Writing Powerful Prayer Requests: A Complete Guide

The power of prayer cannot be understated. In times of joy and sorrow, the power of prayer is a source of comfort and solace for many. Whether you’re facing struggles or celebrating life’s victories, reaching out for support through prayer can create community unity.

In this guide, we’ll explore the best way for your church to craft meaningful prayer requests, along with ways to collect and submit them through a mass texting platform. 

Table of Contents

• What is a Prayer Request?
• How to Write a Prayer Request
• How to Request Prayer
• How to Collect and Share Prayer Requests Using Mass Texting

What is a Prayer Request?

A prayer request is a heartfelt call to action for members of your church to pray for a collective cause. It’s a way to share your burdens, joys, or concerns with others, inviting them to join you in prayer.

Prayer becomes more powerful when many people pray for the same things. It's a great way to show support for fellow church members, especially when everyone prays for someone in the church. This makes them feel loved and cared for, building a stronger community and increasing everyone's sense of belonging.

How to Write a Prayer Request

Writing a prayer request is simple, and you can control how much you want to share. Generally, it should get to the point and ask for people's support.

Here are three steps to writing a great prayer request.

Step 1: Start with an opening line

Begin your prayer request with a brief opening line that captures attention and sets the tone for your message. It should only be a sentence or two long. Here’s a prayer request example:

"Dear church family, I’m writing to request your prayers as I navigate a challenging chapter in my life."

Step 2: Briefly share your intention

Next, briefly overview your intention without sharing too many details. Remember to respect the time of those reading your request. For example:

"I’m facing health problems, and the doctors don’t have answers. Please pray for clarity and discernment for the doctors and peace and hope for myself."

Step 3: Close the message with gratitude

Finally, express appreciation for the time and consideration your community dedicates to your request. A positive conclusion shows your thankfulness and fosters a sense of unity. For example:

"Thank you for standing with me in prayer. Your support means the world to me."

How to Request a Prayer

After composing your prayer request, the next step is determining where to send it and how to reach as many people as possible.

Submit a form through your church

Take advantage of designated places to share prayer requests provided by your church. Many churches have dedicated communication channels, like text messaging or email, through which members can submit their prayer requests.

This method ensures that your request is officially noted and shared on your behalf.

Share your prayer request in person

For smaller congregations, prayer requests can be shared in person at the end of the service or in one-on-one sessions with a pastor or leader. Additionally, group members can share requests during group time.

Submit your prayer to an online form

While online forums provide a platform to reach a broader audience, be mindful of potential drawbacks. Before opting for this method, you should consider privacy concerns and the risk of insensitive responses. Choose platforms wisely, ensuring they align with your community values.

How to Collect and Share Prayer Requests Using Mass Texting

One of the easiest ways to gather and send out prayer requests from congregants is through a mass texting platform like Text-Em-All. Mass texting offers an edge over group text messaging because it keeps responses private instead of instantly sharing them with your entire group.

How to share prayer requests weekly

To gather responses, send an initial text message asking congregants to respond with their prayer requests. It can look something like this:

"Good morning, church! We hope you’re having a wonderful Monday. If you have a prayer request you would like to share with the congregation via text, please respond to this message with your name and prayer request. Your requests will be shared by Pastor John tomorrow morning."

After you’ve gathered these prayer requests, you can share them at a designated time through another mass text to the congregation. Here’s an example of how to share these prayer requests.

"Good afternoon, church family. Here are our congregation’s prayer requests for the week:

• Bill has surgery on Thursday and would like prayers for safety and peace.
• Both of Anna’s children are sick with the flu. Please pray for healing.
• Sydney has a big test for medical school on Friday. Please pray it goes well."

How to share prayer requests on a rolling basis

Another way to gather prayer requests is to accept them anytime on a rolling basis. To let your congregation know to send prayer requests at any time, send out a message like this:

Hi, church family! If you have any prayer requests this week, please text them to [Phone Number] at any time and we’ll share them with the congregation through mass texting.

After you receive each prayer request, send it out at the first opportunity.

Gathering other prayer requests

There may be some instances where your congregants share prayer requests with you in person, such as:

• Approaching you after the church service
• Emailing you their request
• Sharing a prayer request in a meeting
• Submitting a prayer request through a form on your website

If these congregants wish for their prayer requests to be shared with the congregation, send them out using your mass texting platform.

Read Master Text Messaging Etiquette For Churches in 6 Simple Steps

Connect with your congregation with Text-Em-All

In the tapestry of faith, prayer requests are the threads that weave a community together. As you navigate the art of writing, receiving, and sharing these requests, remember how you’re changing lives through the power of prayer.

Whether through traditional means or modern platforms like Text-Em-All, connecting with your congregation strengthens the bonds that make your community resilient and supportive.

Start your journey of shared prayers today! Try Text-Em-All and witness the power of communal faith in action.