How To Create A Prayer Line

As Christians, we are called to pray for one another. Jesus commanded us to love one another. It is how the world will know that we are His disciples, by loving one another. Also, the Bible teaches us that if we are truly born of God and have indeed known God, who is love itself, then we shall also love other people, our brothers and sisters in Christ. That love is an “agape” kind of love. A selfless and sacrificial kind of love that seeks the well-being of others. If we are to put our love for our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ into action, we must do it by praying for them. We weep with those who weep and bear their burdens with them. When we pray for our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ who are going through hardships, we pray that their problems also become ours. Also, in times of celebration, we celebrate with them and thank God for His kindness. 

John 13:34-35

34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

Galatians 6:2

Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

1 John 4:7–8

7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

That is also one of the purposes of a church’s prayer ministry. There is always a need to ensure that everyone who has prayer requests or needs prayers is covered in prayers. It is not only your close brothers or sisters in Christ who pray for you, but your entire church community. However, for the prayer ministry to be able to pray for those who need prayers, they must know who needs prayers and what things they need prayers for. That is easily achievable if the church community is small. Everyone knows each other, and it is easy to gather information, or they can even ask the church community for their prayer requests. That would be more challenging if the church community is vast, like a megachurch. In those cases, having a prayer line would be a good thing so that everyone’s prayer requests could be known and prayed for.

How does a prayer line work?

A prayer line works similarly to an emergency hotline. For example, if you just got into an accident and need urgent medical help, you directly contact an emergency hotline like 911. In the area of mental health, there are also hotlines. There are also designated hotlines for depressed and suicidal people to contact and ask for help whenever they need it. It is the same for a prayer line. If a person needs prayers or has prayer requests, he or she can contact his or her church’s prayer line and submit his or her prayer requests. A prayer line is where a church member can call or message the prayer ministry his or her prayer requests. It is important to note that that is still a ministry, so it is free of charge. 

Galatians 6:9

And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

As mentioned before, prayer lines are typically needed when a church is so big that the prayer ministry finds it hard to know everyone’s prayer requests personally. However, even if a church is small, it can still create a prayer line. The prayer line does not necessarily have to only cater to the believers, but can also reach out to unbelievers. You might never know, but a depressed person might have seen your church’s prayer line’s phone number or social media page and contacted them to ask for prayers and help. It could be an opportunity to reach out to the person and preach the Gospel to them. Prayer lines are not just for believers, but also for unbelievers, because it is where you can also reach out to them about their spiritual well-being.

Matthew 5:13-16

13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.

14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

How do I create a free prayer line?

To create a prayer line, you should first decide on the platform where you will have it. You will likely want to use the phone as your platform. You can announce the phone number publicly to the church congregation, even to secular platforms, so that even unbelievers can know. That phone number is where anyone can call or message if they have any prayer requests they would like the church to pray for. The critical thing here is the clear communication of the prayer line number and that there is a prayer line to begin with. Sometimes, prayer lines are not utilized because people don’t know that one exists, so make sure that you don’t just communicate the number they can contact, but also ensure that there is an established prayer line.

Another thing you can consider is social media. With today’s technology, people can now connect much easier. We can utilize technology to our advantage and use it as a tool. You can create a social media page, whether on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or other famous social media platforms. Your page must make it clear that it is a prayer line. That means there should be social media graphics with phrases like “Let us know how we can pray for you”. You don’t want to make your page look like a church’s page because that is different. The goal of your page is not to make your church active on social media (nothing wrong with that), but to make everyone know that your prayer line exists and that it is a place that they can message if they have any prayer requests. That does not mean that all of your social media posts should only be things like “Let us know your prayer requests”. You can also post Bible verses, words of encouragement, and other things that can bless and even reach out to the lost. You must be careful that it does not deviate from the primary goal of letting people know that you are there to pray for them if they have prayer requests. Those other things should not overpower, but complement the primary purpose.

Lastly, as you create a prayer line, you may have already set up the phone number or the social media page, but you will need people who will receive and interact with those who submit their prayer requests. That does not mean you should turn your prayer line into a BPO. It only means that there should be someone who receives the call or message whenever someone sends in their prayer request. If it is a phone, it could be someone from the church’s office staff who is there working the office and could answer the phone during office hours. It is much more convenient if it is submitted via message because then you can get back to them when you read them. Make sure that you get back to them as soon as possible. Whether it is through a call or message, it is best to reply in a way that assures them that you are praying for and with them. 

You can automate that process if the prayer line is on social media. There are things like a chatbot, which will automatically send a reply if someone sends a prayer requests. While it is good to have a chatbot, it would still be better if a real person would get back to those who messaged their prayer requests, even if a chatbot has already replied to them. It would show the people who have sent their prayer requests that you are personally looking into the submitted prayer requests.

How do you start a 24-hour prayer line?

To have a 24-hour prayer line, you should first consider if there are enough volunteers or anyone who would be awake during the night. That would be the first obstacle to such a structure. While having a 24-hour prayer line is not a bad idea, you should also consider its practicality. If all the prayer ministry volunteers or ministers are asleep during the night, then it might not be a practical idea. However, if there is someone awake at night who can check the prayer line from time to time or receive calls and messages, by all means, do that. If someone sends a prayer request in the middle of the night, the people in charge of the prayer line will still see the prayer requests received in the morning.

Heavenly Father, You are the God who causes plans to be established. I pray that as we plan for a prayer line, You will establish our plans and cause them to bear fruit. I pray that You would use this prayer line to help fellow brothers and sisters in Christ who are going through difficulties and celebrate with fellow believers who are rejoicing. Use this prayer line to reach out to unbelievers where we can minister to them and preach the Gospel to them. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Ephesians 6:18

Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

1 Timothy 2:1

I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;

A prayer line is not just a number or a social media page where you receive prayer requests from people. It is a ministry. People are going through something in their lives that they need prayers for, and you are helping them by receiving those prayer requests  so that the prayer ministry of your church or anyone else can pray for them.