Worshipping Well
#3 Praying for Your Pastors
Peace be with you!
Last time we were reminded to be prayerful in preparing ourselves to worship well each week leading up to our corporate worship events. We can also help our pastors by praying for them and their preparations to preach each week!
Gardiner Spring, writing over 200 years ago about this matter, said:
“If a people are looking for rich sermons from their minister, their prayers must supply him with the needed material; if they seek for faithful sermons, their prayers must urge him… If God’s people are going to expect powerful and successful sermons, their prayers must make him a blessing to the souls of men. Would they have him come to them in the fullness of the blessing of the Gospel of peace…? If so, their prayers must urge him to pray… It is in their own closets that the people of God most effectively challenge their beloved ministers to take heed to the ministry they have received from the Lord Jesus… When the churches cease to pray for ministers, ministers will no longer be a blessing to the churches.” From A Plea to Pray for Pastors (reprint, Hoschton, GA.: Shiloh Publications, 2000), 3-4, 7-8.
Praying with vigor and specificity for your pastors and church leaders is not a new concept. In fact there are several instances where biblical authors request prayer from their congregations. To the Thessalonians, Paul writes, “Brothers, pray for us.” 1 Thessalonians 5:25. And the author of Hebrews asks, “Pray for us, for we are sure that we have a clear conscience, desiring to act honorably in all things. I urge you the more earnestly to do this in order that I may be restored to you the sooner.” Hebrews 13:18-19. In the letter to the Colossians, Paul writes, “At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ…” Colossians 4:3a. Also in 2 Thessalonians 3:1a, Paul again writes, “Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored…”
“A ministry may be a very thoughtful ministry without prayer; the preacher may secure fame and popularity without prayer; the whole machinery of the preacher’s life and work [and that of the church] may be run without the oil of prayer or without scarcely enough to grease one cog; but no ministry can be a spiritual one, securing holiness in the preacher and in his people, without prayer being made an evident and controlling force.” By E.M. Bounds in Power Through Prayer (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1972) 38-39.
This Week’s Suggestions for Preparing to Worship Well
1. Pray that your pastor will be given grace and illumination by the Holy Spirit to rightly divide His Word leading to proper understanding and right interpretation of the passage.
2. Pray that the pastor may have insight into the needs of the congregation so that the application of the sermon will perfectly address the needs of those who will hear the sermon.
3. Pray that your pastor will have adequate time to prepare the sermon and be free from distractions in his preparation and preaching.
Worship well, Christian!
Pastor Brandon
#3 Praying for Your Pastors
Peace be with you!
Last time we were reminded to be prayerful in preparing ourselves to worship well each week leading up to our corporate worship events. We can also help our pastors by praying for them and their preparations to preach each week!
Gardiner Spring, writing over 200 years ago about this matter, said:
“If a people are looking for rich sermons from their minister, their prayers must supply him with the needed material; if they seek for faithful sermons, their prayers must urge him… If God’s people are going to expect powerful and successful sermons, their prayers must make him a blessing to the souls of men. Would they have him come to them in the fullness of the blessing of the Gospel of peace…? If so, their prayers must urge him to pray… It is in their own closets that the people of God most effectively challenge their beloved ministers to take heed to the ministry they have received from the Lord Jesus… When the churches cease to pray for ministers, ministers will no longer be a blessing to the churches.” From A Plea to Pray for Pastors (reprint, Hoschton, GA.: Shiloh Publications, 2000), 3-4, 7-8.
Praying with vigor and specificity for your pastors and church leaders is not a new concept. In fact there are several instances where biblical authors request prayer from their congregations. To the Thessalonians, Paul writes, “Brothers, pray for us.” 1 Thessalonians 5:25. And the author of Hebrews asks, “Pray for us, for we are sure that we have a clear conscience, desiring to act honorably in all things. I urge you the more earnestly to do this in order that I may be restored to you the sooner.” Hebrews 13:18-19. In the letter to the Colossians, Paul writes, “At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ…” Colossians 4:3a. Also in 2 Thessalonians 3:1a, Paul again writes, “Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored…”
“A ministry may be a very thoughtful ministry without prayer; the preacher may secure fame and popularity without prayer; the whole machinery of the preacher’s life and work [and that of the church] may be run without the oil of prayer or without scarcely enough to grease one cog; but no ministry can be a spiritual one, securing holiness in the preacher and in his people, without prayer being made an evident and controlling force.” By E.M. Bounds in Power Through Prayer (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1972) 38-39.
This Week’s Suggestions for Preparing to Worship Well
1. Pray that your pastor will be given grace and illumination by the Holy Spirit to rightly divide His Word leading to proper understanding and right interpretation of the passage.
2. Pray that the pastor may have insight into the needs of the congregation so that the application of the sermon will perfectly address the needs of those who will hear the sermon.
3. Pray that your pastor will have adequate time to prepare the sermon and be free from distractions in his preparation and preaching.
Worship well, Christian!
Pastor Brandon
Posted in Worship & Liturgy
Recent
Archive
2025