Rev. Dr. Mike Wooton

Every great move of God begins, not with a plan, a program, or a committee, but with prayer. The early church knew this. Acts 2:42 tells us, “They devoted themselves… to prayer.” Not occasionally. Not when things got desperate. They prayed continually, expectantly, and together.

Prayer wasn’t their backup plan, it was their starting point. They knew they needed God’s power to do God’s work. And when they prayed, things happened. Lives were changed. Communities were impacted. The fire spread.

Today, many churches say they value prayer, but too often, it’s the first thing we drop when we’re busy or overwhelmed. We substitute strategy for surrender and wonder why the flame doesn’t last. But a church on fire, one that truly thrives, builds everything on a foundation of prayer.

Prayer is not just about asking God for what we need; it’s about aligning our hearts with His. It’s how we stay close to the source of the fire.

How Can We Apply This?

As Individuals: Make prayer a part of your daily rhythm. Not just in crisis, but in quiet, in gratitude, and in asking God to move through you.🔥

As a Church: Create intentional moments and spaces for prayer. Not as filler, but as fuel. Make prayer nights and small group prayer a normal part of church life.🔥

Together: When someone shares a need, stop and pray right there, on the phone, in the lobby, wherever you are. Those moments matter.🔥

Building a Church on Fire

Over the past five weeks, we’ve looked at how the early church became a Holy Spirit-fueled movement, not just through passion, but through practice.

Week 1: Commit to the Church — Show up, lean in, and invest.

Week 2: Be Open to Biblical Teaching — Let God’s Word shape you, even when it challenges you.

Week 3: Share and Care for One Another — Love in action builds the fire.

Week 4: Keep Coming Back to the Table — Choose grace over division. Keep working toward unity.

Week 5: Pray — Start with prayer, stay with prayer, finish with prayer.

A Church on Fire isn’t flashy. It’s faithful. It’s a community that burns brightly because its people are devoted to the things that matter most.

So whether you’re a pastor, a church member, or someone just trying to follow Jesus in a noisy world, don’t settle for a flicker. Let’s build a fire that lasts. Let’s lean into God and watch him build a Church on Fire.