complaint would never be made — ‘What is the use in my going to the prayer meeting, when I know all that will be said if So-and-so is called on?’" —C.H. Spurgeon

10. Pray Expecting an Answer

Anything less is sheer unbelief (Jas. 1:6-8).
See Acts 12:5-12
For the sake of His Son, God has promised to hear the cries of His people. "And whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it" (Jn. 14:13-14).

11. Pray Earnestly

"I fear that much of our prayer is lost because we do not sufficiently throw our hearts into it. It is possible for us to attend the meeting and all the while be thinking of the home, the infant in the cradle, or the shop, the field, the farm, the factory, the counting-house, the and I know not what beside. Is it any wonder then that prayer halts? The brother who prays may be burning with earnest desire, but his prayer lags because we are not backing it with silent Devour and passionate longing for God’s blessing. Oh! Brethren and sisters, we have often spoiled our prayer meetings thus." —C.H. Spurgeon

12. Avoid Preaching in Your Prayers

Corporate prayer is a primarily a time to bring our requests before the throne of God.
God and others are not moved by your theology or circumstances. He already knows these things…ask for something!

13. Keep Your Prayers Short

God is not impressed with long corporate prayers (Mt. 6:7). He does not hear us better if we pray longer.
Christ’s prayers in public were short. His model prayer was one of brevity (Mt. 6:9-13). Most prayers recorded in the Bible are also brief and to the point.
Give others the (frequent) opportunity to pray as well.
"This is an old, old problem. The spirit may be willing but the flesh is weak. Long prayers often become a weariness to the flesh, making it hard for those listening to spiritually participate and keep up concentration, especially if it is an evening meeting." —G. Chewter
"Short prayers sink deep. It is strength, not length." —C.H. Spurgeon
"It is necessary to draw near to God, but it is not required of you to prolong your speech till everyone is longing to hear the word ‘Amen.’" —C.H. Spurgeon
"The worth of a prayer is not gauged by its dimensions" —Robert M’Cheyne
"When I am in a bad frame I always pray short, because my prayer will not be of any use and when I am in a good frame I pray short, because if other people are in a good frame too, I might, if I kept on longer, pray them into a bad frame." —John MacDonald

14. Avoid Judging Others at the Prayer Meeting

Do not look down upon those who use poor English, fail to be as fluent in their communication, refrain from using "Christian jargon," or cease to follow the guidelines listed on this sheet (Mt. 7:1-2).
Correcting others in your prayer is entirely inappropriate.

15. Keep the Prayers Going

A few seconds of silence after each prayer is good for the purpose of reflection, the Spirit’s prompting and the orderly submission of new prayers.
However, to maximize our time, keep our minds engaged and demonstrate our eagerness to God, prayers should be in "rapid succession."
If others fail to pray, pray again to avoid prolonged periods of silence.
This is a corporate prayer meeting. Come prepared to participate corporately!

16. Speak Up!

Corporate prayer serves no purpose if others are unable hear and pray in agreement.
Bowing your head sometimes makes it harder for others to hear.
Be considerate of other prayer groups that may be sharing the same facility.

17. Pray according to God’s Word

Chalk your prayers full with biblical substance. Ground them in the stories and statements from the Bible.
This will guarantee God-focused and God-sized prayers more in line with His will.

18. Praise and Thank God for Answered Prayer

It’s easy to minimize or omit this aspect in corporate prayer meetings (Phil. 4:6; Col. 4:2).

19. Pray for the Glory of God

Our prayers may include, but must not be limited to; the temporary needs of personal comfort (physical healing, superficial trials, etc.).
Learn to pray for personal godliness (1 Tim. 4:7), faith in trials (Jas. 1:2), world evangelization (Mt. 28:18-20), exemplary testimonies (Phil. 2:14-16), ongoing joy (Phil. 4:4) self-denial (Mk. 8:34), spiritual fruit (Gal. 5:22-23), idol awareness (1 Thes. 1:9), bold gospel articulation (Eph. 6:20), willingness to suffer with Christ (Rom. 8:17), prioritizing love (1 Cor. 13:1-3), thanksgiving in everything (1 Thes. 5:18), personal ministry (Rom. 12:6), sacrificial giving (Mt. 6:19-21), power for the preached Word (2 Thes. 3:1), submission where necessary (Eph. 5:21), biblical worldviews (1 Jn. 2:15-17), filling of the Spirit (Eph. 5:18), repentance (Lk. 13:3), church unity (Eph. 4:3), spiritual wisdom (Col. 1:9), reconciled relationships (Phil. 4:2), perseverance for the saints (Eph. 6:18), spiritual growth (Col. 1:9), doctrinal purity (Tit. 2:7), qualified leadership (1 Thes. 5:12), good works (Mt. 5:16), commitment to the Word (Jos. 1:8) and prayer (1 Thes. 5:17), etc.

20. Take it Home!

Corporate prayer requests should not end with the meeting. Faithfully commit to lifting up these needs individually throughout the week as well (1 Sam. 12:23a).
"Neglect of private prayer is the locust that devours the strength of the church." —C.H. Spurgeon