In our modern Western context, we tend to view faith through an intensely individualistic lens. We talk a lot about our personal relationship with Jesus and our private devotions. Consequently, we often view fasting as a secret, solitary endeavor. While Jesus certainly warned us not to "show off" our fasting to gain the praise of men (Matthew 6:17-18), he never intended for us to abandon the power of corporate fasting.

Throughout the history of God’s people, fasting was rarely just an individual act. From the national fasts in the Old Testament to the local church gatherings in the New Testament, there is a clear precedent for the community of faith setting aside their forks and knives together to seek the face of God.

Now there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a lifelong friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off. (Acts 13:1-3)

Strength in Numbers

There is a unique spiritual weight that comes when a congregation decides to move together. In Acts 13:1-3, we see the leaders of the church in Antioch "worshiping the Lord and fasting." It was during this collective time of seeking God that the Holy Spirit spoke and set apart Paul and Barnabas for the first missionary journey.

That decision changed the course of human history. The gospel traveled to the Gentiles because a group of believers decided that seeking God’s guidance was more important than eating lunch. When we fast together as a church, we are admitting that we don't have the wisdom to lead ourselves. We are saying, "Lord, if anything good is going to happen in us, our families, our church, our city, or our world, you have to be the one to do it. We are posturing ourselves as a body to hear from you."

Fighting the Arrogance of Independence

One of the greatest dangers for a healthy, growing church is the "arrogance of the program." It would be tempting to believe that if we just have the right music, the right lighting, the right preaching, the right classes, and the right social media strategy, we will see lives changed. But those things are just "skins." Without the "wine" of the Holy Spirit, the skins are empty (Mark 2:18-22).

Fasting as a church is a way of saying, "We refuse to rely on our own cleverness." It is an act of corporate humility. We are laying down our resources and our strength to admit that we are fully dependent on God’s Spirit. It keeps us from trying to "orchestrate" a move of God through human effort and instead helps us "position" ourselves to receive what only he can give.

The Power of Agreement

There is also a practical encouragement that comes with corporate fasting. When you know that your brothers and sisters are also feeling the same hunger and praying to the same end, it is motivating. It turns an individual struggle into a shared mission. Whether we are fasting for a local revival, for the healing of a church member, for wisdom in a new season, or to grow in dependence on God, there is a profound "Amen!" that happens in the spirit when the church fasts in unity. It is a collective "laying hold of God," refusing to let go until he pours out his blessing.

If you have thought of fasting as something that you’re only supposed to do in secret and alone, I challenge you to consider what it would look like to include others in a collective pursuit of greater dependence on God. Ask yourself some of the following questions.

• Who are the people that I should be fasting with?
• What are things that may come up that would be appropriate to respond to with fasting?
• Is there something in my life right now that I could be asking others to pray about and fast for alongside me?

We can be a church of simple devotion, but that simple devotion does not require us to be a church made up of individuals devoted alone.