Whatever Happened to Pastoral Prayer?

I like the pastoral prayer in the morning service. Call it an invocation. A pastor demonstrates leadership in many ways, and public prayer should be one significant way. While I appreciate other men praying publicly, especially older spiritual warriors, nothing compares to the pastor bringing his people into the throne room of God’s grace. Other opportunities exist in Baptist church life for godly men to lead in prayer. Yes, every believer is a believer-priest and the pastor has no special spiritual advantage in prayer. There is a difference, however, between leading in prayer and leading the church through prayer.

As a pastor, I took time to prepare my pastoral prayer. Preparing prayers can be an enjoyable experience. Spontaneity, while typical in our prayer life, holds no special benefit with God. Thinking through, and even praying through, the preparation of a public prayer allows thoughts and topics that might not come when we shoot from the hip. Read the prayers of great men of God, and study the prayers of the Bible. Certainly the pastor must be careful not to pray as the Pharisee standing on the street corner, but this danger does not mean he cannot be eloquent, planned, and heart-felt at the same time.

In the pastoral prayer I praised and worshipped the Lord, leaving no question about our purpose for gathering that day. I would give thanks for the abundant blessings of the Lord in the life of our church. I would confess my sin and the sin of our church, when needed, and I would thank the Lord for His forgiveness and cleansing. I would pray specifically for one or two missionaries, systematically working through our missionary family in subsequent weeks. I interceded for our government leaders and invoked God’s blessing upon our country so that God’s people might lead a quiet and peaceable life. I could pray for the sick and the shut-ins in a personal way because I was the one who had visited them.

Pastor, try leading in prayer without making any requests. With some thought and care, you can pray for all of the church’s needs without asking for anything. It’s amazing how a church service can be elevated through the prayer of God’s man.