Praying for Pastors (Part 1 of 2)
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. (2 Corinthians 12:9)
I need your regular prayers. My feet are made of clay, just like yours, and there are days when the responsibilities I face seem beyond me. That’s not a bad place to be, since it’s in times like them that we truly learn that Christ’s grace is sufficient for us, and that his power is made perfect in our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9-10).
Each and every one of us faces challenges in our different vocations. I don’t want to sound like those of our pastoral staff are somehow extraordinary. But given that the church is, at bottom, a spiritual body with designated leaders, I think it’s wise for us to pray for our spiritual leaders. So what follows is the first half of a weekly prayer guide for the pastoral staff. The guide is not original to me; it was originally written by Darold Lyles of Northside Baptist Church in Murfreesboro, TN. I’ve presented most of what he wrote and related it to me; you can make adjustments as you pray for the different members of our pastoral staff.
SUNDAY: I pray for my pastor as a PREACHER-TEACHER (Ephesians 4:11-12).
· I pray that Christ may be lifted up through him and his words.
· I pray that he may experience the anointing of the Holy Spirit.
· I pray that lives will be changed through his preaching.
MONDAY: I pray for my pastor as a SERVANT-LEADER (Matthew 20:26-28).
· I pray that he may lead his staff and family with the wisdom, direction, and sensitivity that only the Holy Spirit can give.
· I pray that he will offer guidance to the leaders of the church that brings unity, shared vision, and the will of God.
TUESDAY: I pray for my pastor as a PERSON (2 Timothy 2:1-7).
· I pray for his spiritual, physical, and emotional health; I also pray for a Sabbath rest this week.
· I pray for him in his roles of husband, father, brother, friend, citizen.
· I pray that temptations, the devil, or the things of earth will not overtake his heart with lies, undue preoccupation, or misplaced priorities.
