In a world that increasingly embraces atheism and false paradigms of theism, prayer is largely viewed as irrelevant or, at best, simply a ritual to provide personal comfort.

The Christian view of prayer is dramatically different. Given the God revealed in the Bible, there is a sovereign, intentional, strategic, personal Creator who is Lord of all. And given the revelation of how Adam and Eve regularly communed and communicated with God in the garden,ⁱ this intimates the personal relationship that God wanted with humans. Therefore, the Creator designed mankind to personally interact with him in their work as his ruling agents on earth.

In a fallen world—a world in rebellion against God—mankind does not seek communion and communication with God. Rather, mankind seeks to execute his own agenda: his will done according to his ways.

From the fall of man until now, God has demonstrated patience and longsuffering toward mankind’s rebellion. However, there will be a day of reckoning; God’s holiness and justice demand accountability.ⁱⁱ

When accountability comes, mankind, apart from Christ, will fail to meet God’s standard. Christ provided deliverance from the judgment for mankind’s fallen condition and provided empowerment for mankind to progressively mature into increasing alignment with the will and ways of God. This empowerment process is known as sanctification.

In the above text, sanctification is presented as a community process. Specifically, the text gives mankind two keys to healing in the sanctification process. This healing is, at least, spiritual in nature and refers to hurts and wounds of life such as abuse, trauma, and injustice. The healing may also refer to physical maladies. Confession and prayer are keys to affecting this healing. Clearly, both can be performed individually and privately, but the emphasis of the above text is to “confess your sins to one another and pray for one another.” And specifically, the writer notes that powerful prayer is best accomplished through the mediation of righteous people. God hears and responds to such prayers.

Righteous people are not perfect people. They are redeemed people, people who have received Christ as their Lord and Savior and progressively demonstrate this reality by maturing in Christ. The measure of maturity or sanctification is the degree of alignment with the will and ways of Christ. Righteous people are effective intercessors when they pray in alignment with the will and ways of Christ. These prayers will be answered and people touched by these prayers will be drawn into alignment with God. Because God is engaged in all aspects of his creation, including work, people and organizations who are aligned with him will be the most effective in delivering excellent value.

Therefore, a key to producing excellent work is an organizational culture that supports confession and prayer. This is a mark of a healthy transparent community seeking alignment with God's will and ways.

Here is your business tip: The purpose of organizations is to produce excellent work product. To do this requires sound spiritual reality in the hearts of all stakeholders. A culture of transparency and prayer is therefore essential. The only prayers that will be heard and answered by God are prayers aligned with his will and ways. And the only people who can offer prayers of alignment are righteous people—people growing and maturing in Christ. These people are not perfect but over a prolonged period time display evidence of consistent growth and maturity in Christ. This should be the standard by which all stakeholders are measured because maturing in Christ is the predicate for individual and organizational excellence.

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i. Genesis 3:8.
ii. 2 Corinthians 5:10; Revelation 20.