Pastorial Prayer

 

    Pastoral prayer is a public prayer led by the pastor in a church service.  That sounds very doctrinal, but it is more than that.  It is the pastor humbling leading his church.  He reveals his heart to the public.  He shows the church how to pray thanksgiving and intercession.  

    The Pastor leads prayer by praising God, ask for forgiveness, ask for guidance or assistance, and how to lead.  In Pastoral prayers they will also include needs physical and spiritual), the church, community, city, state, and nation.  He prays for missionaries and church planters.  He prayers over significant crisis.  Basically he leads the church in prayer in a healthy pattern of worship.

    When the pastor prayers blessings over his commissioned church, he is drawing the people in.  He is showing grace and praying that they see God's grace too.  He is showing confidence in his relationship with God to lead the people as God instructs.

    The Pastor is the leader of the church, but it is not his job to force anyone into responding to prayer or come to salvation.  That is a personal choice.  When he prays, he is showing patience in his church.  He knows he has to wait until they are ready to make life changes and choices.

    When the pastor prays for the community.  It is should about getting a bigger church.  It needs to be about not wanting to leave this world with anyone unreached or having the opportunity to become a Christian.  He understands that it takes time.  

    The church is not about money, but the church building does need money to maintain and take care of what God has given the community of believers.  That means that sometimes the pastor has to pray over money.

    The pastor leads his people in a time of reflection.  It is time for people to not be rushed to a decision, but to really work salvation out.  They may have other issues that need attending.  Some people may need a moment of stillness.  It is for the overall health of the church, so the pastor will pray silently, but still leading his people.  At the end the people that got involved should be in a place of peace and ready to focus on the sermon or what is to come in the day.

Numbers 6:22-27, Romans 15:5-6, Hebrews 4:14-16, & 1 Peter 5:6-11