Tag: pray

  • Letter #36 (Time)

    Dear Small Church Pastor,

         In the last letter, which covered the topic of Priorities, I dealt with looking at how we invest our time as one of the indicators of what we consider priorities.  Allow me to continue approaching this topic of time and how we use it for a few minutes, with emphasis on one use of time.

         We all know we only have twenty-four hours in a day.  Part of that day must be invested in resting and part of it in eating and taking care of personal physical needs.  The big question about time is, “How do we spend the rest of our time daily?”

         We are exchanging our time for something; that’s why we say we are “spending time” doing that something.  Well, what should we be doing, as compared with what we actually do?  As pastors, how can we most efficiently use our time to fulfill our God-given call and to utilize our God-given talents?

         We usually attempt to block out time for things like visits to congregational members, counseling, Bible study, sermon preparations, administrative duties, and a host of other responsibilities that go along with the written or perceived ministry of being a pastor.  However, I sometimes wonder if there is an aspect of being a pastor that we overlook and simply do not put near the top of the list.  That something is time spent in prayer.

         While conducting a School of Christ International missions training at a Christian campground my wife and I used to manage, Bro. Bert Clendennen had a standing rule for each day of the training.  The prospective missionaries/ministers were required to meet before breakfast daily at a set time and pray for an hour.  The first day one of the ministers attending was about ten minutes late for prayer.  He was reminded of the beginning time.       

         The second day that same individual was late again.  Bro. Clendennen pulled him aside and indicated to him that he needed to pack his things and return home.  Then that wise man of God told the late one that if he could not control himself enough to get up on time and pray for at least an hour before the day started while here in the states where there was no real pressure on him, he would never succeed in the field, because there he would need to pray for a much longer time daily in order to serve in complete dedication and submission to God just to be able to stay alive, depending on the country in which he would serve.

         I’m reminded of how the original apostles had the large group of disciples choose out seven men to take care of the feeding ministry during the beginning days of the church.  They said that would enable them to devote their time to prayer and the ministry of the word.  I often wonder if that would work today.  What if disciples in whom trust could be placed took care of the physical needs of a congregation and the pastors devoted themselves prayer and talking about Jesus?

         My question is this–How much time do we pray daily?  If the answer is a hour, is that enough time?  If the answer is two hours, is that enough time?  

         How much is enough will probably depend on your schedule for the day.  It may depend on how much you expect to be fighting opposition to the teaching of the word in your town.  There are many other things that can influence how much time we spend in prayer.  But the bottom line is, are we praying in proportion to how much we are ministering?  Those original apostles decided to devote themselves to prayer and the word.  I imagine that involved a great deal more prayer than is talked about today.

         I read an article on prayer years ago that made an impression on me.  The writer (whose name I cannot remember for this letter) told his secretary to hold all his calls for two hours because he felt that day deserved at least that much time in prayer before continuing.  She looked at his schedule and saw he had one appointment for counselling that day.  One appointment.

         We know we are admonished in scriptures to pray constantly, in all things, with faith, through the powerful name of Jesus and His authority.  We know Jesus set aside time to pray, sometimes all night.  We know we are to pray with understanding and in the Spirit.  We know prayer matters and that it gets results, and those results can be miraculous. 

         Knowing all these things, we still procrastinate when it comes to the actual activity of praying.  When it comes to time, is prayer a priority for us?

         I challenge you to look at your daily schedule and see if you can determine just how much prayer time you are putting in for the Kingdom of God.  Then ask yourself if you think it is enough.  Perhaps we all can do better in how much time we invest in our prayer life.  I know I can.

    Sincerely,

    A Small Church Pastor

  • Letter #29–Dare to Be Different

    Dear Small Church Pastor,

         Have you noticed that many people seem to dress alike when they go to the same places regularly?  Or when they belong to a specialized group?  Or at work?  Or if they belong to a particular clique or social circle? 

         There exists in our societies today that thing called peer pressure.  We tend to succumb to that pressure when it comes to our clothes.  But something that disturbs me when it comes to peer pressure is that we also tend to succumb to that pressure when it comes to our calling as pastors.  We subconsciously, or maybe even consciously, attempt to talk, act and even think like other pastors we know.

         We find ourselves doing what other pastors are doing.  We find ourselves preaching similar sermons and leading our congregations in similar ways.  We might even realize one day that we are guiding our people to be just like other congregations in our areas without making sure from our source that we should be leading them in that direction.  (Remember Letter #27?)

