A Kingdom Resolution for 2023
I don’t know your New Year’s resolution, but I am excited about mine. It is not to lose weight (because I don’t have that much to spare), it is not to read more because I already read a lot, it’s not to learn a new language since I’m making steady progress on one already. Of course, I could always do more or better at one of those things, but this year, I’ve decided to do more of a past resolution.
Let me back up a little. One of the most important things I can do as a Christian when it comes to building up the kingdom of God is to pray, specifically to pray for my pastor. I often pray for the lost and frequently visit the IMB and NAMB prayer pages. Praying for my pastor is just as big and as important as praying for missionaries serving in dangerous fields or the courageous adventurous men and women who plant churches.
So, my New Year’s Resolution is to pray for my pastor more than I already do.
When I pray for my pastor, it blesses my family, and it blesses me. Through my prayers for my pastor, my church and my community are blessed. Praying for my pastor is the most loving thing I can do for him.
I’ve been blessed over the years to be under the care of several wonderful pastors and would gladly recommend any of them. I’ve always believed in the importance of praying for them. I believe my prayers for my pastor protect him from evil, guard him from sin, strengthen him in his walk, bless his family, open opportunities for him to minister, and the list of blessings goes on and on!
It is impossible to measure prayer’s mighty effect or catalog the many ways a single prayer can change the world. It is universally agreed that prayer affects the person who prays. I feel that although I have great respect and admiration for my pastor, my appreciation for him and his ministry grows extensively when I faithfully pray for him. I find myself more amazed and challenged by his preaching (which, by the way, I always thought was great), and I feel deeper blessings in serving the church. My prayers for him make me feel more connected to him and to the church he loves and ministers to so sacrificially.
I’m one of those visual people. I need a visual reminder when I set a goal. Therefore, I created a little “Covenant to Pray for my Pastor” form to put where I will see it. It is short and to the point and says that I will pray for him and on what days and how much. It is two-sided, and the back has reminders of things I want to pray for him. You are welcome to download it for yourself. (See the button below.)
Jesus taught that our praying should be done in secret (Matthew 6:6) and that those who boast have already received their reward (Matthew 6:5). But I am sure someone is asking, “Ok, Just how much does this guy pray for his pastor?” I’ll tell you, but only to encourage you to reach for your own deeper prayer experience. For the last six months, I’ve spent half an hour on Sunday mornings in dedicated prayer specifically for my pastor. My New Year’s resolution is to increase it to an hour. You might be interested in knowing that I began praying for ten minutes each Sunday morning a year ago, and it crept up to a half hour without me even intending to do so. And now it seems that a half hour passes too quickly, and I find a burden to go longer.
I can only imagine how wonderful it would be if every church in our convention were full of people who were committed to praying for their pastors. What would our church services, our worship, our outreach, and our congregations look like next year this time if we all resolved to pray for our pastor? Make a Covenant to Pray for your pastor, your new year’s resolution. I’m sure you will be as blessed by it as I have been.
Feel free to make copies of the Covenant to Pray for my Pastor form and share it with your church’s prayer coordinator.
Adron Dozat serves as the BCM/D facilities support specialist.
Feature photo: Adobe Images