Jane Menning
City Director | Minneapolis and St. Paul
A few years ago, Adam Johnson, our ISM leader in Minneapolis, invited our staff team to pray like many churches around the world do—in one voice, or what the Koreans call tongsung kido. We were all praying for the same international student’s request, we could all hear each other praying, but the only One who heard each of our prayers was the Lord. It was a powerful time!
Prayer has always been an essential part of a vibrant faith journey. It is a sacred connection to God, a way to cultivate hope in a chaotic world, and a source of refreshment and guidance. Jesus himself often spent time praying in lonely places. The bulk of my prayer life is constant dialogue with the Lord about my anxieties, supplications, gratitude, and praise. However, while individual prayer is vital for our personal relationships with God, we would do well not to overlook the power of collective prayer with the global Body of Christ.
In many parts of Asia, prayer isn’t merely a personal practice: it is a shared activity that binds believers together in purpose and intercession. Many South Korean congregations gather regularly, often at dawn, to pray in unison, calling upon God’s name as one body. I remember praying with saints in East Asia as they lifted up their hearts to the Lord in the midst of persecution, struggle, and cries for revival, and it was transformative precisely because it moved focus off myself and my own words to our collective prayers together.
My own journey has revealed the richness of collective prayer in profound ways. Once a month I gather with a small group of Asian American women in one of our homes for group spiritual direction. In the midst of our busy lives and diverse backgrounds, we find solace in coming together—sharing our lives and discerning God’s voice together. We take turns intentionally being silent and asking, “Lord, what is your prayer for this sister?” We do not give advice so much as ask questions and share curiosity based on Scriptures that come to mind. These sessions are marked by a deep sense of belonging, encouragement, and mutuality.
While Western culture often celebrates autonomy and self-expression, it can unintentionally reduce faith to a solitary experience. An emphasis on personal prayer alone risks neglecting the biblical call for believers to “[be] completely together in prayer” (Acts 1:14, MSG). There is undeniable power in standing shoulder to shoulder with fellow Christians and seeking the Lord.
What might happen if we, the Church, prioritized gathering regularly for collective prayer as an act of unified worship? In several places in the New Testament, we see believers crying out to God together and lives being transformed as a result. The most well-known is probably Acts 1, when the Holy Spirit is first poured out on the believers in Jerusalem at Pentecost, which ultimately birthed the Church. What might God do among us if we more consistently call on His name together as one?
