My pastor needs prayer. So does yours. The apostle Paul acknowledged repeatedly that he needed the church to pray for him. He appealed to the Romans: “strive together with me in your prayers to God on my behalf” (Rom. 15:30). To the church at Corinth Paul wrote: “You also must help us by prayer” (2 Cor.‬ ‭1‬:‭11‬). He twice urged the Thessalonians: “Brothers, pray for us” (1 Thess.‬ ‭5‬:‭25; 2 Thess. 3:1‬). Like Paul, every pastor desperately needs the prayers of his congregation. Here are 10 specific and biblical ways I am praying for my pastor:

1. I pray that his first love will be Jesus (John 21:15-17).

2. I pray he will keep his marriage and family a priority. They are his first ministry (Eph. 5:25; 1 Tim. 3:4).

3. I pray he will have the mindset that true success in ministry is measured by faithfulness to God—nothing more, nothing less (1 Cor. 4:2).

4. I pray for his purity so that he will not fall into temptation (Ps. 24:3-4).

5. I pray he will continually seek God’s direction for our church (Ex. 33:13-15; Ps. 32:8; James 1:5).

6. I pray he will have boldness to speak the truth and grace to speak it with humility (Acts 20:18-21; Eph. 6:19).

7. I pray that he will teach sound doctrine (2 Tim. 2:15; Titus 1:9; 2:1).

8. I pray he will discern what is most important and be guarded against the tyranny of the urgent (Acts 6:1-4).

9. I pray God will protect him from negative criticism, false expectations, and gossip, and that he will have a soft heart in the face of abusive and mean-spirited people (Prov. 26:4).

10. I pray he will receive the rest that he needs (Luke 5:15-16).

Pastor, “far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you” (1 Sam. 12:23).