It is common for a church to offer after-service prayer for those who want prayer for a specific need. Trained intercessors, elders, pastors, or prayer leaders make themselves available at the front of the church for people to come and receive prayer at the end of the worship service.

But it is also common for people to feel intimidated or self-conscious about coming forward to receive prayer. So although everyone in the congregation most likely has a prayer need in his or her life, only a a small percentage feel comfortable enough to seek prayer support.

One way to help overcome these barriers is to offer a special “blessing prayer service” once or twice a year. By orchestrating a special time for everyone in your church to take advantage of this prayer opportunity, many “reluctant” members of your congregation may welcome prayer for themselves and their families.

Steve Hawthorne of WayMakers describes prayers of blessing this way: “Prayers of blessing are usually expressions of God’s intended goodness prayed by ordinary people who pray in the power of having their hearts aligned with God’s heart. Blessings bestow a future. Prayers of blessing are always prayers of hope!”

Pastors can design a special service by preaching on what it means to receive a biblical blessing—and then let the congregation know there will be a special extended time following the service to allow everyone to come as a family to receive a prayer of blessing. Encourage parents at the end of the service to get their children from child care and bring them back into the worship center. This can prove to be a very touching and powerful family prayer time.

Teams of elders and intercessors can make themselves available at stations throughout the worship center, which will help reduce long lines in the front. Training ahead of time can prepare the leaders to pray simple blessing prayers, using passages of Scripture as the basis of how they pray. This is not a time that families need to share specific needs—but instead they can simply come to be blessed. Most blessing prayers in Scripture deal with three broad areas: peace, increase, and God’s presence.

For additional information on training prayer leaders to conduct a blessing service, email editor@prayerconnect.net.