Pray For Our Leaders

My intention with this series of sermons was to look at the prayers in the New Testament so as to see what the Apostles’ prayer priorities were, so that we could then pray for those same things.

Today, it seems sensible that we should talk about praying for our leaders. My problem is that I haven’t found any New Testament prayers specifically for elders, or even more generally for church leaders. So, I am in a spot of bother. I am going to have to look at passages that seem to be sort of close, and hope I can persuade you that there is definite a New Testament emphasis on praying for our leaders.

In Acts 20, Paul was travelling from Greece to Jerusalem. His ship stopped at a place called Miletus and he sent for the elders of the church in Ephesus to come and meet with him. He reminded them of his ministry among them. He told them that he would never see them again because the Holy Spirit had revealed that he faced prison and trouble. He then gave them instructions as elders.

Acts 20:28-38

28 Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God,[a] which he bought with his own blood.[b] 29 I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. 30 Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. 31 So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.

32 ‘Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. 33 I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing. 34 You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions. 35 In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”’

36 When Paul had finished speaking, he knelt down with all of them and prayed. 37 They all wept as they embraced him and kissed him. 38 What grieved them most was his statement that they would never see his face again. Then they accompanied him to the ship.

My problem is that it says that Paul knelt down and pray with them. It doesn’t say he prayed for them. But surely. He was a man of frequent, passionate prayer. He loved them deeply. He must have prayed for them. It does say that he committed them to God and to the word of his grace. That must have been by prayer. Do you reckon? Are you persuaded?

What it does do is teach us about the role of elders.

Acts 20:28

Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he obtained with His own blood.

Three different words are used interchangeably for elders. “Elder” is one. Here he calls them overseers and shepherds. That word “shepherd” is the word “pastor”. Elder, overseer, pastor – all the same thing. “Elder” suggests wisdom – a person who has been selected by the church because of his/her maturity and biblical understanding and the ability to pass that on. “Overseer” suggests the responsibility of watching over, or leading, a church. Pastor (or, shepherd) implies caring for, and protecting, the people, providing spiritual feeding and guidance.

I might be failing completely to show that church members have a biblical responsibility to pray for their leaders, but we can conclude that elders have biblical responsibilities towards the members.

Let’s try another passage in Acts. Peter had been imprisoned. Acts 12:5 tells us that the church was earnestly praying for him. That’s nice. Again, it is not a command about praying for our leaders. It is an example of a church praying. I guess that this does teach that, if your pastor is in prison, and his name is Peter, you should pray for him.

1 Timothy 2:1-4

I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people – 2 for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 3 This is good, and pleases God our Saviour, 4 who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.

Aha! At last a specific instruction to pray for our leaders. It doesn’t specify elders or church leaders, but it does say “all those in authority”. Does that include elders and church leaders? Yes, it does – people whom the Holy Spirit has made overseers. Along with the responsibility goes some God-given authority, and we are told to pray for them.

1 Thessalonians 5:12-13

Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you. 13 Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other.

Bother! It doesn’t mention prayer. It is clearly about church leaders, and it does tell us a bit more about how leaders are to operate. They are to work hard. They are to care for the members of the church “in the Lord”. They are also to admonish. One aspect of the role of the shepherd is to correct straying sheep. When a church member is going astray, the elders have the responsibility to challenge.

That is not popular in a society that says, ‘No one is going to tell me what to do”, but, actually, God’s ways are different. God does call some people to care enough to confront when things are going wrong.

But these verses don’t mention prayer. I guess the best I can hope for is that you see “hold them in the highest regard in love, because of their work” to surely include praying for them. I’ll keep trying.

Hebrews 13:17-19

17 Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you.

18 Pray for us. We are sure that we have a clear conscience and desire to live honourably in every way. 19 I particularly urge you to pray so that I may be restored to you soon.

Some translations say “Obey your leaders” instead of “have confidence in your leaders”. It literally means something like “be persuaded by” your leaders so that could mean obey them or have confidence in them. Translators have to decide which way to go. Either way, and especially, when combined with “submit to their authority” it means work cooperatively with your leaders. Don’t fight against them. Do not undermine them. Work cooperatively with them. Encourage them. Support them. So that their work will be a joy, not a burden. Do what you can to make their ministry a joy, not a burden. Leadership is a joy when you feel that you are part of a team that is united, and everybody is pitching in to do what they can.

