Six Ways to Pray for Your Pastors
By Pastor Josh Wamble
Throughout the Bible, we are encouraged to approach God with confidence knowing that He will receive us and that He wants to hear from us. Philippians 4:6-7 say, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Over the next few weeks, we will be posting specific ways you can be praying for different groups of people inside and outside of the church. This week, we want to think about pastors. We hope that you are regularly praying for your pastors. Below, we offer six specific ways you can do so.
1. Give Thanks to God for Them
In Ephesians 4:11-12, Paul says that God gives pastors to His churches for the purpose of building them up and equipping them for the work of the ministry. Thank God for how He has blessed our church with the pastors that He has given us and that He would use their different gifts in the life of our church.
2. Pray for Their Personal Holiness
A 19th century Scottish pastor famously said, “The greatest need of my people is my own holiness.” This is certainly a great need in the church if not the greatest. Far too often, we have heard about pastors who have made a shipwreck of their ministry in one or another. Some have fallen into some grievous sin like adultery, out of control anger, pornography use, plagiarizing sermons, or the like. These sins do not just affect the individual pastor. They are difficult on the pastors’ families and their churches as well.
Pastors face temptations that are unique to ministry as well as temptations that are common to all believers. Pray that God would keep your pastors from temptation and deliver them from temptations when they do come. Pray that they would be quick to confess their sins and repent of them. Pray that they would love the Lord and His word and seek to follow Him in all areas of their lives.
3. Pray for Their Preaching and Teaching
Maybe the biggest responsibility a pastor has to his church is to rightly preach and teach God’s word. Pray that they would prioritize time to study God’s word. Pray that the Holy spirit would help them to understand it well. Pray that the Holy Spirit would lead them to apply it well to the church. Pray that God would help them to present what they have learned in a way that connects with the church and it easily understood and applied. Pray that they would have the boldness and conviction to preach and teach the truth even when it is hard or challenging.
4. Pray for Their Leadership
Pray that God would lead them as they lead His church. Pray that they would think well about how to lead in specific situations. Pray that they would work well together and have good discussions that lead to clarity on how the Lord is directing them. Pray that God would give them wisdom and help the to see things from His perspective. Pray that the church would follow their lead.
5. Pray for Their Families
Ministry can sometimes be hard on families and especially children. Many pastors’ kids grow up to resent the church for taking so much time from their dad or for how their parents were treated by the church. Pray that that would not be the case with the children of our pastors.
Pray that our pastors would manage their time well and prioritize time with their families and children. Pray that they would not feel pressure from the church to be perfect. Pray that they would see and feel the church’s love for their dads and for their families. Pray that the pastors’ wives would feel supported, respected, honored, and loved by their church. Pray for their marriages and for their parenting.
6. Pray for Their Health
Pray that God would keep your pastors healthy. Pray that the anxiety and worry they feel for the members of the church would not weigh them down. Pray that they would deal with the stress of their positions in healthy ways. Pray that they would get good rest and have healthy patterns of time off and away from the work of the ministry.
Life can be hard, and pastors face many of the same challenges and difficulties that other believers face. There are also unique challenges and pressures that come with being a pastor. Be faithful and regular in praying for your pastors and pray that God would use them to strengthen His church.
