Prayer Corps
What is the Prayer Corps?
The Prayer Corps is a team of believers at East White Oak Bible Church (EWOBC), several dozen strong, who take turns during the Sunday morning worship services praying for the ministry of God's word among the congregation. Each participant serves only one Sunday per month.
What Do Prayer Corps Participants Pray for?
Prayer Corps members intercede each week for you! They pray that each person in our church would be touched and transformed by God's kindness and grace. They pray that God would visit us with His presence, power, and blessing. They pray for divine anointing and power in the singing, preaching, and all activities of the morning. Participants faithfully intercede each week for specific needs and concerns that church members have submitted to the church office.
What Level of Commitment is Required?
Prayer Corps members pray with their team the entire length of one worship service (75 minutes) one Sunday per month. Thus, one Sunday a month, they will go to the worship service one hour and pray with the Prayer Corps the other hour. On the remaining three Sundays a month, they are free to attend an Adult Bible Fellowship (ABF) or engage in other ministry.
How Will I Possibly Pray for 75 Minutes with Others? Yikes, that Scares Me!
First, you are part of a team—there are others with you. When there are others praying as well, the time goes by rather quickly and it is not difficult to stay focused. Second, the Prayer Corps receives a detailed five-page Prayer Corps Prayer Guide each week (updated weekly) that contains scores of bullet points of ministry concerns and specific prayer requests. Most teams find that they have much more to pray for than the 75 minutes allow.
Can I Be in an Adult Bible Fellowship and Participate in Prayer Corps?
Yes! Many Prayer Corps members do this. You attend your ABF three out of four times per month and participate in Prayer Corps the other week.
Can I Be in the Church Choir and Participate in Prayer Corps?
Yes! There are several Prayer Corps participants who do this. You come and join your Prayer Corps team after choir has completed their singing.
Why Should I Join the Prayer Corps?
- "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened" (Matt 7:7-8).
- "Those who seek the LORD lack no good thing" (Psa 34:10).
- "Pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests" (Eph 6:18).
- "You do not have because you do not ask God" (James 4:2).
- "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you" (James 4:8).
- "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all of your heart" (Jer 29:13).
- "Whoever would draw near to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him" (Heb 11:6).
- "Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice! Seek the LORD and his strength; seek his presence continually!" (Psa 105:3-4)
- "If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayer that is made in this place" (2 Chron 7:14-15).
What Would Satan Like to See Happen with the Prayer Corps?
Satan is interested in East White Oak Bible Church having a Prayer Corpse instead of a Prayer Corps! The Devil desires to discourage, deflate, distract, deaden, darken, and demoralize this team. The Devil wants us to ignore reality of spiritual battle in our midst (Eph 6:10-20). He wants us to think that someone else should do the praying, not us.
What Is a Key Reason I Should Join the Prayer Corps?
We learn of God's program for blessing and expanding His Church in the Scriptures. The disciples, mindful that ministry must be Holy-Spirit-led and Holy-Spirit-empowered (Luke 24:49), "all joined together constantly in prayer" (Acts 1:14) and "devoted themselves . . . to prayer" (Acts 2:42). The apostles wisely delegated to others the meeting of an urgent ministry concern (feeding of widows) so that they could give priority attention to what is most important: "we . . . will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word" (Acts 6:4). The result? The Sovereign God added thousands of new believers (Acts 2:41, 47; 4:4, 14; 6:7) and gave great boldness, power, and grace to the church (Acts 4:32-33). Based on this pattern and many Scriptures urging us to pray, we should be encouraged to give prayer a prominent place alongside the ministry of the word. "'Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit' says the Lord of hosts" (Zech 4:6).
How Do I Visit or Join the Prayer Corps?
You are welcome to visit the Prayer Corps and check us out! Members of the Prayer Corps meet in room 174 (Prayer Room) at 8:00 a.m. and at 9:30 a.m. each Sunday morning. To learn more about the Prayer Corps and how you can join, please contact Peter Spychalla, Director of Prayer Ministries. You can send him an email at
