Last weekend, while I was on a leadership panel, I was asked, “What do you mean by ‘Presence-Centered, Prayer Based’?” I realized again that many pastors and leaders are beginning to see this focus of being “Presence-Centered and Prayer-Based, as critical for the church in this hour.

For me, the phrase “Presence-Centered, Prayer-Based” is a description similar to “Cell-Based” or “Purpose-Driven.” However, what it implies is a little more detailed and biblically robust than one might initially imagine.I’d like to take a few minutes to give some descriptors of what I mean when we say, “Presence-Centered, Prayer-Based”. (side note: I’m not the only one, there are many pastors and leaders who are beginning to use these terms)  

At its core, “Presence-Centered, Prayer-Based” describes a church that values the person and presence of Jesus above everything else. It’s a church where the first and central act of ministry is to Jesus. He is the priority above all other things–He is the center, the reason, the focus and the motivation of ministry. 

We draw this approach from the church of Antioch in Acts 13:1-2: “Now in the Church that was at Antioch there were certain prophets and teachers…as they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said…” The sense from Antioch was that the common function of the church was to minister to the Lord as its focus and impetus for ministry. This thrust is evidenced throughout the New Testament in Paul’s descriptions of the church as a Holy Temple in the Lord (Eph 2:20-22). After the cross, the Temple of the Lord is now a people rather than a place, and the first commission of that people is to minister to the Lord to be a dwelling place for His presence. 

This focus doesn’t mean we pit the work of ministry against ministry to the Lord. Or in any way diminish the foundation of the Scripture as our infallible guide. Instead, we are biblically compelled and convicted to embrace all the facets of ministry and outreach to the lost, the poor, and believers while we prioritize Jesus as the One who receives the first and best portion of our ministry. This might feel like a radical shift, but I’m convinced that if the church isn’t first and foremost for God, I’m not sure it can truly be called 'church.'. 

What does this look like practically in the life of the church? For me it’s simple: A church that makes ministry to the Lord its central focus, with worship and prayer as its first priority, is a church that is Presence-Centered and Prayer-Based. This focus should impact the way the church spends its budget. The financial bottom line should reflect this prioritization; otherwise, it’s theoretical and not actual. 

With worship and prayer being the first priority in a church that expresses ministry to the Lord as its central focus, I often get asked by those desiring to transition their church to a Presence-Centered, Prayer-Based model: 'How do I build my prayer and worship ministry?' To help with this, I share these three helpful identifiers as a way to establish a strong worship and prayer culture.

1)    Leader Led – The senior leadership team must lead this charge. If  prayer and worship are delegated, it indicates a  diminishing of their priority in the life of the church. This doesn’t mean every prayer meeting needs to be led by a senior leader, but senior leaders must have a commitment to and focus on being present in and engaging in prayer meetings. This also establishes the priority as a corporate priority, not merely individual devotion. 

2)    Worship Led – The biblical model, from the throne room of God to the tabernacle of David, to the Temple, to the church in the New Testament, mingles worship and prayer together. This format enables the greatest unity and enjoyment in corporate spaces. It’s not to say that prayer cannot exist without worship, but worship-led prayer powerfully compels corporate engagement, which is key.   

3)    Irreplaceable – The corporate worship and prayer meetings must be prioritized above the other activities. They cannot be subject to other ministry events. Most churches would never cancel their Sunday AM services because of the priority that Sunday services hold. This commitment needs to be extended to the prayer meetings of the church forJesus’ presence to be rightly prioritized and communion with Him to hold its rightful place. 

Final thought: When we commit to a Presence-Centered, Prayer-Based approach, we align our churches with the biblical pattern that places Jesus at the center of everything. Through making worship and prayer our core practice, we create an environment where the person and presence of Jesus is prioritized.