Intercessory Prayer

Definition and Meaning

Intercessory prayer (Korean jungbo gido, 中保祈禱) is prayer offered to God not for oneself but on behalf of other people or communities, the nation, and the world. The Korean term jungbo means to stand between two parties and connect them. The practice is also called dogo (禱告), a word taken from 1 Timothy 2:1 in the Korean Revised Version and the New Korean Revised Version, where it renders "intercessions" in the phrase "supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks."

Opinions differ over the terminology. First Timothy 2:5 states that Jesus Christ is the one mediator (jungbo) between God and men. On this basis, some pastors and theologians propose using dogo or "prayer for one's neighbors" instead. Many others, however, continue to use the term, regarding it simply as an established idiom that does not imply any substitute for Christ's unique mediation.

Biblical and Historical Background

The Old Testament records Abraham pleading on behalf of Sodom (Genesis 18) and Moses praying for the people after the golden calf incident (Exodus 32). In the New Testament, Jesus prayed for his disciples (John 17), and the early church prayed for Peter while he was in prison (Acts 12:5). James 5:16 exhorts believers to "pray one for another." Hebrews 7:25 and Romans 8:26–27 state that Christ and the Holy Spirit make intercession for believers.

After the Reformation, Protestants emphasized that Christ alone is mediator and rejected the practice of seeking the intercession of the saints (asking them to pray on one's behalf). The Catholic Church teaches that the intercession of the saints does not detract from the unique mediation of Christ. Both traditions have maintained the practice of living believers praying for one another.

Practice in the Korean Church

In Korean churches, intercessory prayer is frequently offered during early morning prayer meetings, Friday prayer meetings, and times of simultaneous audible prayer (tongseong gido). The representative prayer offered in Sunday worship also usually includes prayer for the nation, the church, and the sick. Many churches maintain an "intercessory prayer team" whose members take turns praying over prayer requests gathered through the church bulletin or small groups.

The form varies by denomination. Liturgical churches such as the Anglican Church of Korea pray for the church and the world using set prayers within the order of worship. In many Presbyterian and Methodist churches, the pastor or the person assigned to lead in prayer prays extemporaneously. In Pentecostal churches, intercession through simultaneous audible prayer and prayer in tongues is especially prominent.

Some denominations and theologians have criticized certain forms of prayer, such as "land treading" (ttang balgi), in which participants walk through particular areas to oppose evil spirits, as reflecting the influence of the New Apostolic Reformation.