3 Ways to Pray for Your Pastor

One of the more encouraging things that a pastor can hear from a member of their congregation are the words "Pastor, I'm praying for you." When a pastor hears from someone that they have taken the time to lift them up in prayer it is a great boost of morale for the pastor. Many times pastors can feel lonely and isolated. Depending on the direction the church is headed they may feel like their congregation isn't listening to their sermons, much less following their leadership. At times they will feel like they are going it alone. This is why letting your pastor know that you are praying for them can be such a morale booster. So what do we pray for our pastors when we pray. What do we ask God to do besides "Bless him Lord." Here are 3 things that you can pray for your pastor that will mean the world to him.

1.  Pray for his family.
A pastor's family are the real unsung heroes of the church. They are the soldiers on the front lines that give everything they have to make sure the church is cared for and ministered to. They miss out on evenings at home when someone is rushed to the ER. They are the ones who live in a glass house as long as their husband and father is leading the church. They have less freedom and more eyes watching them than any other family in the church. Pray that God will strengthen your pastor's wife for the job she has of caring for the home while he is gone doing ministry. Pray God will bless your pastor's marriage in a way that makes it a shining example for all in the church to follow. Pray for your pastor's wife to be spiritually strong because her position in the church is as lonely at times as your pastor's because she has no pastor. Pray for your pastor's kids and ask God to raise them up to be godly men and women. Pray that your church will remember that they are kids and that the church will treat them like every other kid in the church.

2. Pray for his ministry.
Ask God to reach into every aspect of his ministry and work through each part. Pastors are expected to be jacks of all trades and masters of them too. Pastors spend their weeks studying, praying, counseling, visiting, teaching, leading meetings, leading staff, and putting out all sorts of fires. And that's just what they do for the church. Ask God to breath new life into each area of your pastor's ministry. Pray specifically that God will use each area to bless the church and the community. Go so far as to ask your pastor if there is a specific area of their ministry that needs focused prayer and then make it a matter of prayer in your personal prayer time.

3. Pray for his health.
Pastors are usually on call 24/7/365. Most pastors would agree that they feel like they are not just on call but ministering 24/7/365. The long, stressful hours of ministry can take a toll on your pastor's health. Because of the frantic schedule a pastor keeps up, many times they don't eat as healthy as they should. That coupled with little exercise and the stress can lead to multiple health issues. Pray that God would bless your pastor's physical, mental and spiritual health. Pray that he would rely on God rather than carrying the burden of stress. Pray he would daily be spiritually refreshed. Pray that he would avoid the physical illnesses that could easily sideline him. Pray that he would find time to exercise and relieve stress while staying healthy.

There are many things we could add to this list of ways you could pray for your pastor. These are just a few to get you started. Let us hear below in the comments section other ways we should pray for our pastors. Remember to pray for your pastor and then encourage him by letting him know you've been praying for him.

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