A Martyred Pastor, Mingled Sweat and Awake!

This is an e-mail that my wife and I received from a college friend, Clayton King, a few days ago. It was the type of letter that has a profound way of re-prioritizing your day. Clayton founded CrossRoads Worldwide over ten years ago. He travels extensively preaching the Gospel, holding student camps in the Summer and plugs volunteers into mission opportunities. I encourage you to check out www.claytonking.com for an introduction to this ministry. I trust his letter might prove insightful to your life and your soul.


Dear Friends,

We are admonished in scripture to remember those in chains as if we were in chains with them. It is with a heavy heart that I ask you to pray for the family of Pastor Prem Kumar in Andra Pradesh, India.

Prem Kumar was murdered on Thursday, June 8th by a group of men pretending to ask him to join in a time of prayer. His head was smashed with a large stone and his body was discarded in a jungle.

Pastor Kumar leaves a wife, two sons and a daughter. Their names are Sulochana, Sudhir, Sunit and Prem Latha, respectively.

Crossroads has been actively involved in ministry in India since 1996 and has sent hundreds of volunteers to Asia since that time. Our good friend, Dr. Samuel Thomas [of Hopegivers International, see www.hopegivers.org ] was recently released from prison after being held for nearly two months on false charges. He and his father, Dr. M.A. Thomas, both have $26,000 bounties on their heads and neither is able to move freely or enjoy basic human rights in their own native land. Samuel has not seen his two sons, Timothy and Steven, in months.

It is so easy for us to immerse ourselves in ourselves. Life moves along and we get lulled into apathy. The sounds of the radio or the images on a TV screen just put us to spiritual sleep. We daydream while the pastor preaches, we show up late because we can not find where we left our Bible after church last Sunday. We just coast along, complaining about traffic or taxes or slow service at Wal-Mart.

While we drone on obliviously, a pastor's skull was crushed and his life ended because of his allegiance to Christ. While I fuss over a Duke Power energy bill, a wife and three children are without a father in India. And in the time it took me to type this email, several hundred people in Africa died of malnutrition, malaria, dysentery, or AIDS. While my local radio station warns me to stay indoors because of high Ozone levels, another girl is sold into the world of human slave trafficking on the streets of Bangkok.

Prem Kumar died for one simple reason; THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST. He believed it to an insane degree. The gospel is sickening and offensive to those who are lost in sin. It calls them out of their sinful stupor and shines merciful light on their disease. The gospel then showers them with grace; the opportunity to be forgiven, to be reconciled with God and man, to start new. Some will take the offer and run with it, while others will simply kill the messenger.

This is the Christ of the gospel. He makes demands. As Bonheoffer said, when Christ bids someone to follow Him, He bids them to come and die. What a tragedy to us, that a dear brother and laborer for the Kingdom leaves behind a hurting family. What a glorious arrival in heaven, though, as a martyr was welcomed with a crown of life. I wonder if Jesus stood up when Prem Kumar entered Heaven, as He did when Steven was stoned in the book of Acts?

My son, right now, is playing at my feet. He is 11 months old and is pulling on my toe, biting my leg, and laughing. What is the greatest wrong I could ever do to my son? I think it would be to teach him by my example to be an apathetic man. To turn the channel when the documentary makes me uncomfortable. To delete the email when I begin to feel conviction for my lack of compassion. To walk right on past the old gentleman at the market who can barely put one sack of groceries in his car without offering assistance.

What is the best I can do for my son? To live like Christ. To stop and pay attention. To offer what I have to those who have not. And to one day, if God desires, to lose my life for the sake of the gospel of Jesus Christ. What greater legacy for Prem Kumar's children and grandchildren to know that he was faithful in life and in death.

Pray for our persecuted brothers and sisters. Then do more than pray. Write letters. Appeal to governments. Send money. Share the gospel. Push Congress and the White House to be agressive in rescuing the suffering in Sudan, Congo, Somalia, and Niger as much as they are in keeping gas prices down. And preach the gospel. Share the gospel. LIVE the gospel.

Here is where you can start...

www.persecution.com
This is the website for Voice of the Martyrs and is the definitive voice for the persecuted church worldwide.

www.persecution.in
This deals specifically with India and even has photos of burning churches and murdred Christians (Prem Kumar's photo is there).

