Pray for Your Pastors

Last week, I spent the week studying at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary with leaders from other North American churches. It was a wonderful time of reflection as we celebrated how God is mobilizing churches in North America; however, we also spent time in prayer as we realized how God’s work is not yet complete. My prayer is that God would use our church to further His kingdom in Coats, North Carolina, North America, and the world.

This month is Pastor Appreciation Month. As our church lifts prayers of thanksgiving for Pastors, who are leading us as we pursue God’s mission for Coats Baptist Church, what better way to individually show our support and appreciation for our pastors than by praying for them? When Jesus sends out His laborers in Luke 10, he instructs them to “pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” Here are five ways you can pray for the pastors who are laboring over the harvest here at Coats:

1. Pray that they would be empowered by the Spirit: Praise God that when Jesus left, He did not leave us on our own! Pray for the spiritual health of our pastors. Pray that our pastors would be filled daily with the Spirit as they lead others.
2. Pray for wisdom: In Ephesians 3:7-13, we see that the local church is the means by which the “manifold wisdom of God will be made known”. Pray that as our Pastors are empowered by the Spirit they would be “filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understand.” (Colossians 1:9)
3. Pray for a kingdom-focus: The local church is the agent by which God’s kingdom is declared. Pray that our pastors would be consumed with kingdom work, and that God would limit the outside distractions that so often keep one from doing God’s work.
4. Pray for endurance: Ministry is tough. Pastors experience the brokenness of this world first-hand, as they make hospital visits, counsel broken families, and serve broken people. Pray that God would remind them of the eternal hope we have so that they may endure well.
5. Pray for their families: Pray that our Pastors would be able to serve and love their families well as they serve and love our church. Pray that their families would be able to love and serve their husband/father.

There are many more ways that you can pray for our pastors this week as well. I would encourage you to take some time each day this week to pray for Pastor Neal, Pastor Jonathan, and Pastor Jimmy.