As a pastor, I appreciate those who give us gifts and honorarium. I appreciate those who call to encourage and check on us but one thing I don't want you to leave out in all your benevolence is heart-felt intercession for us.
I am desirous of seeing brethren who will go on days of fasting and prayer just for the Lord to uphold us as pastors. Our job is the most risky job in the world. It exposes us to spiritual and physical attack more than anyone else. Sometimes, we don't have true friends only people who want to hear from us and gossip about us.
A scandal is what many are waiting for. In fact, those we labour on day and night would not give us a benefit of fair hearing in the face of any allegation. This is what I have seen and it is very heart breaking. So many pastors died with a bitter heart.
Most times, when the news of a pastor's scandal break out, the church world is rattled and tongues keeps wagging on how a preacher have fallen. That's the period when bile and invectives will be poured from church folks.
It is obvious that those who make church gossip their pastime rarely pray for their pastors and the body of Christ. They are just waiting for the next scandal and then they have a topic of discussion. They are not contributing anything on their knees to the success of their pastor.
Some pastors spend much of their prayer time praying for people who don't know they're being prayed for, they fast and take up prayer burdens while members are sleeping yet only few people are praying for their success in ministry.
Sometimes, the extent of a preacher's success is not tied to his prayers only but the collective prayer of the saints.
As we pray for you, you should be praying for us dedicatedly. When you observe something about us that ought not to be, let that be your prayer point instead of making a subject of gossip.
Nothing delights the devil more than seeing God's people pity/gossip about their leaders instead of praying for them. Sometimes, we are lonely. As we rise in ministry, true friends become scarce and some who get close don't have genuine motives.
If you see a preacher flourishing in ministry, there's a strong prayer support base somewhere.
Let your pastor, that missionary or christian leader who has impacted your life so much be your priority in the place of prayer. Pray that God should uphold him and make him fulfill his ministry.
Pray for his wife to be strengthened to be a suitable help meet and that his children will be a godly model unto others. Pray for the all-round growth of his ministry, his finances and health. No matter how great, prayerful and spiritual your pastor is, he needs your prayers.
If apostle Paul could solicit to be prayed for, no minister should be exempted from this holy service of the saints. We should be humble enough to ask for prayers. It is not a sign of weakness. Please, pray for us.
