The Room

First Baptist Church Seminole does not have the largest church facilities in the state. We have more than some and less than others. The church building is two stories with multiple Sunday School rooms, a fellowship hall, a designated youth area, offices, and of course the sanctuary. In the beginning days as I started my ministry I would often stumble across a room I did not know was there previously.

I found class rooms tucked away in out of the way places. One room close to my heart is the church library. It is not a large room as libraries go but it does house hundreds of books and anybody who knows me knows how deeply I love books. We have a television which serves as command center for the live broadcasting of our Sunday morning and evening services as well as a small studio where we teach an on air Bible Study class each Sunday morning. I taped the study for this coming Sunday yesterday afternoon in this room.

I had been the pastor here for a couple of months before I discovered “the room”. It is a small room located at the opposite end of our facilities from my office. I went weeks not even knowing the room was even there. It is located at the back of another room off the beaten path. There is really nothing special about its décor. There are a couple of chairs, a small table, and a plant. Scattered across the table are a few old books. Though pretty small in size this room is the most important room in our entire facilities and yet few ever frequent it. Of all the rooms in our church this room has become my favorite. I find myself looking for opportunities to spend more and more time in that room. I bet many people do not know even know the room even exists. Churches are all about rooms

I have seen some elaborately decorated rooms in church facilities across the state. I have seen youth rooms decorated in all sorts of ways; some with game rooms, rock climbing walls, snack bars, huge stages, and state of the art sound and lighting equipment.

I have been blown away to see some of the rooms designated for children and preschoolers. Some have been decorated in primary colors, others to look like a zoo, some in super hero characters, and I even saw one with a mock roller coaster.

I have seen sanctuaries of all sizes. I preached in one small church in east Texas with a total of six pews deep. It is by far the smallest sanctuary I have ever preached in or worshipped in. I have been in contemporary worship centers with high technology as well as traditional ones with stained glass and pews. I have seen a great many rooms in a great many churches.

There is one room that is noticeably absent from many churches. It is the prayer room. I was blessed to have an office in an old prayer room in the early days of my evangelism ministry. I have never had an office I loved more than that one. For a long time I left the kneeling bench in it where I would bow for prayer but finally had to remove it to add more book shelves.

Not until moving to Seminole have I served as pastor of a church where there was a room set aside exclusively for prayer. Many times the facilities were just too limited but then that makes me think. Why is it that the prayer room is the one to be left out. We make sure there are rooms for many other things. Why is the prayer room neglected? Is it because we really think we can function as people and congregations without a fervent prayer ministry. We often have parlors, recreation spaces, and some churches even have cafes located in them but sadly no designated place for consistent prayers. Why are there not more prayer rooms.

When I came to Seminole not one person ever mentioned the prayer room. When I was given a tour of the facilities nobody showed us that room. Nobody spoke of using it after we moved on the field and began our ministry. I discovered it by accident. I was on my way to a community prayer meeting and somebody told me what area of the church it was located. I went into the room but did not see anyone. I heard some noise through a door located at the rear of the room I had entered and to the end of the room through a door before I walked into the prayer room where several ladies were praying.

Since that day I have often withdrawn from my daily activities to that room to enjoy some time alone with the Father. I have asked the Lord for His vision, I have interceded for church members, friends, missions endeavors, and asked for more revelation of God in my own heart accompanied with greater affections for Him. I have lost track of time in the prayer room. My heart has been revived, new blogs have been inspired, and a stronger faith has been cultivated in that prayer room.

That room is not the only place I pray but it is increasingly becoming my second to favorite room. There is a special chair where I love to meet with God in my office which still reigns supreme. Second to that is the prayer room. I left the house for that room before the sun was up this morning and enjoyed the Lord until nearly lunch. Petitions and intercessions were lifted to the throne of grace. Scripture was read and meditated on. The face and heart of God were sought.

I am convinced there is not a more important room in our church than the prayer room. I have devoted 2010 to spending more time in prayer than even before. What about you? When was the last time you frequented the prayer room? Maybe your church does not have one. Why not take the initiative to find a room and designate it for prayer. Why not create a little nook in your home that is your prayer spot. What will the Lord do in us and through us as we give ourselves more to prayer in the new year? I hope to see you in the room from time to time.