Whatever the specific shape of our life together, it is of utmost importance that we pray in community. While prayer is often private and personal, it is never outside the reality of the worshiping, praying fellowship. In fact, we cannot sustain a life of prayer outside the community. Either we will give it up as futile, lacking the support and watchful care of others, or will we will make it into a thing of our own. Without the discerning life of the Christian community we will quickly turn prayer into a face-saving, self-justifying monologue.
Christian community is a gift of God created by the power of the Spirit and based upon our forgiveness in Jesus Christ. We all live under the gracious shadow of the cross, forgiving and being forgiven.
From Richard Foster in his chapter on "Radical Prayer" from Prayer: Finding the Heart's True Home.
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