Charles Haddon Spurgeon exercised a powerful preaching ministry in the centre of London in the 1800’s. It is reported that almost 5000 people gathered for the worship services each Lord’s Day. In addition to the pastoral ministry Spurgeon was involved in orphan work, a college for the training of ministers, extensive outreach works around London and the publication of his magazine, “The sword and trowel.” The intense burden of these works affected his health and during the latter years of his ministry he travelled to France to be refreshed physically and spiritually. His absence from his beloved congregation was an unhappy time for him and he often wrote letters to exhort and encourage them in the things of God. Recently I read one of those letters. It was written on January 31, 1878. This is what he said, “May our young men and women love the Lord much and win others to him by their zeal for God, and may our elder brethren and the matrons among us prove ever the pillars of the church in their holy conversation and devout godliness. Maintain the prayer meetings at blood-heat.”

It was the final exhortation that caught my eye, especially ‘maintain the prayer meetings at blood-heat.’ Those words identify the secret of Spurgeon’s ministry – namely the prayers of his congregation. He valued their intercessions on his behalf more than anything else in the world. His church prospered because his church prayed. The importance of weekly church prayer meetings cannot be emphasized too much. The ‘mid-week meeting’ should be a must for every believer, except in unusual and unforeseen circumstances. I understand that it is not always possible to be in attendance, but let every believer endeavour to be there as often as he can. Husbands and wives should be encouraged to bring their children. It is good for little ones to be introduced to the church at prayer. Some churches have prayer times before each Lord’s Day service also. These provide an excellent opportunity to cry unto Lord especially for his blessing upon the preaching of the Word. God has promised to be with us when we pray and he has promised to answer prayer. That’s a great double incentive. – so let us, ‘maintain the prayer meetings at blood-heat.’