How to Relate to Your Pastor – Discussion Forum – Week 2: May 21-27, 2017

[Janet Brown]

Layperson’s II Bible School

Discussion Forum – Week 2 – May 21-27, 2017

Welcome to Week 2 of How to Relate to your Pastor.  For this week’s forum read the excerpt from Sparkling Gems with Rick Renner entitled “How to Pray for your Pastor,” and respond to the questions below.  Enjoy your reading.  To receive full credit you must post your comments to the questions by Thursday and respond to two of your classmates by Saturday.  Enjoy!!!

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How To Pray for Your Pastor Or Your Spiritual Leader

Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ’s sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me; That I may be delivered from them that do not believe in Judaea; and that my service which I have for Jerusalem may be accepted of the saints; That I may come unto you with joy by the will of God, and may with you be refreshed.  -Romans 15:30-32

Because the apostle Paul’s ministry demanded so much of him and because there was so much resistance to stop him, he knew he needed as much prayer support as he could get! That is why he wrote to the Romans and asked, “Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ’s sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me; that I may be delivered from them that do not believe in Judaea; and that my service which I have for Jerusalem may be accepted of the saints; that I may come unto you with joy by the will of God, and may with you be refreshed.”

By studying this specific prayer request of the apostle Paul, we can gain insights about how we need to be praying for our own pastors or for those who are in spiritual authority over our lives. So let’s take a few minutes to seriously look at these verses today to see what we can learn about praying for our spiritual leaders.

First, Paul makes the following request: “that ye strive together with me in your prayers.” The words “strive together” are taken from the Greek word sunagonidzomai, which is a compound of the words sun and agonidzo. The word sun means together and carries the meaning of doing something with someone else. The word agonidzo means to agonize. It indicates an intense agony; a violent struggle; anguish; contending with an enemy; or fighting in a contest.

This tells me that Paul was in a great spiritual battle at the time he wrote this prayer request. In fact, the fight was so intense that he felt the need for others to join with him in prayer. He didn’t want to face this spiritual fight alone, so he opened his heart and asked others to join with him in fighting this battle.

As you pray for your pastor or spiritual leader, remember that he or she needs your support in prayer. Just as Jesus requested Peter, James, and John to pray with Him in the Garden of Gethsemane, your pastor needs your prayer support. Yes, he can pray alone, but it will be such a help for him to know that others are standing in faith and in the Spirit with him. The apostle Paul needed this, and your pastor needs it as well.

Second, Paul specifically asked them to pray: “That I may be delivered from them that do not believe” (v. 31). The word “delivered” is the Greek word ruomai, which means to be rescued, to deliver, to snatch out of, or to drag out of danger.

It may sound strange that Paul would request others to pray that he would be delivered from those who didn’t believe. But Paul had gone through many experiences with “unbelievers” who resisted him, as well as with so-called “brethren” who gave him constant troubles. It is simply a fact that the devil works primarily through people. When he wants to stop the advancement of the Gospel, he often tries to resist a local church or pastor by stirring up someone in the community to be against the pastor. Sometimes the enemy even uses people inside the local church to create problems that bring division and disaster. So when you pray for your pastor, remember to pray that he will be snatched out of the traps and snares set for him by people who have wrong motives.

Third, Paul requested prayer: “that my service which I have for Jerusalem may be accepted of the saints” (v. 31). The word “service” is the Greek word diakonia, which is the Greek word for the ministry. The word “accepted” is the Greek word euprosdektos, which means to be pleasing, acceptable, or well-received.

This is an expected prayer request from a preacher! Paul has sought God through prayer and listened to hear what the Lord is saying to his spirit because he wants to do well in his ministry. Paul desires every word to be spoken correctly, accurately, and in a way that pleases God. Furthermore, he wants people to believe in the sincerity of his motives and not to question whether he has ulterior motives for speaking to them about the Lord. Thus, he prays that his ministry to the saints in Jerusalem will be well received.

As you pray for your pastor, be sure to include this item on your prayer list! Pray that his ministry will be blessed and accepted and that people will receive him and hear his heart the way he means to convey it. He needs your prayer power working behind him as he takes specific words from God into various situations.

