Every Sunday morning at 8:00am, a small group gathers in room 102 to offer prayers to God over our Pastors, the ministry of our church, and our worship service for that day.  Anyone is welcome to join us - just show up at 8am!   Even if you prefer to offer prayer silently, your presence and prayers will be most welcome and appreciated!

Why pray for our Pastor?   1 Timothy 2:1-2  "I urge then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone - for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness".

If you're unable to make it 8:00am on Sunday in person, you can still join us in prayer from home.  Here are some suggestions to help you in praying for our Pastors (taken from "Partners in Prayer", author: John Maxwell, Thomas Nelson Publishers:

Personal Needs:

• Humility - Ask God to give your leader true humility, which includes having a servant's heart, being teachable, admitting wrongdoing, being willing to receive positive criticism, and reliance on God.
   
• Wisdom to Know God's Agenda - Effective leaders function according to God's agenda, not their own.  Pray that your leader remains sensitive to God's leading, and that he/she will live and work according to God's priorities.
   
• Positive Relationships - Ask God to help your leader be patient with himself/herself and others, to interact positively with difficult people in the congregation, and to treat everyone with respect.
   
• The Fruit of the Spirit - Every Christian should seek to live a Spirit-filled life.  Pray that your leader would have love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
   
• Health - Ask God to give your leader good health and safety when he or she travels.

Family Needs:

• The Priority of the Family - The demands of ministry can severely damage a Christian leader's family life.  Pray that your church leader would make family their top priority, second only to his/her relationship with God.  Pray that he/she would spend enough time with them, and minister to their needs first.  If your leader has children, pray that they would love God with all their hearts.
   
• Provision for the Family - Ask God to meet the needs of your leader and to show the lay leadership in the church how they can better provide for them.

Spiritual Needs:

• Time Alone With God - Ask God to make prayer, Scripture reading, and worship daily priorities in your leader's life.
   
• Anointing - Without the power of the Holy Spirit, a leader can do nothing of value.
   
• Integrity - Your leader struggles with temptation just like any other person.  In fact, the enemy will try to tempt him/her more than others.  Satan knows that when he/she hurts the leader, the followers suffer.
   
• Protection From Spiritual Warfare - Pray that your leader would put on the full armor of God, as outlined in Ephesians 6:10-18, and that he/she will be given protection from the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life (1 John 2:16)
   
• Accountability - Ask God to bring into your leader's life other Christian leaders who can keep him/her accountable.

Congregational Needs:

• Evangelism - Pray that your leader will have a heart for the lost and that he/she will make evangelism a priority
   
• Personal Growth - A pastor who continues to grow in his/her spiritual life and his/her ability to lead is being equipped to help his/her people grow and develop.
   
• Mobilization of the Laity - Ask God to make your leader an effective motivator and equipper of the people to do the work of the ministry.
   
• Intercession - Pray that your leader would make the intercession for the people a daily priority.

Other Resources:

Eight Ways to Encourage Your Pastor by Victor Parchin and Christianity Today