<TITLE>27. Par 181-188</TITLE>L-181   Let your... see, your praying's at home. Jesus said, "When you pray, don't stand like the hypocrites do, and--and for a long... maybe a long prayer, and say this, that, or the other, and--and all like that for a showing." See? He said, "When you prayer... pray, enter into the closet, secret closet, close the door behind you; pray your Father that seeth in secret, He shall reward thee openly." Now, that's the way to have secret prayer, that's what He said do.

L-182 But when you, somebody, when they come in, like the song leader, say, "All right..." After the first song, then let somebody have prayer, ever who it is, just a short prayer. Don't stand up and pray for all the governors, and so forth like that. If there's any prayer requests, let it be known, let it be sent in, have them sent in. Write it, say, "Here." "For tonight, in having prayer, we're remembering Sister So-and-so, Brother So-and-so in the hospital, So-and-so, and So-and-so, and So-and-so. Remember them in your prayers as you pray. Brother Jones, will you lead us in prayer. Let's stand." See? Let it be laid on the platform. Tell them, let them get used to that, "If you got a request for prayer, lay it up here, up here." Don't be speaking, "Who has a request now, would you be let it known by..." And then, the first thing, somebody get up and say, "Glory to God!" And you know, start off like that, and the first thing you know, it's a half hour 'fore they set down sometimes. See?

L-183 We are responsible for this church, not others; this is our responsibility to God. These offices are your responsibility to God. See? The reason I'm standing here tonight, telling you all this, is because it's my responsibility to God; it's your responsibility to carry it out. See?

L-184   Now, and when something like that... let somebody lead in prayer, and when they do, that's fine, let them lead in prayer then set down.

L-185 And if you--you got a special... Now, I wouldn't say this, I wouldn't go along... And if anybody wants to sing a special, announce it in the church. Tell them that "Any specials, or anything that wants to be sang, let them see the song leader before the church ever starts." And have it... Say, "Well, I'm sorry brother, I'd like... sure like to do it, but I--I've got my special for tonight. Maybe if you tell me you're going to be here on a certain night, I'll put it on the program for you. See, I got my program wrote out here."

L-186   Let--let Brother Capps or ever who is leading songs... And have a song leader, no matter who it is. And don't let them stand up and say... or carry on a lot, they're a preacher, see. Let them stand up there and lead songs, that's their business.

L-187 It's the pastor's business to preach, see, not lead songs. He ain't to lead songs, the song leader leads songs. He's responsible, and should come out freshly under the anointing of the Holy Ghost, from the office in there, somewhere, when it's come time. He don't even have to be on the platform when this is going on. Let him stay in the office back there, see, or back in here, or wherever it is, and the intercoms here will bring it in, see, when it's time. When he hears that last... if there is a special, like a solo, duet, or something, for your third song. See?

L-188 That you've had two congregational songs, prayer, your offering if you're going to take it. And let every man be at his post of duty. Say, "All right, while we're singing this last song now, if the ushers will, let them come forward for the evening offering." See? And while they finish singing that song, here's the ushers standing here. Say, "All right, now we're going to have prayer," and they offered prayer, "We want to remember So-and-so here, and So-and-so," and read that off, you know, like that, like that. "All right, everyone stand. Brother, will you lead us in prayer?" Then it's all over.


<A HREF="P28">Next Page</A>