Fourth, Paul requested that the believers in Rome pray “that I may come unto you with joy” (v. 32). The word “joy” is the Greek word chara, meaning joy, gladness, or rejoicing. This simply means Paul wanted to have joy in his ministry! He had faced many hardships that gave him opportunities to lose his joy – such as broken friendships, dashed expectations, political turmoil, church divisions, and so on. Paul’s request was very simple: “Please pray that I will have and will keep my joy in the middle of everything I have to deal with in my ministry!”

Just think of the things that happen in your own life that tempt you to lose your joy. What about your pastor? Think of all the people he counsels, the marriages he tries to help, the sermons he has to prepare, and the organization he has to oversee. Then on top of all that, think of the disappointment your pastor is tempted to feel when people he has helped in the past decide to leave the church. I guarantee you that there are many opportunities for your pastor to lose his joy.

So take Paul’s prayer request to heart and apply it to your pastor. Pray that your pastor will have and will hold on to his joy in spite of everything he has to deal with in his ministry!

Fifth, Paul prayed: “That I may come unto you with joy by the will of God.” The word “will” is the Greek word thelema, meaning the design, purpose, plan, or will. Paul wanted to be right in the middle of God’s will for his life!

Just as we pray to make no mistakes and to be right where God wants us to be, Paul prayed the very same prayer! He wanted the saints to pray that he would make no mistakes and that he might always stay in the perfect plan of God.

So when you pray for your pastor, pray that he will have the wisdom to know what he is supposed to do in the various situations he faces in his ministry. Questions come at him all day long, and he needs your prayer support to make right decisions. And just as Paul requested prayer that he would be in the will of God, help your pastor by strongly praying that he will stay sensitive to the Spirit so he can avoid making costly mistakes and follow God’s will for himself and for the church.

Sixth, Paul requested prayer that be might be “refreshed” (v. 32). The word “refreshed” is the Greek word sunanapauomai, a compound of the words sun and anapauomai. The word sun means together with, as to do or to experience something with someone else. The word anapauomai means to calm, to soothe, to refresh, or to be refreshed. When these two words are positioned together, they become the word sunanapauomai, which means to be refreshed with someone else.

Everyone needs to be refreshed from time to time – including pastors and preachers! People tend to think that pastors and preachers don’t need the same refreshing that others need, but everyone needs to be refreshed and touched by God from time to time! Paul makes his need for refreshment known by telling his Roman readers, “I need to be refreshed just like the rest of you, so please pray that I will be refreshed!”

As you pray for your pastor, or for the ministries and missionaries you support, use this prayer request of the apostle Paul to guide you in your prayers. This prayer was included in the New Testament by the Holy Spirit to let us know that everyone – including ministers of the Gospel – need people to stand behind them in prayer. So why not use this prayer as a tool to help you pray more effectively for the spiritual leaders to whom God has connected you?

Lord, I am making the decision to stand with my pastor in prayer! I want to join him as a sincere prayer partner and support him spiritually by praying for him. I ask You to deliver him from people who have wrong motives. I also pray that his ministry will be well received; that he will have joy in his ministry; that he will make right decisions and stay in the will of God; and that he will always feel strong and refreshed in his spirit, soul, and body. Please richly bless my pastor, his wife, and his family.
I pray this in Jesus’ name

I confess that I am a strong support to my pastor and his family. I regularly pray for him and for the other ministries and missionaries God has called me to support. They need my prayer power – and I stand with them in the Spirit for God’s blessings to come upon their lives!
I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

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Questions

1. Do you spend time praying for your pastor and the needs he may be facing in his own life? If you were a pastor, don’t you think that you would want your congregation to be praying for you?
2. Based on Paul’s prayer request in Romans 15:30-32, what is the most important thing you can be praying for your pastor right now?

As you pray, if you sense the Holy Spirit prompting you to pray something special for your pastor and his family pay close attention to that prompting, for it may be a special leading of the Holy Spirit to show you how to support him and his family in prayer, especially at this present time.