This passage also says something about the responsibility on the leaders. They watch over you - overseer, shepherd. They have the responsibility of caring and giving leadership. But look! They do it as people who must give account. Leaders who are called by God are responsible to God. Leadership is no small task. There is a responsibility before God. And that is even more reason why we are all called to be cooperative and supportive.

And… praise God, at last there is a specific mention of prayer for leaders. “Pray also for us”. We don’t know who the “us” is. We don’t know who wrote Hebrews. But clearly the writer is a leader and asking for prayer for a leadership team. These leaders are serving as well and as faithfully as they can with clear consciences and a desire to live honourably in every way, but they need the prayers of the church. In particular pray that I might be restored to you soon.

Was the writer in prison? Was he/she ill? Was he/she separated by distance? Was it some sort of spiritual attack that had hindered their leadership? We don’t know but the prayer is for this leader to be back with these people and able to serve them again. We need to be somewhat aware of what is happening in the lives of our leaders – what obstacles they are facing or what the particular prayer needs are.

I think maybe the most compelling New Testament material calling us to pray for our leaders is the fact that the New Testament leaders asked for prayer.

2 Thessalonians 3:1-2

As for other matters, brothers and sisters, pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honoured, just as it was with you. 2 And pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil people, for not everyone has faith.

Brothers and sisters, pray for us. Paul, of course, was a missionary so always at the centre of his thinking was the spread of the gospel. But he knew that that was a God-thing. It did not depend primarily on Paul’s abilities or passion. He needed prayer. The gospel would spread rapidly and be accepted by people only when God was opening the doors, providing the opportunities, supernaturally enabling Paul, and opening people eyes and hearts. If there is to be fruit, it depends on people praying.

If our church is to bear fruit, it depends on prayer.

We need to be constantly praying for the spread of the gospel. Jesus commanded us to ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into the harvest field (Mt 10:37-38; Lk 10:2).

But, as well as that, not every leader is a missionary. Maybe the prayer here is that each leader’s ministry will be Holy Spirit-empowered. Pray that our leaders will be used by God in powerful ways.

Colossians 4:2-4

Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. 3 And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. 4 Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should.

Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. Watch; be aware of what is happening. What is happening for our leaders? Bring those things before God. And give thanks for what you see God doing.

Again, Paul says, “Pray for us”. And again, his concern is the spread of the gospel. He wants to spread the gospel even though he was in prison for spreading the gospel. Persecution would not stop him, but he needed prayer. His prayer was for the skills needed. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly. Pray for the communication skills. Let’s pray that our leaders have God-given skills and are able to use the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Again, the prayer is for effective ministry.

We see something similar in…

Ephesians 6:18-20

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. 19 Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.

Pray always in all ways for all God’s people. “Pray for me”, Paul says, “that words might be given to me”, supernaturally, from God; the right words for the occasion. But also, pray for courage to proclaim the gospel”. Many of these prayers focus on the power of God enabling leaders for effective ministry.

Romans 15:30-32

I urge you, brothers and sisters, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me. 31 Pray that I may be kept safe from the unbelievers in Judea and that the contribution I take to Jerusalem may be favourably received by the Lord’s people there, 32 so that I may come to you with joy, by God’s will, and in your company be refreshed.

The Roman Christians would become partners with Paul in his ministry by offering prayer support. Again, Paul seeks prayer for God’s protection. Spiritual warfare is a reality and leaders are at the front line. He asks that the offering that he is taking to the Judean churches will be favourably received. May this trip be successful. May God’s hand be upon it. Especially so that he will then be able to minister in Rome and be refreshed by them. These are practical arrangements with a spiritual motivation.

Are you persuaded that praying for our leaders is a New Testament priority? If not, my last, desperate attempt is to remind you of something not from the New Testament but from the Old. In Exodus 17, Joshua led the Israelites in a battle against the Amalekites. The elderly Moses was up on the mountain on one side of the valley lifting his hands in prayer. While he prayed, the Israelites had the ascendancy, but if his strength gave out and his arms drooped, the Amalekites began to win. So, there was Moses praying for this young leader Joshua and everything depended on that prayer. But, because Moses did grow tired, Aaron and Hur stood alongside him and held his arms up. That is a picture of the weak leader being supported by faithful people around him. Our leaders will do their best, but they are human; they grow weak. The Bible calls us to stand alongside them, upholding them.

There is no specific model prayer for church leaders, but the biblical leaders knew they needed the prayers of the people. So do our leaders. Join them in their struggle by praying to God for them.

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