Skip to content ↓

A Prayer Guide for Pastors

Christian leaders are not called to their positions because of rare skill, raw talent, or overwhelming desire. They are not qualified by charismatic personality, the ability to draw a crowd, or skilled rhetoric. Rather, Christian leaders are called and qualified by godly character. In passages like 1 Timothy 3:2-7, Titus 1:6-9, and 1 Peter 5:1-3 we read what a man must be if he is to serve as pastor (or elder, if you prefer). Since these traits are so crucial, it seems good and right for the pastor to pray diligently about each of them. To that end, I’ve prepared a prayer guide for pastors that suggests some ways a pastor can pray that he would exemplify these traits.

Personally, I have imported these into PrayerMate (the prayer app) and pray for one each day, but you can use them however you see fit. I’ve included files in Word, Pages, and Google Docs formats so you can have your own copy to edit and personalize as you see fit. And even if you are not a pastor, you can still put the list to use. You can either pray these things for your pastors, or pray them for yourself since really the great majority of these traits are not unique to pastors but, rather, are simply to be exemplified by them. As D.A. Carson has pointed out, they are “remarkable for being unremarkable.” Why? Because “the criteria mentioned are demanded of all Christians everywhere. Which is another way of saying, elders are first of all to be exemplars of the Christian graces that are presupposed as mandated on all Christians.”


  • A La Carte Thursday 1

    A La Carte (November 14)

    A La Carte: Is Stoicism a friend of Christianity? / 11 Theses on Instagram and the modern woman / The harvest is plentiful but the workers won’t stay / The unpardonable sin / Maybe you should talk to strangers / and more.

  • Marriage Happy Marriage Holy

    Marriage Happy, Marriage Holy

    God’s purpose in marriage is not to make us happy but to make us holy. Or so we have all been told. The truth is more complicated, of course, and I’m quite certain God means for marriage to cover both. The old Anglican liturgy says marriage “was ordained for the mutual society, help, and comfort,…

  • A La Carte Collection cover image

    A La Carte (November 13)

    A La Carte: Should Christians reject slavery and affirm same-sex marriage? / Can women be deacons? / You can’t life-hack your way to holiness / When your pastor thinks he’s brother molehill / When the seeing are blind / and more.

  • A La Carte Collection cover image

    A La Carte (November 12)

    A La Carte: Humbly admitting we are vulnerable to sexual temptation / On aging into childhood / The criticized leader / Kevin DeYoung’s “plus one” approach to church / pitfalls in women’s ministry leadership / and more.

  • Dr Google

    Doctor Google, Influencer Moms, and the Local Church

    A family member was recently paying a visit to a doctor who provided his diagnosis of the condition and suggested a course of treatment. My family member listened patiently but then said, “I was wondering if we could actually try another treatment instead.” The doctor playfully rolled his eyes and said, “I see you’ve been…