How To Pray For Your Pastor

QUESTION: How to pray for your pastor – Can you give me some tips?

ANSWER:

One of the most effective ways you can minister to your pastor is to pray for him. As normal, ordinary men, pastors are fallible and must consistently pursue the character God requires of them, as well as faithfully completing the many duties attached to their roles. Knowing that others are praying for him is an encouragement to the heart of a man who longs to give his best to God! As you seek to pray for your pastor, consider praying for two areas of his life: his personal needs as well as his spiritual needs.

Personal Needs

• Effective use of time. There are many tasks to accomplish during your pastor’s workday. Pray that he will use those hours in a way that will allow him to accomplish much.
• Strong relationship with his wife and children.
• Time with family. Often church activities occur in the evenings or on weekends. Ask God to provide other times when your pastor can have quality time with his wife and children.
• Physical and mental strength. Pastors often work much more than a forty-hour week studying and preparing for speaking and counseling, being available to those who need advice or friendship, and attending church meetings and functions. It can be an exhausting life.
• Opportunities to relax. Ask God to give your pastor time away from the rigors of ministry to do things that he enjoys.
• Wisdom. We often think of this as a spiritual need, and it is. However, pastors have to make decisions for their own families for which they need guidance from God.

Spiritual Needs

• For Christ to live through him (Galatians 2:20)
• Faithfulness to spend time reading God’s Word every day (Psalm 119:11)
• An intimate knowledge of God (Philippians 3:10)
• Fear of God -- respect and awe for Him (Proverbs 1:7)
• Strength to stand firm for the principles of God’s Word (Ephesians 6:10-11, 13)
• To live according to the Holy Spirit’s direction (Galatians 5:25) and worthy of his calling (Ephesians 4:1) as a good soldier of Christ (2 Timothy 2:3-4)
• Accuracy as he presents the truths of Scripture (2 Timothy 2:15)
• Contentment in his present ministry (Philippians 4:11-13)