Praying for Your Pastor: A Vital Ministry
As Christians, we understand that God’s glory is the ultimate goal of everything. In Romans 11:36, we read, “For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever.” One crucial way to promote God’s glory is by praying for our pastors.
A Pastor’s Greatest Need: Awe of God
Your pastor’s most significant need is to stand in awe of God above all else. Pray that he would be a “God-besotted” man who treasures, loves, savors, and fears the triune God. Ask God to give your pastor a deep love for Him, so much so that he would be willing to disappoint others for God’s glory.
The Authority of Scripture
Pray that your pastor would believe fully in the inspiration and supreme authority of the Bible. May he rely on the Holy Spirit working through the word to do the work of ministry. Ask God to help your pastor trust that the gospel itself is “the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16).
Avoiding Distractions
The modern world constantly pressures your pastor to rely on alternative power sources. Pray that he would look to Scripture first as he thinks through how to do ministry and shape church life. May he devote himself to the serious study of the Bible and preach from the Bible, allowing the main point of the text to be the main point of the sermon.
Family and Ministry
Church work can strain your pastor’s family. Pray that he would have the strength and discipline to guard time with his wife and kids. May the elders and other leaders support your pastor in maintaining at least one day off per week and using his allotted vacation time every year.
Character Qualities
God calls pastors to be examples to the flock (1 Peter 5:3). Pray that the Holy Spirit would cause your pastor to hate sin and love righteousness. May he be quick to repent when he sins and be conformed more and more to the image of Christ.
The Challenges of Ministry
Pastoral work is people work, which can be rewarding but also challenging. Pray that your pastor would love the sheep under his care. May God guard his heart against bitterness, cynicism, and resentment, and instead cause him to treasure church members as the blood-bought bride of Jesus.
Wisdom from Above
Pastoral ministry demands the wisdom of Solomon. Pray that your pastor would look to God’s word for his wisdom. May God surround him with a team of wise and godly elders/pastors.
The Limits of a Pastor
Your pastor is just like you: a fellow lost-and-found sheep, a sinner saved by grace. Pray that he would humbly embrace his finite, creaturely status, and rest. May God spare him from workaholism and lead him to take time off, work reasonable hours, get enough sleep, exercise, and be able to know when to be “done” with things.
Maintaining Joy
Finally, pray that your pastor would not lose his joy in the Lord and the work of ministry. May his heart delight in the Lord, the church, and the gospel work. May God make him a happy pastor, and may the joy of the Lord be his strength all his days.
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