Every church considers itself a praying church.  Most love to talk about prayer, or have designated times for prayer, but very few make prayer a priority. I’d even go as far as to say, the vitality of a congregation mirrors its prayerful posture before Almighty God. A church must pray to and depend on God to strengthen the congregation as each member walks in faithful obedience to God’s plan.

Just as important, the pastor must be a known as a prayerful person and model his prayer life before the church. Church members may not be asking, “Pastor, teach us to pray like you pray,” but they are learning from your life and ministry. So, how can a pastor’s prayer life be used as an instrument of God’s grace to strengthen a local congregation? Grab a cup of coffee and consider the following questions to reflect on your ministry of prayer in the life of the church you serve:

o   What is your personal plan for making and keeping prayer a priority in your life? Be specific.

o   If your deacons were to say, “Pastor, teach us to pray.” What steps would you take to teach them?

o   How do you sense God leading you to make prayer a priority for the congregation? What are your options to help the church reprioritize their dependence on God?

“Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.”
Romans 12:12

If God’s people could truly become a praying people, hearing God speak together, and then doing what He says together, the result will be a unified church following God in all things and making a tremendous impact on the community, city, and world.

Pastor, may your commitment to prayer could be the very instrument God uses to revitalize the church you serve.

The above is an edited excerpt from session two of the RE Pastor Cohort offered by SC Baptist Convention Church Strategies Group. To learn more about this resource visit scbaptist.org/hopeforchurches.