18Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; 19And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel. -Ephesians 6:18, 19 (KJV)
As I reflect on how I have been pastor of the same church for the last 15 and a half years I realize just what a blessing this truly is. To be the pastor of a church where you are loved and appreciated is a wonderful experience. I have to consider the fact that this is not always the case and sometimes a pastor and the congregation do not get along well with each other. This can produce some painful and unfortunate circumstances. It makes me think of the bulletin announcement I heard about which read, “Today Pastor Jack will preach his farewell sermon after which the choir will sing, ‘Burst Forth into Joy.’” No doubt this sums up many situations fairly well.
Paul the Apostle knew he was loved and appreciated by the Ephesian believers. He asked them as they prayed to remember to pray for him that God would give him words to speak, boldness in preaching, and understanding of the deeper truths of the gospel. This is an appropriate prayer for today’s pastor. Wherever you go to church please take time to pray daily for your pastor. The items you can pray for are numerous, yet Paul’s request is a great place to start.
You might also pray for your pastor to have increased faith and wisdom to guide him through the trials he will face. Pray for the pastor’s family that he will be able to give them the time and attention they always need. Pray his children will not be resentful of the church and the demands placed on their father. Pray that church members unhappy with the pastor’s job performance will have softened hearts to understand that while called into the ministry he still struggles with the same issues as anyone else.
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