Recently, the Baptist Standard reported about the Pastor Sabbatical Program offered by Texas Baptists to encourage Texas congregational leaders to avoid burnout. The program is a wonderful response to a growing problem.
In recent years, increasing numbers of pastors are leaving the ministry, citing isolation, stress and political division.
I recently preached a sermon from Paul’s letter to the Colossians, an adaptation of which follows. Paul named several encouragements I want to live out in my life to avoid ministry-threatening stress. I asked my church to pray I do live these out. I think any pastor would want his congregation to pray the same.
“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (Colossians 3:16).
Ways to pray for your pastor
1. Pray your pastor will trust the Lord more and more each day.
Paul wrote, “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts.” The Greek word he used literally means “to act as an umpire.”
Peace is an attitude, but rule is a decision. A Christian leader must determine he not only is going to believe in the peace of God, but he will determine to live in the peace of God. Trust is knowing the peace of God and relying on it, living in it.
Pray your pastor will let the peace of God be the umpire of his life and ministry, that your pastor will trust God completely.
2. Pray your pastor always will let Scripture work in his life personally.
Paul wrote, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.” That word “dwell” means to dwell at home in someone’s personal residence. What Paul is calling for here is the word of God to challenge us personally and to call for specific acts of obedience and response.
It is one thing for a pastor to read, study and preach the word of God for the sake of his congregation. It is something entirely different to open his own heart to God’s word and be ready to follow God’s word completely.
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Pray your pastor will allow God’s word to dwell richly in him, challenging and calling him to obedience.
3. Pray your pastor always will be balanced in how he shares the word of God with you each Sunday.
Paul challenges us to “teach and admonish each other with all wisdom.” To teach literally means “to impart knowledge.” To admonish literally means “to exert positive pressure.”
Your pastor wants you to learn about the Bible together and to share God’s word together. Your pastor also wants you to learn from the Bible and to grow spiritually.
Pray your pastor always will be able to balance teaching with challenging when it comes to God’s word.
4. Pray your pastor remembers to worship passionately.
The ministries of proclamation and worship are entirely connected in the life of the church.
Paul wrote, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly … as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs.” Preaching and worship stand side by side in this passage, both equally important.
When you pray for your pastor, pray for him to worship. He needs it.
5. Pray your pastor always will be selfless in ministry.
Paul wrote, “Whatever you do, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus.” Everything a pastor does is with Christ, through Christ and for Christ.
The greatest enemy of a pastor is self. Focus on self leads to selfishness—the enemy of generosity and charity. Focus on self leads to self-centeredness—the enemy of kindness and love for others. Focus on self leads to self-sufficiency—the enemy of humility and dependence on God.
I have seen more than one church leader fall in disgrace, because the ministry became about him. I have known so many ministers over the years who have burned out in church service, because their ministry became self-centered, selfish and self-sufficient.
Ministry done by self and for self is doomed. Ministry done in the name of the Lord Jesus is empowered and blessed by the Lord for his kingdom.
Pray your pastor will be selfless in ministry. Pray your pastor always will remain dependent on God for ministry, driven by love and kindness for others, and will have a spirit of generosity and charity in his life. In short, when you pray for your pastor, pray for selflessness to be the foundation of his ministry.
6. Pray your pastor will be overwhelmed with a spirit of gratitude.
Paul challenges us twice to have this attitude: “as you sing with gratitude in your hearts to God” and “do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
For a pastor—and all Christians, for that matter—a heart of gratitude and thanksgiving is a key that opens a door to deeper faith and a healthy walk with the Lord.
Billy Graham wrote: “A spirit of thankfulness is one of the most distinctive marks of a Christian whose heart is attuned to the Lord. Thank God in the midst of trials and every persecution.”
The word of God commands believers to live in thankfulness, as Paul wrote: “Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. In all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus” (2 Thessalonians 5:16).
Pray your pastor will grow in gratitude day by day.
Blessing your pastor through prayer
Saying, “I’m praying for you” to a pastor energizes them, encourages them and blesses them.
We win or lose by only one thing—prayer. That’s what makes the family of God work. I pray for you. You pray for me. We pray for each other. Let’s commit to pray together. Let’s see what God will do.
Damon Pearce is the pastor of First Baptist Church in Abernathy. This article is adapted from his Aug. 6, 2023, sermon. The views expressed are those of the author.
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