[Marita Smith]

Yes I do spend time praying for my pastor and the needs he may be facing in his own life. It is my duly responsibility as a member of his congregation to pray and hold up the hand of my pastor. It is scriptural for me to pray for my pastor, leaders, and those who are in authority according to 1Timothy 2:1-2

I have always been taught that pastors, ministers and alike are anointed to preach it, but not anointed to live it. They have to trust, and believe God and walk in faith like everybody else. If I was a pastor; yes, I would want my congregation to pray for me. why? because:

Praying for your pastor allows the word of God to have free course in his life to change circumstances and situations, it also allows him to be sensitive to the prompting and leading of the Holy Spirit. Prayer allows the Holy Spirit to speak to your pastor and allows the word of God to go forth with power to produce signs, wonders and miracles.

Based on Paul’s prayer request in Romans 15:30-32, the most important thing I can be praying for my pastor right now: is for his family, his health, the ministry, and for supernatural strength for him to run the race with patience that is set before him. I will pray that he will not get weary in his well doing, but he will carry out the plan and purpose that God has for his life. My prayer would also be that no weapons formed against him shall prosper, and any tongue rising up against him, he shall condemn them and show them to be in the wrong. I would also pray for the blessings of the Lord to come upon him and overtake him, and that all grace abound towards him that he has all sufficiency in all things, and an abundance for every good work.

[Donna Riley]

Marita, I admire your faithfulness at Word of Faith. I know you are someone pastor can depend on especially in the teenage ministry. I know you always are looking out for the pastor and his family so I have no doubt you spend a lot of time in prayer for them. Keep up the good work.

[Stacy Gregoire]

Marita, your second paragraph where you discuss the anointing to preach vs. the anointing to live the life is so important.  It is not really something that I really thought about but Pastor Walker is faced with the same challenges that we have and so much more.  Reading your post was eye opening and am increasing my prayers for Pastor Walker.

[Rhonda]

Marita, like you I to can recall Pastor Walker telling the congregation on several occasion that he is anointed to preach it, but not anointed to live it. We all face challenges and temptations in our lives, but it is different when you are a Shepherd leading a flock. The enemy does not like that we have a trusted mighty man of valor, teaching us the unadulterated Word of God. Thus, we ought to be mindful of this and keep our pastor and his family lifted up in prayer and covered in the blood of Jesus daily.

2 Corinthians 10:4 (KJV) “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;”

[Lilly Chalwell]

Marita, this class really helped me to understand what to look for in my pastor. It was an encouragement to me. Ms. Brown really helped to shine the light in areas that we needed. I can appreciate my pastor more.

[Denise Torres-Hodge]

I agree with sister Marita we must pray for his family, his health, the ministry, and for supernatural strength for him to run this race. And because of all this politically correctness forcing churches to go again the Bible concerning homosexuality and other political issue. we really need to pray. He don’t get weary in his well doing and that no weapons formed against him shall prosper. This is a good prayer sis

[Donna Riley]

I do pray for Pastor Walker, unfortunately not as often as I should. Because he is a man of God with a vision, I believe he is constantly under attack from enemies outside the ministry as well as inside the ministry. I find that I pray for him more when I am made aware that he is experiencing problems. However, I know this should not be the case. I was made aware in these classes that we the believers should be at rest in Christ, but we are not. Therefore, most of the time we are caught up in our own trials and tribulations and not aware of the struggles of the other members of the body. This should not be so. I have prayed and asked to be made more aware of the needs of my fellow believers and the ability to help them in any area that I can. I will increase the time I spend in prayer for Pastor Walker and his family. I believe now more than ever we as a body need to be more sensitive to each other’s needs, especially the leader. He was placed there by Father God to lead us. We were instructed by God to always pray for our leaders and this does include the pastor. Sometimes the way is dark and we need strict guidance, this will come through our pastor. Pastor Walker in 2004 heard from God and told us to get our finances together and in 2008 when the crash came, because I listened, I sailed through that time with ease. Definitely, if I was a pastor, I would want my congregation to pray for me. Because Satan constantly wants to scatter the sheep, the position of a pastor as the Shepard is always under attack. Therefore, as a pastor, I would need to be constantly lifted up in prayer.