Be a voice on behalf of those who pay a high price for their faith in Jesus Christ.

For Christ,

Clayton King


Lord, too often, I take for granted the freedom I have to live and love and worship and pray. I take lightly the cost of following Christ as scores of believers around the world consider carefully how their decision to gather with other believers may be the last time they gather with anyone on earth. They risk to worship you—live that you might be praised—though it may cost them their lives.

I recently spoke to a pastor that recently went to Senegal on a Mission Trip. He shared with me how he was crammed in the downstairs room of a house with believers. His “American” space was completely invaded and decimated as believers joyfully gathered together shoulder to shoulder with their sweat mingling in the hot summer night to praise their Savior. The pastor led the congregation in praise to God and then preached the Word all the while a “guard” was posted out front to watch for soldiers that may come to break up the meeting. Sweat mingling. Guards posted. O Lord, how easily I am distracted.

Awake me O Lord. Awake your church in America that is overly concerned about secondary [or “thirdinary”] things or worse yet, not concerned at all! Let us be awakened by the call of your Word to the primary thing. Let us, like King Josiah of old, be freshly reintroduced to your Word and your holiness in such a way that we tear our clothes and awake from our slumber. Let the asherah poles be removed from the seats of our hearts. Let us be salt. Let us be light. Help us, O Lord, to take the baskets off our heads. Be pleased to awaken your people for your glory. Let it begin with me Father. Let it begin with me. Amen.


Books4InsideYourHead

When it comes to using your life for and enjoying God’s glory, there is no better author than John Piper. His classic volume, Desiring God (Sisters, OR: Multnomah Publishers, 1996), introduced readers to his credo, “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.” This volume, originally published in 1986, could reorient things for you. If you are looking for something a little more doable for the summer, let me suggest his slim book Don’t Waste Your Life. (No Christian College student should be allowed to graduate from school before reading this book.)

Last summer I discovered Praise Habit (Colorado Springs: Think Books, 2004) by David Crowder. Yes, the Crowder of the David Crowder Band fame! (I saw his hair once in person!)This is a collection of devotional thoughts on various Psalms. Good reading and much to edify your soul.

Have you ever thought to yourself, why can’t our team at work [or church, at school, etc.] be more effective? Why am I always so frustrated about it? The Five Dysfunctions of a Team (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2002) by Patrick Lencioni is a real gem if this is a question you have ever asked yourself. I was introduced to Lencioni at a Lead Like Jesus conference in November of 2004. You can find a video of him talking about this subject matter from the Willow Creek Association web site. This book is great for anyone who desires to see teams work more effectively and strategically. It is a good read because it is done through the means of story instead of the sharing of theory. I highly recommend it.

Dad (Spiritually) On The Job

Parents have heard much about spiritually training their kids. Deuteronomy 6 shows us that God put a premium on this practice for his chosen people. However, I have often found parents asking--maybe not in these exact words--"What the heck is spiritual training and what does it look like?" Some parents desire the train their kids, yet they are not so sure what to do. I think there is a real temptation to be passive in training because we think of some foregone era of fundamentalism where there is the impression of trying to "bang people over the head with the Bible." However, this practice is having horrendous effect on the church in America.

With that in mind, I want to offer a great article by C. J. Mahaney. In this, he talks about his practice of preparing his son for the Sunday morning worship time. This could be a good place for parents to start--especially dads!

Also, I am introducing a new summer feature, Books4InsideYourHead. The feature is in honor of summer reading and each week I will feature four books for your consideration. The introductory feature will be books you might want to consider for dad. So enjoy C. J.'s article! Don't forget to call dad...


Fathers and Sons and Sundays
by C J Mahaney

Yep, Mark, I follow a similar approach in order to prepare Chad for the Sunday meeting at Covenant Life Church, only this event is much more important than basketball. Actually, as I understand it, parenting is all about preparation. I need to prepare Chad to fulfill his call as a man to serve and lead, and ultimately I must prepare him for the fast-approaching day of judgment.

My approach to preparing Chad for the Sunday meeting has been informed by the doctrine of the church as clearly taught in Scripture and the Savior’s love for the church as compelling demonstrated on the cross. I want to inform my son theologically about the church and demonstrate for him a passion for the church. I want to transfer to him my love for Covenant Life Church in particular.

