Is there any need of community prayer ? Is it not enough that we pray alone with God?
Man is a social being who needs social gatherings and common commitments. In Jewish and Christian view, man is saved only as the member of the people of God. To Abraham, God's promise was, "I will make you a great nation and in you all the families of the church shall be blessed." (Gen.12: 1-4). In Jacob the twelve tribes of people were formed into one unit and given the new name Israel (people of God) (Gen. 33: 28). Seeing the oppression of His people, Yahweh sent Moses to Egypt, to deliver them out the Eypyptians' hands (Ex. 3: 7-8). Giving the covenant Yahweh said, "Now therfore if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, then you will be a indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, then you will be a special treasure to me a kingdom of priests, a holy nation" (Ex. 19: 5-6). Then all the people answered "All that the Lord has spoken we will do" (V. 8). Note the communitarian overtone in the offering as well as in the reception of salvation. Even the ten commandments are aimed at building up a God-fearing and man-loving community (Ex. 1-17). In NT, the only commandment is the command of iove -love of God and love of neighbour (Jn. 15:12, 13:34). In Acts, the communitarian aspect of salvation is emphasised. "And the Lord added to the church daily those who were saved" (Acts 2:47). The church is the new people of God, the kingdom of Priest, the holy nation (1 Pet.2:5,9) who have to praise God (Acts 2: 42,47) for the salvific work he has done to us. Almost all the psalms in the OT are community prayers. Even the prayer 'OUR FATHER "which Jesus taught us, is a community prayer. The officical prayer of the church - Breviary - is also a communituy prayer. Even our concept of God - Trinity is communitarian. Hence family prayer, community prayer and Sunday assembly (Liturgy) are to be given more importance. Hence as some people do, we shall not forsake our Sunday Assembly (for liturgy and prayer), but must actively take part in them exhorting one another (Heb. 10:25).