The most important thing I can be praying for my pastor right now is for the support of the congregation in prayer for the vision of the church. We need to pray for God to give pastor the wisdom and understanding to carry out his assignment and for all the members to come into agreement with him and to step into their rightful position to bring about its manifestation.

[Monica Harrigan]

Donna, I can do relate to your statement of not praying as often as we should for our Pastor.  For me I think it’s because I see him having it all together. However, this class opened my eyes to all the areas that our Pastor need the prayers of his congregation. I commit to increasing my prayers for Pastor Walker and his family.

[Stacy Gregoire]

Yes, I do spend time praying for Pastor Walker and his family but it is general and not specific: that God would continue to strengthen and bless him etc.  I know that this is his calling and that he relies on the Holy Spirit to help him but I also know that Pastor Walker has a lot on his plate.  Through this class, I’m learning that there is so much more that I haven’t even thought of that Pastor Walker is dealing with.  Pastor Walker is so disciplined and handles so much, seemingly effortlessly, that we don’t think about the personal struggles he may be facing. He is not just our Pastor but also a husband, father, son and brother etc.

In addition, as a pastor he faces challenges within and without the church.  There are those who want to cause strife and division.  There is so much that Pastor Walker is responsible for.  As a pastor, I would want my congregation praying for me so that I could continue to hear from God, be strengthened and continue the work that God has called me to do with joy.  We will all be better for it.

The most important thing that I can pray for right now for Pastor Walker is for helpers to carry out the vision that God has given  him for the church.

[Celise Mahoney]

Stacy, yes I too have seen the discipline,  strength and the seemingly effortlessly  way in which pastor deals with situations within the church and also his personal life,  that we sometimes forget, that he also has struggles and temptation just like every believer.  That is one of the things that makes him an excellent Pastor, not perfect and why it is so important  for us to pray daily for him according to 1st Timothy 2:1-2. I exhort  therefore,  that first supplication,  prayers,  intercession, and giving  of thanks be made for all men; for kings, and all that are in authority; that we may lead a quite and peaceable like in all godliness and honesty

[Monica Harrigan]

Stacy, I agree with you when you acknowledge that there is so many areas in which our Pastor needs our prayers. This class has opened my eyes and made me more sensitive to those needs for Pastor Walker and his family. I have a renewed commitment to increase my prayers for Pastor and his family.

[Denise Torres-Hodge]

Yes sister Stacy Is very important to acknowledge that pastor faces challenges within and without the church, and people who cause strife and division make it that more difficult and There is so much that Pastor Walker is responsible for. I too would want my congregation praying for me so that I could continue to hear from God, be strengthened and enjoy the work God called me to do.

[Celise Mahoney]

Yes, I do spend time praying for Pastor.  Praying against anything that he may encounter in his personal  life, as well as any circumstances in his ministry.  I have learned through Layperson,  gotten a better understanding of prayer, it’s effects and results when we pray according to 1st Timothy 2:1-2.  During Layperson  I have learned so much about the word of God, and about one of the five-fold ministry gift which includes a Pastor.  The pastor is responsible for nourishment,  protection, maturity of the saints, and much more. I never once saw Pastor show any sings of having trials or trouble,  family issues or difficult with the ministry,  but continues  to trust God’s will in all areas of his life. This makes it difficult to know when he encounter these situations,  and I admire and respect him because he never complains or murmurs.

Praying for Pastors and ourSpritual leadership,  that pray, nourishes, watches over, provide guidance,  and protection,  that we are refreshed, strengthen and renewed in our spirt,  soul and body,  we should count that opportunity as a blessing.  Pastors and Spiritual leaders, also needs the same refreshing,  renewal in there spirt,  soul and body. Therefore we ought to pray for them and esteem them Very higjy in love. Continue to pray for them, support, stand with them in unity for God’s will and purpose be done in his life and that of his ministry. That his joy will remain, that he be delivered from people with wrong motives, and that his ministry be accepted.

