Prayer for your Pastors

February 9, 2023 / by Richard Verdery

A May 2022 article in the Christian Post had some alarming statistics regarding pastors and their world view.

A study from the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University found that just 37% of Christian pastors in the United States have a biblical worldview!

The nationwide study of about 1,000 Christian pastors found that just slightly more than a third (37%) of the U.S. pastors hold a biblical worldview. The majority (62%) possess a hybrid worldview known as Syncretism.

Among the pastors surveyed, only 41% of senior pastors have a biblical worldview and the numbers went downhill from there. For associate pastors it was only 28%, and only 13% for teaching pastors. Sadly, among those pastors who are teaching children and youth, only 12% have a biblical worldview!

So, while we can rightly be concerned about the decline of biblical Christianity in the United States, we need to be in much prayer for those to whom we look to fill our pulpit!

God’s Word has much to say about our need to pray.

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

Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel. Ephesians 6:18–19

We should note that in this passage from Ephesians, Paul himself requested prayer that he might proclaim the gospel boldly: for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance, as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. Philippians 1:19–20

In this letter to his beloved Philippian believers, Paul sought their prayers that he might not be ashamed but have full courage and, thus, honor Christ.

As Ephesians 6:12 reminds us, we are in a spiritual battle and so are our pastors! It is imperative that we cover these precious gifts from God in our prayers.

Here, then, are some specific ways to pray for our pastors here at East White Oak Bible Church:

• Ask the Lord to give fresh joy to them in each and every area of their ministry.
• Ask the Lord to help them be men who rightly handle the Word of God.
• Pray that the Holy Spirit would give them wisdom and discernment for all issues they may be called upon to deal with.
• Pray for God’s protection over them, their families, and their marriages.

As we pray regularly for our pastors, may the desire of our hearts be that their ministry to us be a joy and not a burden.

Richard Verdery serves as the teacher in the Builders ABF. He is married to Beverly. They have three grown children and 6 grandchildren. He retired from the Illinois Farm Bureau where he was Advertising Sales Director of FarmWeek Newspaper. Richard is an avid cyclist and volunteer at Carle BroMenn.