One of the perks of being a pastor is having people pray for you. Sometimes you even get to hear them pray for you. What a humbling experience. In every place where I have served as pastor I have enjoyed the blessing of prayer support. And I greatly appreciate it. I need the prayers, really, I do. If any pastor will be honest he will have to admit that the responsibilities far outweigh the man, and prayer brings the power of God to the tasks at hand.
Whoever is your pastor – and I know that there are as many who read this who are not members of my church as who are, maybe even more so – I hope that you pray for your pastor on a regular basis.
How to Pray for Your Pastor
From time to time people ask me, “How can I pray for my pastor?” Let me use the letters in the word PASTOR to give you some ideas.
Passion
Pastors are in constant output mode. There is never a time when we are not “the pastor.” Unlike other jobs, pastor is not what I do, it is who I am. Constantly expending so much spiritual energy risks the danger of running dry. Therefore, pray that your pastor maintains his passion for God and for God’s people.
Accountability
Many voices scream at a pastor. Yet the voice that matters most is the still, small voice of God. A pastor has accountability before God that no other Christian has. No other believer has God give the responsibilities of leading, feeding, tending, training, and directing His people. Ours in an awesome responsibility and we need you to pray that God will always keep us mindful that HE is the One to whom we give account.
Study
And not just his sermon study, but his personal study. A pastor can never lead people closer to God than he is himself. Pray that your pastor hears fresh words from God every day that feed his soul and draw him closer to God. Your pastor’s personal walk with God can overcome any shortcomings he may have. Pray that your pastor grows in the “grace and admonition of the Lord.” (2 Peter 3:18)
Time
Pray that God will help your pastor give adequate time to his family. Ask God to refresh and rejuvenate your pastor through ample down time and quiet time. Pray that God will help your pastor manage well his time, appointments and responsibilities.
Occupation
Pray that your pastor will grow in all phases of his ministry – that his sermons will be better, that he will lead by following God’s voice, that he will comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable. Pray that your pastor will be the best that God wants him to be professionally.
Reputation
Finally, pray that your pastor remains a man of integrity. Ask God to help your pastor to stay holy and to maintain integrity in his secret thoughts, motives, and actions. Pray that the pastor will live a life above reproach, and that he will have the favor of people both inside and outside the church because of the reflection of Jesus in his life.
Hope this gives you something to go on. I think I can speak for most pastors that I know when I say, “Pray on! You can probably use the practice, and we can definitely use the prayers.”
Let me also encourage you to take on the 30 Days of Praying for Your Pastor Challenge from Revive Our Hearts Ministry. You can view or download the 30 day prayer guide at this link.