A Pivotal Partnership, Part 1
I believe that in the New Testament church there exists – or should exist – a dynamic partnership in the Gospel Ministry. It is the partnership between the pastor and the people he is called to lead and serve as they work together in fulfilling the God-given mission and vision of the church.
The Gospel Ministry is a multi-faceted, multi-level ministry, and one of the most vital components of a shared partnership between a pastor and his people is a mutual intercessory prayer partnership in which a pastor earnestly prays for his people and the people fervently pray for their pastor.
What I have come to realize is this: It is a partnership that has been neglected, ignored, under-utilized, and even abused, at times, to great harm to the message of the Gospel, the health of the church, and the advancement of God’s Kingdom on earth. It has resulted in an adverse – and sometimes adversarial – relationship between the pastor and the church, which he is called to lead. This unhealthy relationship displeases God, dishonors Christ, and grieves the Holy Spirit. I believe these unhealthy relationships have contributed to the stagnation and decline of the church we see so prevalent across America today.
I am not casting judgment or blame on one over against another. I am simply pointing out a serious problem I see in the church today. The irony of this sad truth is this: I think pastors and people alike want to see their churches grow in healthy, holy, and Christ-honoring ways, but they lack for some reason a vital Christ-centered relationship of love, trust, and a mutual commitment to one another, not only to work together, but also to earnestly, fervently, and faithfully pray for one another for the sake of the Gospel and the glory of God.
There is no lack of precedence in the Scriptures for the responsibility of pastors and leaders to pray for the people they lead and serve. This is the focus of this article. We could look at any number of examples in the Bible of God-called leaders who prayed powerful prayers for his people – prayers that moved the heart of God to act in profound and powerful ways. Several of these pastoral prayers stand out to me:
- One that comes to mind was when the unstoppable Assyrians were about to invade Jerusalem while Hezekiah was King of Judah. But Hezekiah didn’t panic. He prayed: Now, Lord our God, deliver us from his hand, so that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you alone, Lord, are God (II Kings 19:19). And God, that very night, sent his angel into the Assyrian camp and killed 185,000 soldiers while they slept. Invasion called off!
- Another that comes to mind is Daniel’s prayer of repentance in Daniel 9. He cried to God: We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy. Lord, listen! Lord, forgive! Lord, hear and act! For your sake, my God, do not delay, because your city and your people bear your Name (Daniel 9:17-19).
- But the one that stands out the most to me in the Old Testament is when Moses was on Mount Sinai receiving the 10 Commandments. He was gone a long time, and the people made a Golden Calf to worship. God’s anger was so great that he told Moses that he was done with those stiff-necked people, and he was going to destroy them. But Moses dared to intercede for his people. In Exodus 32 we read this: But Moses sought the favor of the Lord his God. “Lord,” he said, “why should your anger burn against your people, whom you brought out of Egypt with great power and a mighty hand? Why should the Egyptians say, ‘It was with evil intent that he brought them out, to kill them in the mountains and to wipe them off the face of the earth’? Turn from your fierce anger; relent and do not bring disaster on your people (Exodus 32:11-13). Then the Scripture says, The Lord relented and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened. When we say that prayer changes things, how about that for an example? God was about to destroy his own chosen people, but Moses stood in the gap for them. You can’t discount the power of a pastoral prayer.
- Yet, there’s one even more powerful than that. What I’m referring to is the prayer that is known as The High Priestly Prayer of Jesus in John 17. As he nears the day of his arrest, trial, crucifixion and death, Jesus prayed not only for the Twelve disciples, but also for all future disciples – for us who follow him today – for me and you, praying this: My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me (John 17:20-23). That’s our Savior praying for us – praying for our oneness, our fellowship, our communion with God, with one another, and with all believers everywhere. Think about this: Before he poured out his life as an offering for our sins, he poured out his heart to the Father in heaven for us. So, there’s more than a little precedence for the place of pastoral prayers in the life of the church.
In next month’s article I’ll examine the pastoral prayers of Paul that give us insight into his own prayer-life and pastoral love for all the churches with which he partnered in the Gospel ministry. In the meantime, I would urge you, whether you are a pastor/leader or a church member, to consider how you might help strengthen that pivotal partnership of mutual intercessory prayer. Pastor, are you earnestly interceding for the people God has entrusted to your care? Church member, are you fervently lifting up your pastor at the throne of grace?
PRAYER REQUESTS:
Speaking of prayer, please remember me in prayer as I consider accepting a call to serve as Interim Pastor at Bedon Baptist Church in Walterboro. This would be my third extended ministry at a church in Walterboro! The Lord continues to surprise us, doesn’t he? I ask for your prayers very sincerely, nevertheless, because I need wisdom and discernment as I seek to know and do God’s will. After all, you are indeed my partners in this ministry!
Also, pray for me and the pastors who will participate in two small groups I’ll be leading beginning this month in Sumter and Manning. We will be working through a workbook called Preventing Ministry Failure.
I can’t say this enough: Thank you for your support and, especially, your prayers! Love you all, Hal