Praying for your pastor

Mark Ryan outlines five key prayer themes that will help you pray for your church leaders effectively.

There is no doubt as we enter 2025 that the cultural landscape presents many challenges.

Your pastor will be faced with many different and difficult decisions to keep your church moving towards its intended vision.

It will take more than good programmes and services to establish health and life in your church.

A key part of your church doing well this year will also rest on the health and well-being of your ministers.

As congregation members we can be unsure of the best way to pray for our church leaders.

We often pray in general terms and wish them well, but how can we pray with intensity and effectiveness to make a difference in their lives and their ministry? We need to create a prayer shield around them.

We are praying for the effect of their ministry and not just that they do good things.

The apostle Paul was not afraid to ask for specific prayers for his speaking ministry so that it would be sharp and effective. He said “Pray also for me, that the message may be given to me when I open my mouth to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel” (Ephesians 6:19).

When the early church thought they had lost Peter to prison, their response was to earnestly pray until his release came (Acts 12:5).

As members of the church, we are to be the prayer shield that our pastors need.

But how can we do this without just falling into general ‘bless them’ prayers? Here are five key prayer themes that will help you pray for your pastor effectively …

… story continues