Church: Elders-Prayer for Congregation

“One of the central duties of the eldership is that of prayer for the congregation of the saints. This important truth is revealed to us through the first crisis in the church at Jerusalem. The reason they appointed deacons to serve in that church is that they did not want to be taken from their service of the church which they rendered through prayer. They said, ‘We will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word’ (Acts 6:4). The truth is a very simple one; talking to men about God must always be accompanied by talking to God about men” (Douglas Wilson, Mother Kirk, 192).