There are some conservative Presbyterian churches that currently practice – with pleasing edification – ruling elder-led corporate prayer. In one such church, a ruling elder writes: “Prayer with and for the congregation is foundational for ministry, and corporate prayer led by the Ruling Elders who have come from among the congregation can help teach the people how to pray themselves in a biblical, mature, and thoughtful way.” Another ruling elder adds: “Since the congregation is shepherded by a team of elders, RE-led corporate prayer allows the congregation [to] hear the heart of each shepherd and thereby fosters trust in the team as a whole.”

Two years ago, while working in another state, I worshiped in a local PCA church. While the sermon was weak as dishwater, I walked out of that sanctuary thankful to God that I had heard a biblical, earnest, compassionate, well-delivered congregational prayer. That was the best part of the service. The prayer was delivered by a ruling elder.

Perhaps that’s a shocker to some. If so, why?

In 2021, one of the PCA’s highly regarded pastors wrote that ruling elders “by gifts and calling are not theologically, biblically, or rhetorically equipped for the task” of public prayer. It wasn’t clear to me if he intended to argue that no ruling elders should pray in public, but the door was opened for such an interpretation.

I respectfully disagree.

The reason this piece is bylined by a nom de guerre is not to avoid disagreeing with a leading pastor in my denomination – whom I respect, of whose ministry I think highly – but to protect the identity of those churches and individuals referenced here.

I’m not saying all or even most ruling elders ought to be delivering prayers in corporate worship. But some REs are capable of public prayer, either through gifting, studied practice over years of service – or both. Probably others are doing their best to improve their skills in this area. They ought to be encouraged.

Here are four points to consider regarding the public prayers of those whom a Presbyterian pastor, James E. Blythe (1765-1842), considered to be “the sheet-anchor of the church’s safety” – the eldership:

1. Most important, if a ruling elder is “not theologically” equipped to pray publicly (as the article asserted), how then is he theologically equipped to teach God’s Word, as I Timothy 3 requires of an elder? Perhaps part of the apparent disparity between the teaching and the praying of REs has more to do with one’s specific preparation than overall theological equipping. If a ruling elder approaches his scheduled opportunity to lead in corporate prayer with the same attitude he most likely adopts toward teaching a Sunday School class – in other words, this is something that deserves my serious preparation, rather than doing it off-the-cuff – his prayer should be more focused, scriptural, earnest, and edifying. For most elders, this probably includes the use of some form of notes to aid in the moment of delivery.
2. Having ruling elders prepared to pray publicly is of service to the church should a pastor suddenly become unavailable. Not long ago, the elders of a church I know were faced with an urgent text message (during Sunday School) from the expected visiting pastor who reported he was stuck in traffic. (Thankfully, he made it with a few minutes to spare.) Perhaps just as likely in this era, however, what will a church do if its pastor is arrested for his faithful preaching – such as from Romans 1 or I Corinthians 6? The ruling elders should be prepared to step up, to lead and pray. Such a scenario was unthinkable in America a decade ago – but no longer. Think about it. Should churches be forced into homes or underground at some point, REs will have to share the burden of leadership, to include leading in prayer.
3. Related to this, could it be any clearer to informed Christians in the pew that the America in which anyone older than 40-ish grew up, is gone? Some have observed the country is experiencing the worst leadership in its history in multiple arenas – politics, education, academia, business, and all too often the church. Almost the only place where legitimate, honorable, godly, and – increasingly – courageous leadership may be found is within those true churches that hold faithfully to the Scriptures and inculcate in her members the fear of the LORD, not of men. Encouraging the lay leaders – ruling elders in the case of Presbyterian churches – to prepare themselves to participate in public prayer is one important way in which leadership is promoted within the flock of God, with potential spillover influence beyond. It ain’t happening elsewhere, so it must happen in the church.
4. Finally, there are some conservative Presbyterian churches that currently practice – with pleasing edification – ruling elder-led corporate prayer. In one such church, a ruling elder writes: “Prayer with and for the congregation is foundational for ministry, and corporate prayer led by the Ruling Elders who have come from among the congregation can help teach the people how to pray themselves in a biblical, mature, and thoughtful way.” Another ruling elder adds: “Since the congregation is shepherded by a team of elders, RE-led corporate prayer allows the congregation [to] hear the heart of each shepherd and thereby fosters trust in the team as a whole.” Churches hearing their own shepherds pray, doesn’t that seem valuable? If some churches are doing this well, why not others?

So, while disagreeing with the 2021 article in one respect, I wholeheartedly agree on the need for “thematic order,” employing “scriptural language,” and, “urgency and earnestness” in public prayer. Let our churches – led by pastors who model such prayers – encourage their elders to equip themselves for this shared ministry task, thereby to bless Christ’s flock and honor the One who alone draws near to “all who call upon Him in truth” (Psalm 145:18).