Prayer For Calling A New Pastor
Dear God,
There will be hundreds of distractions in my pastor's life todayfires to put out, unexpected twists and turns, and the noise and clutter of the world. I know that the deceiver will do anything he can to keep my pastor from study, prayer, and service. So, I lift my pastor up to You, dear Lord, asking You to help keep the main thing the main thing. Give blinders so that my pastor is keenly focused on You and on Your purpose for life and ministry this day. In Jesus' name.
Dear Lord,
Even though my pastor serves our church with what seems like boundless energy, no one is a superhuman; I know the pastor gets really weary. The demands on the body and spirit are nearly unending. Would You let my pastor find respite and relaxation from the day? Would You clear the mind, give a good sleep tonight, and refreshment for another day of kingdom service? Bless my pastor, oh Lord, for faithfulness and offer blessings with a new day to continue in faithfully service to You.
Dear Father,
Thank you for a pastor that seeks You with a whole heart. The pastor's singular desire, Lord, is to serve and please You. So, Father, show the pastor the way. Give the pastor Your vision. Grant Your clarity. Make the complex simple. And then give the pastor boldness to step out in faith to accomplish Your plans for our ministry and for our church. It's easy to be distracted by many voices, so Father let the pastor hear but one voice, and let that voice be Yours. These things I pray with hope and expectation, in Jesus' name.
Dear Lord,
My pastor's on the front line; an easy target for the enemy and his minions. My pastor's preaching the Word faithfully from the platform each week as a community leader, and a completely sold out servant to You. Dear Holy Spirit, empower the pastor this day to boldly proclaim the truth of Your Word. Help the pastor not to grow weary in well-doing or to fall away but provide grace upon grace. I'm thanking You in advance for what You will do in and through our pastor this very day, in Jesus' name.
Dear Lord,
Thank you for sending our pastor to shepherd the church. I'm grateful for the love you put in the pastor's heart for You and Your people. I appreciate the unique set of gifts and talents that enrich the pastor's ministry and bless our church. Would You, in turn, bless the pastor today? Help the pastor to sense Your presence in such a sweet way. Fill the pastor up, Lord and use the pastor for Your glory today. And show me how I can support and encourage. Thanking You for this good leader, I pray this in Jesus' name.
Almighty God, You who called the universe into bring, You who formed our inmost being and called us to be your people:
We give you thanks for you constant presence. Through seasons of constancy and even change, you are with us calling us into deeper waters, calling us together in your spirit of unity, calling us out of ourselves into the world to serve others.
Grant that those pastors bring called into new waters might hold fast to unending love and mercy as a buey a love that promised to hold onto us even as we go where your Spirit leads us. May the churches that receive them be communities of mercy and grace.
May the churches experiencing loss and change hold fast to the promise that your mission is bigger than any single pastor, local church, or annual conference. Grant that such a promise would bring both comfort and discomfort comfort in a season of change and discomfort as it drives us all to love you and each other more.
Strengthen us to be your Church in all times and seasons of life a place where all are truly welcomed and embraced in your love (even new pastors and church members); a place where we find ways you are active among us and calling us to join in your saving work (even in communities that weren't our top choice to move to); a place where the story of your love and grace and mercy are embodied (even if it comes in shapes and sizes and languages that are new to us). We offer our prayers in the name of the Triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.
God, help our church body to walk in a manner worthy of the calling You have given us. Help us in all our interactions with one another to have humble and gentle hearts. Grant us patience for one another, bearing with one another in love. Grant the Body of Christ unity. May we walk humbly with You, God, allowing You to show us our wrongs. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Our Father who is in heaven, Holy is your name. Lord, I thank you for your righteousness, strength, and wisdom. Lord, I know that you have called every single one of your children for a specific purpose and that you have graced them to walk in that purpose. Father right now, I lift up my pastors. God, I thank you for the vision that you have given them for our church. I thank you that I get to be part of the community in which you are building. I ask that you send your angels to cover and protect my leadership. Give them strength, power, and understanding to teach your Word and to do so in a way that drives religion out and brings relationship with you back as the center point.
God, I pray that my pastors would operate in wisdom when it comes to counseling and assisting your people. Give them wisdom the way you gave Solomon wisdom, so that they would know how to lead your people justly and rightly. Lord, surround them with relationships with people they can trust and can be accountable to. Surround them with people to encourage them in your way. Lord, we know that pastoring is not an easy endeavor, so, grace them all the more to do the work of the ministry for which you have called them.
God, give them peace, strength, and let a refreshing fall over their hearts so that they can continue to go forth in your power and might. Finally, Lord, give them clear direction and revelation about the direction for this church. Protect them from those who would desire to harm them and steer them off course. Give them sharp discernment. Flow prophetically through them Lord, so that your Holy Spirit would make manifest the glory of God in their lives, in their relationships, and in the church that you are leading them to raise up.
God, thank you for my pastors and the sacrifice that they give for my spiritual growth and maturity. I love and honor my leadership Father. Thank you for leading me to them. In Jesus name I pray, amen!