I have been granted an opportunity through early morning prayer to see, observe  Pastor’s faithfulness,  dedication, and devotion to his prayer life, his ministry, and his love for the congregation. Coming to early morning prayer has changed my prayer life and also in the way I pray. I want give God thanksgiving   and praise, for being able to learn how to interceed together in corportorate prayer with Pastor,  our Spiritual prayer leaders and my brothers and sisters.

The most important thing that I can pray for right now is that Pastor, Minister Walker, the Spiritual leaders and members of the body of Christ help to fulfill  the vision, purpose that he has for this ministry and may we all fulfill the will and purpose God has for our lives.

[Rhonda]

Celise, like you I to have witnessed Pastor Walker’s faithfulness, dedication, and devotion to his prayer life. His emphasis has always been on prayer and interceding on behalf of others. Personally for me, I know that a lot of times my spirit is willing but my flesh is sometimes weak. It takes true dedication and faithfulness to wake up early everyday to pray, not only for yourself but for others. These classes have inspired me to spend more time with God in my prayer life.

[Donna Riley]

I have learned how much power my words have in these classes. Prayer is essential for pastor and the ministry. I choose to speak life into Word of Faith and the vision of this church. I thank God for these classes and the knowledge that was imparted to all of us. As the head of this body pastor needs all the support we can give. Let us find our place and quickly fill it and with the help of the Holy Spirit I pray that Word of Faith, St. Thomas will be the most powerful church under Bishop Butler. We already have the confirmation from people from a foreign land that we are a people of great power. Last year Layperson students, let us step into our rightful places at WOF and take the Caribbean for our Father.

[Stacy Gregoire]

Celise, I agree that we need to pray for spiritual refreshing for Pastor Walker.  Counseling people and the overall work of the ministry can be very draining and we need to pray that Pastor Walker not grow weary but is continually refreshed so that he can carry out his God given mission.

[Lilly Chalwell]

Yes, I pray for my pastor and his family concerning his needs, covering him in the blood, and that no weapon that is form against him will prosper. I also pray that he might increase in the knowledge of God and that he will walk upright, also that he be led by the Spirit of God in all that he does.  We were told to pray for those in authority that we may live a quiet and peaceable life.

Base on Paul’s prayer request in Romans 15:30-31, the most important thing that I can pray for, is that my pastor be delivered from them that do not believe the gospel in the Caribbean. I will also pray base on the scripture that his service which he has for the Caribbean might be acceptable to all saint.

 

[Marita Smith]

Lilly I have to agree with you that it’s important to pray for our pastor to be delivered from those in the Caribbean who does not believe the gospel. As believers, we have a responsibility to help him continue to pray for them until they are set free and delivered. It’s also very important that he be led of the spirit of God and not doing his own thing, very important.

[Walter Brown]

Celise it so true to pray for the spiritual refreshing for pastors day to day he needs it especially when he has to pour out into people daily.

[Raphael Ottley]

We need to pray for our pastor and his family everyday. And we should always pray for the covering them in the blood of the Holy Spirit.

[Rhonda]

Yes, I do spend time praying for my pastor and the needs he may be facing in his own life. I especially pray blessings and favor over him and his family. Sometimes when I don’t have a specific prayer for my pastor and I pray against all powers of this dark world and the spiritual forces of darkness in heavenly realms.  This is because I know the battles he may be fighting are ones of spiritual warfare. Also, I pray that he has a spirit of wisdom and understanding along with boldness and power to preach the gospel.

If I were a pastor, I would want my congregation to be praying and interceding for me on a daily basis because of the challenges I would face both in the spiritual and natural realm.

Based on Paul’s prayer request in Romans 15:30-32, the most important thing that I can be praying for my pastor right now is for his protection from the enemy.  I should strive intensely with my pastor in my daily prayers to God on behalf of him.

