Ever since I was elected Moderator-Designate, I have felt a deep prompting to call the entire Church to prayer. I have never been the world’s best sleeper and there have been times during the night over these past few months in particular when I’ve lain awake only to experience a quickening sense that this is something I should do.
For this reason, I have decided to step out in faith and invite all our members to join together in a special time of prayer from 3-10 February. I am hoping that congregations will include a time of intercession for our denomination during Sunday services and also at traditional midweek meetings, home groups, and prayer meetings etc. Sunday schools, youth and adult organisations could also make time for a special emphasis on prayer.
Others might want to respond by having longer periods during the week or setting up special places or rooms for members to come together. It would be wonderful if congregations in local areas would consider coming together at some suitable time. It may be possible to meet in different homes or to sign up with one or two others in your congregation. I hope that churches will be as creative, flexible and imaginative as possible as they seize the initiative at a local level.
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I want to encourage our people to use my moderatorial theme as a starting point: ‘Building relationships – Christ’s love compels us’. As I have developed my theme, I have stressed the importance of growing in our personal walk with Jesus Christ and have been mindful that the Christian life rises and falls at the point of the devotional. During the week, I would encourage you individually, therefore, to take some extra time to be still in God’s presence and to wait upon him.
Our congregations need to grow together in faith and fellowship, reflecting something of the fervour and passion of Jesus Christ in our relationships. There is the importance of repentance and seeking forgiveness when we have fallen short of God’s standards and committed sin. And in our churches we need to learn to model sacrificial love and absolute truth found in him, if we are to reach out to our surrounding communities.
As the Presbyterian Church in Ireland we have much to be thankful for over the years. There is also the need to ask God to renew the faith of his people and to pour his Spirit out on this generation. Particularly in today’s age, we can become so busy and preoccupied, even in our church life, that we forget the importance of investing in our relationships with God and one another.
Sometimes as a denomination we make much of freedom of individual conscience. I believe, however, there is more power to be found in our togetherness as we are reminded that we are all part of a bigger picture. This year I am being given a bird’s-eye view of the Church and long for that much greater sense of us belonging and serving together.
Throughout my ministry, 2 Chronicles 7:14 has been very challenging for me personally. I am not sure if I have even begun to grasp its significance: “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” It is worth noting that this text begins with God’s people humbling themselves and turning to worship him.
If we are true to being followers of Jesus Christ, then surely there must be a sense of holy dissatisfaction, a longing for something more. Perhaps this call to prayer is for us not to settle for the status quo, but for God to make available to us the same kind of power that energised the early church. Therein lies the challenge, as well as the hope.
Dr McMullen is minister of West Church Bangor and was selected as moderator-designate in February 2018 and officially elected and installed as Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland at the General Assembly on 4 June.
You can also follow him on Twitter at @pcimoderator.