146| Making Prayer the Center of Parish Leadership

In this episode of the Rebuilt Parish Podcast, Melissa Wilkinson is joined by Colleen Droney, a longtime leader at Church of the Nativity and a key member of the Rebuilt Parish team, for a practical and deeply encouraging conversation about making prayer the center of parish and staff culture.

Colleen shares how prayer has shaped her leadership across both parish and ministry settings, why prayer is never optional in times of growth and decision-making, and how the Rebuilt team is learning to pause, listen, and surrender together, even as a fully virtual staff. From staff-wide prayer rhythms and adoration to creative uses of technology and Bible plans, this episode offers parish leaders concrete ways to root their teams more deeply in prayer without adding more burden.

This is an honest, hope-filled conversation for pastors and parish leaders who feel stretched thin but long for deeper spiritual grounding in their teams.

Want to see how your whole parish can Grow Deeper in their faith? Complete our self evaluation: https://download.rebuiltparish.com/deeperevaluation 

What You’ll Hear in This Episode

• Why prayer must be the agenda, not just an agenda item
• How leadership immersion with Acts 29 renewed Rebuilt’s commitment to prayer
• Translating in-person staff prayer into a virtual environment
• Creating consistent, non-negotiable rhythms of prayer
• The power of pausing and listening before making decisions
• How Bible plans build vulnerability and trust among staff
• Practical examples of prayer shaping parish culture at Nativity
• Simple first steps any parish can take to begin praying together

 

Practices Highlighted in the Episode

• Weekly staff prayer as a non-negotiable rhythm
• Virtual adoration (“Holy Zoom”) for distributed teams
• Scripture-based prayer before meetings
• Staff Bible plans using the YouVersion Bible App
• Prayer challenges and seasonal devotions
• Ministry huddles and praying over parish spaces
• Empowering champions to lead prayer without adding burden to pastors
  
  

Key Leadership Takeaway

Healthy parish culture flows from prayerful leadership. When pastors and parish teams make space to pause, surrender, and listen together, prayer becomes the foundation for unity, clarity, and fruitfulness. You don’t have to do everything at once. Start small, be consistent, and trust God to build the culture over time.

Chapters

• 00:00 – Introducing Colleen and the focus on prayer
• 00:57 – Why prayer is essential in busy seasons of ministry
• 02:19 – Lessons from Acts 29 and adoration
• 04:25 – Translating staff prayer into a virtual environment
• 06:10 – Creating space for silence and surrender
• 08:39 – Prayer as permission to pause
• 11:11 – Building prayer into parish staff culture
• 12:54 – Using Bible plans to deepen team connection
• 16:17 – Creative prayer rhythms within ministry teams
• 19:27 – First steps for parish leaders who feel stretched thin
• 24:01 – The pastor’s role in cultivating a prayer culture
• 31:07 – Why prayer must be non-negotiable

Featured Rebuilt Bible Plans on YouVersion

Rebuilt Faith - https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/62006-rebuilt-faith  Breathing Room - https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/64604-breathing-room

Grace & Truth - https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/64135-grace-truth  Baggage: A Journey of Forgiveness Heal (coming for Lent)

 

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parish prayer culture, Catholic parish leadership, staff prayer, adoration, virtual ministry, Acts 29, Church of the Nativity, YouVersion Bible App, parish staff formation, Rebuilt Parish Podcast, prayer in ministry