Keeping Apace with SEA's Rising Prayer Movements

Special Series: Prayer (Part 2)

Saturday, Jul. 4, 2009 Posted: 5:01:12PM HKT

While Timor-Leste’s prayer movement is still in its infancy and naturally so considering that it is the youngest nation, churches there have come together to form a council some weeks ago, a commendable effort for a nation “where there is still so much distrust”.

Vietnam’s prayer movement “is organised and strong, spread all over the country”.

In the case of Singapore, there is a transformation movement called Together in Transformation, and church leaders have also started to gather faithfully for coordinated prayer in the National Prayer Alliance that began last year, but Wan’s general observation is that the prayer life of the Church is wanting.

She cited comments she heard from Christians here where they expressed their surprise that that anyone would make prayer the main focus of a conference lasting several days.

“I think… Singapore Christians are quite comfortable in general,” said the SEAPC General Secretary, adding that the economic affluence in the city has led to a feeling of self-sufficiency, such that many believers don’t really seek or depend on God but simply regard Him as a kind of “vending machine” into which one “puts” a prayer and expects to get everything on their “shopping list”, she said.

How can Christians help their prayer life?

Many believers find prayer a bore. Wan suggested having worship as a start, noting that praise helps Christians experience the presence of God. When that happens, one’s desire for God is deepened just as if one were to drink salt water. This can either take the form of having a worship team present, or one musician or just a worship CD and a CD player.

“I think sometimes people find prayer boring because they fail to enjoy their relationship with God,” she said. “I tell [people I teach] it starts with a love relationship. If two people love one another, you always want to hang around. But where did this concept come from? It came from God Himself; He made us for relationships…

“God in the Garden of Eden already had that relationship with Adam and Eve so it’s very clear that we also as descendents of Adam and Eve should have that same kind of love relationship… Prayer is not a burden anymore and really prayer is not just pushing all your petitions; it’s a conversation and a relationship. If you enjoy being with God then it doesn’t matter if it’s five minutes or two hours because you enjoy hanging around Him.”

Sometimes believers may get angry with or even hate God not answering their prayers. In such situations, faith in God’s providential guidance and patience are needed, as it could be that “God is just testing them to see where their loyalty lies or something else is in their heart” and if they would just accept it for a short period of time “the answer would have come”.

Challenges in the region

SEAPC functions as a “spiritual ASEAN” with the goal of connecting national prayer networks across the region for a “cross-cover of prayer”.

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Edmond Chua
Christian Post Reporter