How often should church members pray for their pastors?
By sexybeast
@sexybeast (67)
Philippines
February 19, 2012 6:13am CST
I have heard of a pastor who resigned from his church. He is quite discouraged because he knows the members don't pray for him as often as they should. Before resigning he already knew that the church officers want him out. There is an obvious lack of support from the members. All they do is comment on what the pastor should and should not do.
8 responses
@beamer88 (4259)
• Philippines
19 Feb 12
I'm not really familiar about the policies of your church. I'm Catholic and I don't think we're told by our priests to pray for them. Actually, we offer our prayers to everyone, and seek guidance and forgiveness from God. But regardless of religious affiliations, I feel that the pastor was being selfish for wanting his congregation to pray for him often.
@beamer88 (4259)
• Philippines
19 Feb 12
That's true, but like I said, religion differs in a lot of ways and I don't think we have similar beliefs and traditions. But I still don't think a leader of the church should require his congregation to pray for him. Praying for me is a selfless act. Imposing that people pray for you always isn't.
@sexybeast (67)
• Philippines
20 Feb 12
ahh..., ok. i get your point. pastors don't require or demand the members to pray for them. I agree wholehearted with you that prayer is a selfless act. with that said, if we respect or love our pastor/priest, we should pray for them.
@sexybeast (67)
• Philippines
19 Feb 12
let me put it this way. do u need prayers? do u need someone to pray for you? if your answer is yes, well, pastors/priests are humans, too, with weaknesses and limitations and they need prayers.
praying for other people (pastors/priests included) is our way of interceding on their behalf and bringing them to the Lord.
@hotsummer (13835)
• Philippines
20 Feb 12
sometimes i wonder who decides who would become a pastor. or how would person know if his calling is for a pastor. as i think a lot of pastor now become a pastor just because they want to serve God which is good, but they don't have a calling to be a pastor. if you are called to be a pastor God will give you members that would support you and that the pastor would not need to beg the church members to support him. i think the root of the problem is sometimes is that the pastor may not have been called to be a pastor but was called by God to do something else . If he is really called by God to be a pastor, God would back him up to his calling and no human or members can make him resign to his work and he can start his own church and find new members from converting non believers to believers that would want to serve God with him.
@hotsummer (13835)
• Philippines
23 Feb 12
that is a big problem if the pastor has been serving as a pastor just because being voted by the church members. and they become so dependend with the support of the other leaders and members and attendees. and that they don't know actually the real work of a pastor. they think that pastor is just about teaching or preaching. but they didn't realize being a pastor means being a servant and not to be served. they don't suppose to teach only but to take care of the members personal problems as well. teachers don't have that kind of responsibility though, they are only responsible to teach and they are not responsible in taking care of the sheep or the members.
@hotsummer (13835)
• Philippines
23 Feb 12
that is the difference between bible teachers and pastors. so i do expect a bit more with pastors as it is a big big responsibility . and one should be fully prepared and be aware of the enormous responsibility that goes with it.
@sexybeast (67)
• Philippines
20 Feb 12
who decides who become a pastor? if you mean in the church, here in our denomination, the church board or church officers decide if they will accept a pastor. this is, of course, after the pastor/s give their application letter.
about the calling, i believe in that as well. God calls the pastors. some, however, think that they are called and only to find out later in life that they aren't. i know of some people who have experienced that.
@neelia_lyn (2003)
• Philippines
19 Feb 12
I think church members should pray for their pastors, as Christians should pray for one another. It's one way of backing up their pastor to do be able to do his pastoral duties.
@deodavid (4150)
• Philippines
20 Feb 12
Hi there sexybeast,
Dont know much about your situation i hope you kinda put in more info about the pastor anyway, i think if he was a good pastor then the people should have known it and prayed for him or fought for him to stay in his position a bad one well no one would really support him or give him any attention if he leaves or stays. But again not that much info so im guessing they did not understand his ways he may not had been good or bad just misunderstood. Chiao....
@sexybeast (67)
• Philippines
20 Feb 12
ok. sorry about that. the question was meant to be in general. i thought of the question because of the situation that i gave.
i do believe that whether the members like him or not (im talking about pastors in general), he is God's anointed and he should be prayed for and supported.
@woolscupiee (185)
• Philippines
19 Feb 12
Church members are quite mean. I mean how can you tell a person about what to do or shouldn't do. It should motivate the pastor to do good and to show to the members that he is not giving up. Sad because he left the church just because of few members, how about the others?
@sexybeast (67)
• Philippines
20 Feb 12
i have heard that there are other who truly love and respect him. but this pastor opted to resign to keep the peace between his former members. if he stayed there possibly would be division inside the church.
@juggal0Xx420 (509)
• United States
19 Feb 12
Ok my first question is why would people go to the church and try to tell the pastor what he should and shouldn't do i thought churches were for going to worship god... not boss the pastor around
@sexybeast (67)
• Philippines
20 Feb 12
you know what, juggal0Xx420, i have heard of stories where the pastor boss around his members. of course, that's the opposite side of the extreme.
but you are right, members should not boss around their pastor. all of them should work together and with each other in worshiping God.
@morit1810 (2)
•
19 Feb 12
everybody in higher rank in any job or place of public affairs is judged. its no different where you work. in that case id say you shouldnt keep your prayers with any one person. pray for all. besides he should be more in gods grace then most ?
