From the DAWGHouse…
A Man’s Primary Role in the Church: To Prayh
In many churches today, men are called to lead, serve, protect, and provide. These are all noble and biblical responsibilities, but at the core of a man’s role in the church—above all else—is the call to pray. Prayer is not a passive or secondary duty; it is a deeply masculine act of submission, strength, and spiritual warfare.
From the Old Testament patriarchs to the apostles of the early church, godly men have always been men of prayer. Abraham interceded for Sodom (Genesis 18:22-33). Moses stood in the gap for Israel (Exodus 32:11-14). David poured out his heart to God in the Psalms. Jesus Himself, the ultimate example of manhood, often withdrew to pray (Luke 5:16).
A man who prays is a man who leads—because true leadership begins with surrender. A man who does not seek God’s wisdom in prayer will inevitably rely on his own limited understanding, which is the path to failure. When a man kneels before God, he stands with authority before his family, his church, and the world.
Men are called to be warriors, but our battlefield is not made of flesh and blood. Ephesians 6:12 reminds us that we wrestle “not against flesh and blood, but against rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness.” Prayer is the weapon God has given us to fight this battle.
When a man prays, he is not being passive—he is engaging in spiritual combat. He is standing between his family and the enemy. He is defending his church against spiritual attacks. He is tearing down strongholds and lifting the name of Jesus over his household and community. A man who prays is a man who fights.
Some have wrongly believed that prayer is soft—that it is a quiet, background activity meant for women or the “spiritually elite.” Nothing could be further from the truth. To pray consistently requires discipline, endurance, and humility—qualities of a godly man.
It takes strength to wake up early to pray. It takes boldness to lead a family in prayer at the dinner table. It takes courage to stand with fellow believers, lay hands on the hurting, and intercede for the lost. The strongest men in the church are not the ones who simply take charge, but the ones who take their burdens to the Lord.
Men of Forge, if we are to be faithful to our calling, we must be men of prayer. Our churches need praying men. Our families need fathers who intercede. Our communities need men who cry out to God for revival. If we fail to pray, we fail at the most fundamental level.
Let us reclaim prayer as a distinctly masculine act—not one of weakness, but of strength. Let us lead, fight, and persevere on our knees, knowing that the greatest work a man can do is first done in the presence of Almighty God.
“Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” — Matthew 26:41
To our Freedom to Pray!
Joe Bouch