[Celise Mahoney]

Rhonda,  I couldn’t agree more, that sometimes we don’t know  or have a specific prayer to pray for Pastor, and we can always interceed for the blessings and favor of God over his life, over his family and his ministry.  I also agree that we need to pray that the powers of the dark and spiritual forces of the darkness  in heavenly realms are bound  from reaching or touching any area of his life, his family and his ministry

[Marita Smith]

Rhonda prayer is very important in all our lives especially being a pastor, the enemy does not want the word of God to go forth for people to get saved, set free and delivered. The pastor is the first one he would bring adversity against, that’s why they need us praying for them on a daily basis.

[Raphael Ottley]

You are right to spend time praying for your pastor and the need for his family and their need in every day life.

[Monica Harrigan]

I can honestly say that I don’t spend enough time praying for Pastor Walker and his family concerning the needs he may be facing now. During corporate prayer,  at our Church services and in Layperson’s class it’s an automatic thing for me to do. I’m ashamed to say however, that on a dsily basis during my personal prayer time that I don’t always pray for him. As I was reading the article I got a little teary eyed as it grieved my spirit having to acknowledge that I have not been fulfilling my responsibility in the area of praying DAILY for my pastor.

Yes, if I were a pastor I would want my congregation to pray for me.  Firstly, being a pastor is not an easy task and there are so many different areas of responsibility for my pastor. There are various trials along with having to deal with “equalizers” that makes it evidently clear that my pastor needs the prayers of his congregation;  just as I would too.

According to Romans 15:30-32 in addition to praying for Pastor Walker’s protection, his deliverance from those that don’t believe as well as his service be received by the congregation and that he may always have joy; I pray for a successful Outpouring Crusade. No weapons formed against our Crusade shall prosper. Deliverance for those that don’t believe in the purpose of the Crusade. Also, that he may be filled with joy as he prepares for the Crusade as well as during and after. May Pastor Walker be refreshed as he reaches out to the people of St. John as he spreads the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

[Walter Brown]

Yes I do pray for my pastor and his family. I pray that God would continue strengthen him and fill him beyond measure. That as he studies the word the Holy Spirit gives him insight daily, pour out in our lives as he prepares to preach the word. I also plead the blood over his life for protection in every mode of transportation that they move upon.

In reference to Paul I pray that Gods will bring Joy that he may preach every time that the word comes fourth.

[Raphael Ottley]

Yes . When I do pray for my pastor everyday and night . And when I go to pray for myself but when the Holy Spirit tell me to to pray for my pastor I will do it right away with out asking anything. But all the time when I pray for my spiritual father which is my pastor . When the Holy Spirit tell me to spending time in pray for my pastor that what I do at the time my spirit tell me to pray for him and his family.

[Lilly Chalwell]

Raphael, it is soon important to acknowledge our pastor in prayer. He is the one who watches over our soul. Jesus has given him to us as a gift from God. We are to cover him in prayer, respect him, and esteem him highly.

[Denise Torres-Hodge]

Yes, I do spend time praying for Pastor, Minister Walker and their children. However, it’s not a lot of time and honestly, I need to spend more time in prayer in general. After reading this excerpt though, on How to Pray for Your Pastor or Your Spiritual Leader. I realize the importance of Praying for Pastor ecologically on a spiritual whole. I learn Pastor needs prayer to fight against the hideous evils of these times to stop the Christian mission of saving souls. like Paul’s jail Epistols, his greatest concerns were to make sure the word of God continues to reach the generations, but the real untanned, uncontaminated word. That is, he wanted the Word to be protected from getting misconstrued and a Word that won’t accommodate the worlds way.

Under the 5-fold ministry God gave us Pastors Jeremiah 3:15 states “and I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.” Accepted this calling on his life means he agreed to became an under shepherd, to lead, and agreed to lifestyle of a Pastor. 1 Timothy 3:2 states “Now the overseer is to be above reproach, faithful to his wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable and able to teach.” This is a difficult job. Pastor needs his congregation/sheep to pray for him. Based on Paul’s prayer request in Romans 15:30-32, what is the most important thing you can be praying for your pastor right now is that for the love of the Spirit that we pray to God on his behalf that he may be rescued from the unbelievers. Pray for his ministry and that laborer’s come across his path, that he has strength and the finances to keep the doors open for the sick and needy.

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