We believe and confess that prayer is a state of intimate fellowship with God. It is the sincere expression of our inner self before the Lord. For this reason, we do not use prayer books and do not encourage others to memorize prayers by heart.
Psalm 62:8 “…pour out your heart before him…”
Psalm 142:1–2 “With my voice I cry out to the Lord… I pour out my complaint before him; I tell my trouble before him.”
Philippians 4:6 “…in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”
Depending on the state of the heart, prayer can be of thanksgiving, petition (supplication), or intercession.
1 Timothy 2:1 “…I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people…”
Ephesians 5:20 “…giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father…”
Prayer must be addressed to the Father in the Name of the Lord Jesus. He is the only Mediator between man and God. We believe that prayers addressed to saints are not in accordance with the Holy Scriptures.
John 16:23 “…Whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you.”
1 Timothy 2:5 “…there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.”
Prayer is absolutely necessary for the spiritual life, for growth, strengthening, protection from temptation, and victory over the enemy.
Luke 18:1 “And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart.”
1 Thessalonians 5:17 “pray without ceasing.”
Matthew 26:41 “Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation.”
Ephesians 3:16 “…that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being.”
Private prayer can be performed anywhere, while communal prayer is done in fellowship with other believers in the Church.
Matthew 6:6 “But when you pray, go into your room… and pray to your Father who is in secret.”
Matthew 14:23 “…he went up on the mountain by himself to pray.”
Matthew 26:36, 39 “Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane… and falling on his face he prayed…”
Acts 2:42 “And they devoted themselves to… the prayers.”
Acts 12:5 “…but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church.”
Prayers for the dead were not practiced in the Christian Church. We believe they have no value, because the deceased reaches their destination immediately after death, without the possibility of moving from one place to another.
Luke 16:26 “…between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.”