         There’s something I discovered while pastoring—every congregation is different.  They may have similar heritages in a general geographic area or ethnic background, but they will be different.  They’ll have different individual needs and those needs will require different approaches.  They’ll have special circumstances and special emergencies and special, different, physical, mental, emotional and spiritual fears, pressures, and uncertainties.

         They also have a multitude of varying dreams and goals and experiences.  They have different abilities, understanding and knowledge.  They have different spiritual gifts and varying discernment about life and its demands.

         Because your congregation will be different, you need to be different, too.  Earnestly seek guidance from God on how to lead your individual group of people.  Pray for discernment on how to address their special needs.  Seek to establish strong relationships with them and learn as much as you can about those little nuances in their voices and body language that speak volumes that the words don’t say when they talk to you. 

         They need you to be different.  They need you to lead them to their own solutions, not someone else’s.  They need you to be their pastor to their congregation, not another group down the road.

         For these reasons, I encourage you to be different.  Fast, pray, read your Word and spend time alone with your source in order to discover who you need to be for God’s glory.  Don’t try to do what other pastors do unless the Holy Spirit leads you in that direction.  Go in the direction your sheep need.

         Additionally, I challenge you to dare to be different because your own ministry is not going to be just like everyone else’s ministry.  I dare you to be different when it comes to how much you fast, pray, study and preach the messages the Holy Spirit directs you to prepare.  I dare you to not do what every other church in your area is doing.

         Dare to be different about who is called to speak at your congregation’s homecoming.  Dare to be different about the structure of your worship services.  Dare to be different when it comes to how many times a year you have a missions speaker.  Dare to be different as you plan out next year’s emphasis.  Dare to stop maintaining the status quo.

         Abram was different and left his father and family behind.  Joshua didn’t use military strategy against Jericho; he used God strategy.  David demonstrated a different kind of faith in the God of Israel in order to kill the giant.  Peter dared to speak boldly in the name of Jesus and thousands were saved.  Paul and Silas weren’t normal prisoners; they sang songs of worship in the middle of the night.  These people dared to be different and accomplished the deeds God had set before them. 

         What will God use you to do if you will dare to be different?

    Sincerely,

    A Small Church Pastor

  • Letter #2–Vision

    Dear Small Church Pastor

                You’ve probably preached the verse that says, “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” (Proverbs 29:18)   That vision, that over-riding thought, that dream for your congregation, is very likely God’s will for your church.  There’s a solid chance that the vision is that “one thing” the Holy Spirit is leading you to achieve for His kingdom.  There is something you can do in order to discover if it is.

                In order to know God’s will for your own life, you had to seek God, talk to him and then listen to His voice.  You’re going to have to do the same things in order to discover His will for your congregation.  You’re going to have to pray, pray, pray, and then, pray some more.  Then be quiet and wait on the Holy Spirit to answer you.

                I know that’s a “WELL, DUH!” statement.  Here’s the rub—Too many of us small church pastors pray and pray and pray, but we don’t stop talking and listen.  We’re too busy to be still in His presence and allow Him to talk to us.

                The enemy has convinced us we are supposed to invest our days and nights in hospital visits, making follow-up calls to visitors—if we ever have any—keeping the church yard neat, overseeing the new bathroom remodel, meetings with the Kiwanis Club or Chamber of Commerce, cooking for the benefit dinner, having board meetings, planning the every month outreach activity, prepping sermons and Bible studies, etc..  The enemy has convinced us we should be doing what everyone else is doing.  He has convinced too many of us that we should be doing that “everything” deal.  (Remember the first letter?)

                None of these activities are bad things to do.  However, they do devour our time and keep us away from being still and waiting on God to speak to us.  If you are going to discover the will of God for your people, His vision for them, then you are going to have to stop doing everything and start doing what matters the most.  Make time to get alone with God in order to have regular conversations with Him. 

                Allow me to share something one of our district leaders once said to a group of pastors.  He said, “When I was pastoring, I should have spent more time in prayer listening to God than I spent in hospitals talking to sick folks and their families.”  There’s wisdom in that statement.  He had discovered the key to being a great leader lies in being a great listener to the Holy Spirit. 

                Invest more time in sharing what’s on your heart with God, then stop talking, be quiet and still, and listen as He shares what’s on His heart with you.

    Sincerely,

    A Small Church Pastor