“Praying for Other Churches”

We are an independent Bible church. That means we are not a part of a denomination and have no outside church governance. The members of the church are the ultimate authority at CBC, and our governance extends only to the four walls of our fellowship (Matt 18:17). We are neither controlled nor accountable to an outside authority. Praise God Big Brother can’t tell us what to do!

I love the independence of our church, but I do recognize that certain shortcomings can come with an independent mindset. Specifically, we can easily forget that there are other churches with solid, evangelical, biblical doctrine that we should pray for in our area. A few very important lessons arise from praying for other congregations. First and foremost, we remember that the body of Christ is far bigger than CBC. I love our beloved fellowship, but that does not mean I have no love for other churches. On the contrary, my love for CBC fuels my love for them because I want them to experience the same blessings we enjoy here. Second, our fellowship is strengthened through partnerships with other churches. Ministry is all about relationships. This includes personal relationships, as well as relationships between congregations. Which churches does CBC have a close relationship with? I think this is a question we should reflect on as we seek to grow, because I don’t think we’ve done the best job in this area.

One aspect of Paul’s ministry that amazes me is how many people & congregations he knew. At the end of his letters, Paul often includes a salutation where he greets lots and lots and lots of Christians from lots and lots and lots of different assemblies. This is the type of posture we should have as individuals and as a congregation. We should know lots of Christians individually, and as a church we should be aware of lots and lots of churches. Christ promises to build His church (Matt 16:18). As a church, let’s pray for other churches—that holy institution that cannot fail.  

Pastor Chance Sumner