top of page
  • Writer's pictureJerry Pullum

God Can Do Immeasurably More: Four Roles of Small Groups in Reenergizing Prayer

Updated: Feb 19, 2023

"You can do more than pray after you have prayed, but you can never do more than pray until you have prayed." A.J. Gordon




"To infinity and beyond" is Buzz Lightyear's famous catchphrase. The idea of accomplishing and going beyond our capability is nothing new. Paul writes God "can do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine according to His power that is at work within us" (Ephesians 3:20). Do we want to accomplish what we can, or do we want to accomplish what only God can do in and through us? If we do not pray, we are on our own, we get the glory, and the results will be dismal. Harry Reeder points out the importance of prayer, "if the first of the first things is the gospel of God's grace, then the second would have to be prayer."[1] Let's examine three small groups' roles in reenergizing prayer to empower the Great Commission.


First, in a D-group, we learn how to pray. The disciples asked Jesus, "teach us to pray" (Luke 11:1-13). Could it be that most of us don't pray because we don't know how? D-groups promote, train, encourage, model, and equip disciples to pray. So, if you need to learn how to pray, getting plugged into a D-group is a great place to begin.


Second, D-groups also systematically memorize Scripture together. Scripture knowledge, memorization, and meditation are the most beneficial tools in developing a powerful prayer life as we learn to pray God's Word. Scripture is full of God's promises to believers. We know we pray according to the will of God when we pray Scripture back to him.


Third, Spiritual growth in D-groups facilitates powerful prayer. D-groups grow significantly in their walk with Christ; therefore, their prayer life increases significantly. Also, as mentioned earlier, D-groups have prayer as a part of their meeting time. Since the group is small, five or fewer members feel more comfortable praying aloud with others for the first time. This open prayer time is a big step toward much-needed churchwide corporate prayer.


Fourth, Life Groups are great catalysts for "in-house" prayer meetings. Trinity encourages life groups to do life together. What more meaningful way to fellowship and share life than meeting in homes for prayer? When the early church devoted themselves to praying together, the Lord "added to their number daily those who were being saved" (Acts 2:47).


Believers were in an in-house prayer meeting when God released Peter from jail (Acts 12). When Peter showed up, they didn't believe what they were seeing. God miraculously released Peter. When God's people pray, God does more than we can think or imagine (Ephesians 3:20-21).

[1] Harry L. Reeder III and David Swavely, From Embers to a Flame : How God Can Revitalize Your Church. (P & R Publishing, 2008), 57. ProQuest Ebook Central, 20:22:32

59 views1 comment
bottom of page