How Your Church Can Be an Answer to Jesus’s Prayer

Have you ever wished to be an answer to a prayer? What if it was an answer to Jesus’s own prayer? Well, your church has the potential to be just that.

John 17 contains that very prayer. It concludes what is known as the “farewell discourse.” In this discourse, Jesus tells his followers what will happen after his departure, what they can expect from the world, and reveals profound truths about his relationship with God the Father.

This discourse ends with Jesus interceding on behalf of his followers, much like a high priest. That’s why it’s come to be known as the “high priestly prayer.”

The High Priestly Prayer

In its context, Jesus’s prayer seems to initially focus on those who had believed in him during his ministry—his disciples (John 17:6). However, he doesn’t stop there. Jesus broadens his prayer to include the future impact of his disciples’ witness in the world:
“I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.” (John 17:20–21)

Jesus prays for the unity of his people throughout history. He isn’t asking for just any kind of unity; he desires a unity that mirrors the unity between the Son and the Father. It’s a unity that encompasses spirit, mission, and relationship. God intends to showcase his glory through the church in front of all nations, with the hope that the nations will then glorify him within the church (see also Eph. 3:10).

The high priestly prayer is a prayer filled with hope and faith. Here, the King of the universe is interceding for his people. We aren’t just a minor part of God’s plan to reconcile the world to himself; we are at the center of it. This is the great honor and purpose of the church.

United with Christ

When Jesus extends his prayer to include “those who will believe in me through [the disciples’] word” (John 17:20), he not only shows his concern for future believers but also indicates how they will become part of his flock. As we read the book of Acts, we witness the Father answering Jesus’s prayer. We see churches being established, starting from Jerusalem and spreading to the farthest corners of the earth (Acts 1:8).

In other words, Jesus’s prayer isn’t solely for the apostles; it’s a prayer for church planting. Understanding this should inspire churches today to consider collaborating with like – minded church – planting organizations, whether they are networks or denomination – based groups.

When we come together to plant churches, we are continuing to answer the prayer of our great high priest, Jesus.

Planting Churches

This is the reason why my local church has made church planting a top priority. It’s not just an activity we engage in; it’s an integral part of our identity. That’s why we’ve chosen to be part of Acts 29, a diverse, global community of churches focused on planting new churches. It’s also why we founded the Houston Church Planting Network (HCPN). We wanted to see other churches centered on the gospel and driven by a missionary mindset come together in unity and reach our city.

More than 100 local churches from different denominations have joined forces in this coalition. We’ve trained individuals from Asian, Hispanic, African American, and Anglo backgrounds, and we’ve planted around 50 new churches in the Houston area.

When we link arms to plant churches, we continue to be an answer to the prayer of our great high priest.

In addition to these new church plants, nearly 100 future church planters have entered HCPN’s training program. We’re seeing more and more churches joining HCPN, a greater diversity in the racial makeup of our planters, and a strong sense of unity throughout the process. The most exciting part is knowing that HCPN is one small way that the Father is answering his Son’s prayer for the unity and growth of the church.

So, pastor, your church can be an answer not just to any prayer, but to the very prayer spoken by the Savior himself. You become an answer when you respond to the call of church planting.

How will you respond to that call? Which groups can you partner with? Who in your church might have the potential to become a future church planter? Or perhaps God is calling you to plant a church? How can you inspire your congregation with a vision for planting churches in your city, nation, and around the world? Whatever answers you discover, remember that you’re not just participating in the mission of church planting. You’re also an answer to prayer.