The Transforming Power of Pastoral Prayer

by Dave Butts

I often hear pastors speak of their desire to have a church that prays more.  I certainly understand and appreciate that desire. A praying church is a powerful church in so many ways. While there are many things that can be done to help a congregation grow in prayer, I believe the first and easiest step concerns the prayer life of the pastor(s).

A praying pastor can become an amazing influence toward the church becoming a house of prayer. Let me focus today on two of the many reasons why this is so critical. The first has to do with the power of prayer itself.

 When pastors, who are already in a place of spiritual authority and influence, begin to pray solid, biblical prayers for their congregations, they are lining up with the will of God. The will of God in such matters is not a mystery. God wants His church to be a house of prayer. When the pastor prays for the church to become a praying church, he is not trying to talk God into doing something He doesn’t already want to do. Because of what Scripture tells us, we must believe that prayer is powerful when we pray in accordance with the will of God.

 In a real sense, when a spiritual leader begins to pray for those for whom he has responsibility, he operates as a priest before the Lord. He stands in a place of effective prayer between the congregation and God. God has committed to hear his prayers. Pastors who persistently pray biblical prayers for their congregation to become a house of prayer will begin to see significant changes in the prayer lives of their people.

 Pastors who pray kingdom-focused pastoral prayers over their congregations from the platform/pulpit encourage and teach their people to pray! A pastor should spend significant time privately praying and growing in intimacy with the Father. But there must also be times when the congregation hears their pastor pray out loud in a public setting. People learn much about how to pray from hearing others pray, especially their pastors!

 I have spent a lot of time reading the epistles of Paul. Over and over again I heard Paul praying for the Church. I put myself in the place of those early Christians and I realized how they learned to pray. They listened to their spiritual leader. Paul poured out his heart, privately and publicly for his people. They didn’t so much need sermons or lessons on prayer. They could just listen to Paul pray for them and found they could pray as he prayed.

 One of my concerns for the Church today is the absence of the pastoral prayer and pastoral leadership in prayer. How will we know our pastors are praying for us if we do not hear them praying publicly?  How can we learn from their lives of prayer if we do not hear regular, powerful, biblical prayers coming from them week after week?

 My preacher for the first thirteen years of life was Neil Kuns. I know Neil preached good sermons but I confess that I don’t really remember them. What stands out in my mind was Neil’s pastoral prayers. Oh, I was a normal kid and I remember thinking about how long some of those prayers were and shuffling about as we stood for the prayer. But through the years, what has emerged from my memory is having a pastor who prayed for us. My life was and continues to be impacted by those prayers.

 Pastors, if you will examine your own life of prayer and commit to allowing God to transform you by spending much time in His presence, you will be a person your congregation wishes to emulate in prayer. If you will begin to pray over your people, model prayer publically, and equip your people to pray, they will learn to become a praying people…and you will see your church on a journey toward being transformed into a house of prayer for all nations.

July 16 - It Never Hurts to Ask

There are only two verses in the Bible about the man named Jabez, but they are recorded for a very important reason.

Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, and his mother named him Jabez saying, “Because I bore him with pain.” Now Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, “Oh that You would bless me indeed and enlarge my border, and that Your hand might be with me, and that You would keep me from harm that it may not pain me!” And God granted him what he requested. (1 Chronicles 4:9-10)

Recently I helped one of my kids and their family move. I was driving back from Austin, Texas, to Little Rock, Arkansas, pulling a 32' travel trailer. If you've done this, you know a Texas wind is not your friend.

I was hit, for about the tenth time, with a gust of wind south of Texarkana, Texas, that almost knocked me off the road. If a car had been in the lane next to me, we would have disastrously collided. I looked over to see a flagpole, and the flags were flying parallel to the ground. After multiple days of work, great tiredness, semi-trucks all around, and construction zones every few miles, I was gripping the wheel.

As I stopped for gas, I asked the Lord, "Father, I know you don't have to do this, but could you let the wind die down, or, if not, just keep my trailer from being so hard to handle, I would be so grateful. But, as always, glorify Your name!" Simple prayer from a son to His Dad.

I got back in the truck and passed another flagpole. The flag was lying limp on the pole. No wind. Smooth ride home.

I thanked Him. I wouldn't have blamed Him if he had not answered that prayer, for I know His judgment is better than mine. He might have had purposes for His wind that were bigger than my comfort. But I was so grateful. Apparently, the way He would be most glorified in that moment was to quell the wind.

Abba Father, You are the God of the wind and the waves! You are the One who cares about even the smallest of my needs. Thank You for showing me each day how much You love and care for me, and for being a God who answers prayer. Forgive me for failing to ask in times of need when I think my “ask” is too small, or not important enough for You to answer. I know that I miss some amazing answers to prayer when I don’t believe You for all of my needs. Thank You for being the God who hears and answers…but most of all, for being the God who loves me more than I could ever think or imagine!

---Adapted from Prayer with No Intermission by Bill Elliff. This book is available at prayershop.org.

Prayer Points

•              In your heart sing to the Lord, your strength and song; praise the one who has become your salvation.

•              Give thanks that with joy you can draw water from the wells of salvation (Isa. 12:2-3).

•              Confess that your worship is sometimes lacking because you don’t always remember the greatness of your salvation.

•              Commit yourself to worshiping and singing with your whole heart; ask God to make you awake and alive to the power of his Word and the joy of music.

•              Pray for families with young children and teenagers, that the children may feel a sense of participation in worship this week and of belonging to the body of Christ.

Prayer Points taken from Patterns for Prayer by Alvin VanderGriend. This book is available at prayershop.org. Use the code CONPSP3 at checkout to receive an additional 10% discount.

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