The Burleys

October is Clergy Appreciation Month. While gifts and cards are great and always appreciated, there is nothing more important you can do for your ministers than to pray for them! So, here are 5 practical and important ways to pray for your ministers!

1) Pray for his personal relationship with God.

First and foremost, pray for faithfulness to his time with God. Time spent in prayer and study of God's word is essential to an effective ministry, so pray that your minister's time with God would be guarded and made a priority. Pray also for his spiritual growth and maturity, for wisdom, and for him to be sensitive to God's leading.

2) Pray for his personal time.

Pray that his personal time is guarded - that he actually makes time for personal time! Some weeks are so demanding, it is hard for ministers to find personal time. Most ministers have a specific day off each week, and the most effective ministers guard this time and use it! Pray for opportunities for rest and relaxation. Pray for effective and meaningful family time - building deeper relationships with his wife and children. Pray for Godly friendships that are encouraging and uplifting.

3) Protection from Satan's attacks.

It is a sad and disappointing thing for any Christian to fall prey to Satan's attacks, but it is especially detrimental when a minister falls. As I recently read, ministers have too much at stake ... they live their lives with so many people watching, and it is not only detrimental to their own testimony and their own families but also potentially detrimental to the faith and testimony of others. I also recently read and agree with a website that said one of the most important things you can pray for is "strong character and uncompromising integrity." There are so many things - email, internet, media, etc. - that make it so easy for any of us to waiver, and minsters are no exception. Pastor TD Jakes says, "New levels bring new devils" and as God increases a pastor's ministry and influence, there seem to be more and more "devils" that take aim at him and his ministry.

4) His area of ministry

Whether it's the senior pastor, the associate pastor, the music minister, student minister, children's minister, etc., pray most importantly that he would follow God's leading and accomplish everything God wants him to do in his particular area of ministry. Pray for that ministry's effectiveness and that it would reach others. Pray for the ministry's success, the minster's boldness and courageousness (because it's sometimes scary to change things or deviate from the norm!), and for participation or volunteer workers for the ministry.

5) Pray that your minister would be encouraged!

I have seen Jason's entire demeanor, his day, even his week get turned around by a word or note of encouragement from someone unexpected. So pray that others would take the time to lift your minsters up in encouraging ways ... pray for others to do so and then do it yourself! Pray that he would be encouraged by the things he sees around him - others benefiting from his ministry, participation in his ministry, etc. This also includes squelching gossip or nonconstructive criticism. A minister can't be encouraged if he's being brought down by negative/cruel/untruthful things people sometimes choose to say. We all thrive on encouragement, but it especially means the world to your ministers!