AP

The Boiler Room

Charles Spurgeon was one of the most gifted preachers of the 19^th century. Blessed with a strong and powerful voice, a prodigious memory, and a sharp wit, one might be tempted to think that he would not really need the earnest and constant prayers of his congregation to be greatly used by God. And yet, Spurgeon once commented: “No man can do me a truer kindness, than to pray for me.”

The story is told of five young student ministers who decided to hear Spurgeon preach one Sunday. They had never met him, and as they waited for the church doors to open, they were met by a young man who asked them: “Gentlemen, let me show around. Would you like to see the boiler room?”

Now, in mid-19^th century Victorian England the boiler room was a hot and dirty room down in the very heart of the church building. Think of it like a dingy basement. The boiler room was essentially the powerhouse of buildings at that time.

The men were not very interested since it was already a hot July day, but since they didn’t want to offend the young man they agreed and he took them down a staircase to the heart of the building. Quietly, he opened the door and said almost in a whisper: “This is our heating plant. My people pray for me”.

The five student ministers were taken aback for the young man was Spurgeon himself, and inside the boiler room were hundreds of people bowed in prayer praying for their minister and the congregation.

When people asked Spurgeon what was the secret of his success he would often reply “My people pray for me”. But that was not all. Whenever Spurgeon preached, he would pray as he walked up the stairs to the pulpit: “I need the Holy Spirit. I need the Holy Spirit”.

Is it possible that one of the main reasons why our churches are not blessed is because the congregation does no or little praying for their minister and congregation? Is it possible that our sermons are not blessed because we do not call on the Holy Spirit to bless our preaching?

Many years ago, I was struck by a quote within a small booklet published by the Banner of Truth called Power in the Pulpit. The author, Henry Fish (1820-1877) quotes from the son of John Elias who compared present day preachers’ prayers to their fathers “Look at the seraphic Robert Roberts, Clynnog, rolling on the floor of the hay-loft, weeping and praying. Why is the poor man in such agony? He is starting on one of his preaching journeys, and is anxious lest the Spirit of God be not with him to convert the world and edify the saints….Observe Mr Williams, Lledrod….and see him on his knees beside the black hedges; it is there he finds his materials for his sermons. Morgan Howells disappears from his family on Saturday night; on Sunday morning he wakes them up early, and calls for his horse; he is now ready to go and preach his master……and Mr Rees – what is he doing in the lonely cellars of the Liverpool chapels? Moving about, restless, bending his knees, writhing, rising up, walking about and bending on his knees again! He has received a message from God to sinners, and he prays that he may be in the hands of God to deliver it effectively”.

Perhaps if congregations spent less time complaining about their ministers and more time in earnest prayer, ministers would be blessed in Spirit-filled preaching power. We Could see many of our churches full to overflowing. Every church must have a boiler room if we are to expect great things from God. These are desperate times – lets be in earnest prayer for our ministers.

– Troy Appleton