“Laus Perrenis” is a latin term for perpetual prayer, a practice that has existed since King David introduced it thousands of years ago when he appointed 288 singers and 4,000 musicians “to make petition, to give thanks and to praise the Lord” day and night (1 Chr. 15:1–17:27). Although the tabernacle was replaced by a temple, the Davidic order of worship was embraced and reinstituted by seven subsequent leaders in the history of Israel and Judah. Each time this order of worship was reintroduced, spiritual breakthrough, deliverance and military victory followed. Solomon instructed that worship in the temple should be in accordance with the Davidic order (2 Chr. 8:14–15). Jehoshaphat defeated Moab and Ammon by setting singers up in accordance with the Davidic order: singers at the front of the army singing the Great Hallel. Jehoshaphat, Joash, Hezekiah, Josiah, Ezra, Nehemiah all continued the practice at times during their life. Historians have also speculated that around the time of Jesus, in their search to find communion with God, the Essenes of the Judean wilderness reinstituted Davidic worship as part of their life of prayer and fasting.
It is with this inspiration that believers have again started discussions and plans for a house of worship like this in our city. After all according to the team, perpetual prayer is not just a fancy idea but a biblical one*. The concept is to create a place of encounter with the Living God. A place of witness to the community of Christian unity and a place where united prayer can add fuel to the Mission of God in our region. A place where believers can gather at any time and immediately be in the presence of the Lord with other believers of all denominations and a place that represents the diversity yet unity of the One Church in our region.
That is the thought behind The Prayer Collective, a collaboration of musicians, singers and intercessors working together to offer Jesus "laus perennis" in the Elmwood Village. The planned kickoff is March 2012 at Lafayette Presbyterian Church (875 Elmwood Avenue at the corner of Elmwood and Lafayette) though the ministry is not directly affiliated with any one church, rather it seeks to unite and be a Church at Buffalo project. The plan is to create a synergy between prayer, worship and outreaches together helping to usher in a great awakening and revival in our city.
Historically extended prayer has been linked to great missions efforts*, and co-founders Chris Hoisington (Brothers McClurg) and Kyle Patterson (UNITE Editor) are hoping this effort will lead to the same. The goal is to organize a collective effort of many churches and ministries taking their place at the “wall” of prayer and worship. Kyle Patterson explains, “The Prayer Collective is a modern day example of what we see in the book of Nehemiah when the city came together to rebuild the wall around Jerusalem. Everyone did their part and they achieved this incredible feat. Similarly The Prayer Collective invites churches and ministries to take a two hour timeslot each week to contribute to a spiritual wall of intercession rebuilding our city on a foundation of prayer and worship.”
For more information see www.prayercollective.com
* See Acts 15:16, Isaiah 62:6,1 Thessalonians 5:17
** See Hernhut/Count Zinzendorf, Germany 1727
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