Imparting a love for the church must begin with my example. Modeling precedes teaching. Before we teach, we must provide a genuine (not a perfect) example for our children. So, in order to effectively prepare Chad for Sunday, I must first prepare my own heart.
I build anticipation for Sunday by statements I make about Sunday. For many years I have referred to Sunday as my favorite day of the week. And I love Spurgeon’s description of the church as “the dearest place on earth.” That’s how I feel about CLC. So, as Sunday approaches, and finally arrives, I talk to Chad (and everyone else I come in contact with) about how Sunday is the best day of the week, when we go to the dearest place on earth.
Covenant Life Church on Sunday is also the happiest place on earth. There should be no happier gathering than the one where we are reminded of the Savior’s substitutionary sacrifice on the cross, where He satisfied the righteous wrath of God and secured our forgiveness and justification. Thus, preparing Chad for the Sunday meeting begins first in my heart and with my example. But there are certain grace-motivated practices I seek to model for Chad and inspire him to emulate each Sunday. The following would be a sampling:

Greeting--I want Chad to serve others by cheerfully greeting them. This also helps him put to death selfishness and overcome the fear of man.
Serving--Chad’s love for the church will grow as he serves in the church. At present, he serves on the children’s ministry administrative team, and together we hand out bulletins and greet folks as they arrive on Sunday.
Encouraging--I want Chad to take special note of the army of folks joyfully serving each Sunday and express his appreciation to them. The Savior defines true greatness as humbly serving others for the glory of God. True greatness in the form of humility and servanthood is on display each Sunday at CLC, and I want Chad to discern and acknowledge true greatness. So, each Sunday I help Chad to be intentional about thanking folks for the different ways they serve. And I have him encourage whoever has preached that day. Yesterday, he thanked and encouraged Joshua Harris (my favorite Senior Pastor) for the outstanding message he preached from Luke 15.
Singing--I want Chad to sing sincerely and passionately during worship. Singing is an appropriate response to the Savior for His amazing grace. Through singing, Chad is loving God with all his heart, soul, mind and strength. A parent can discern a lot about their child’s heart by the presence or absence of participation and passion in worship.
Learning--I believe in the importance of hearing expository preaching as a primary means of grace for the Christian. The preaching event must be a priority for our children. Therefore, listening carefully and responding appropriately to the sermon is very important. Both Chad and I take notes during the sermon. This helps us to listen carefully and is invaluable as we review the sermon together during the week. Yesterday, Chad told me he took seven pages of notes on Joshua’s sermon (his notebook paper is small).

So this is what I do. I’m not suggesting you have to do the same thing, but every father must do something to prepare their sons (and daughters) for Sunday. Please don’t think that preparing my son for the Sunday meeting takes a lengthy period of time. It does not. Since we have discussed these practices at length, many times, I am able to remind him in just a few minutes. He is quite familiar with the question: “Chad, how are you and Dad going to please and glorify God at the meeting this morning?” This brief conversation can make all the difference in both our lives that day.

Before I conclude, I must mention the importance of review after the Sunday meeting. If all we do is prepare our children without review, there will be minimal application and therefore little effect. So, Chad and I have multiple conversations about the Sunday meeting throughout the week. It usually begins on the car-ride home, and is normally a part of the time we spend together each Monday afternoon. Monday is my day off, and Monday afternoon Chad and I hang out together. Unhurried conversation on a wide variety of topics is a part of this time, and we often review our experience of the Sunday meeting. If not during this time, we’ll go over the Sunday meeting when we have devotions together during the week. Much of my review with Chad involves encouraging him and celebrating how he has applied truth to his life. Discerning and celebrating evidences of grace in Chad’s life is a daily priority and practice for me as his father. I want my son to experience my affection and hear my encouragement each and every day.

Now this has gone on way too long and you shouldn’t have to devote an entire day to reading my post. But there is one more point I must make, so please hear me out. I am not an expert on fathering. Daily I am reminded of my weakness and sin, and I often need to ask for my son’s forgiveness. I am a fellow sinner and address all fathers from that perspective. And ultimately my confidence is not in my fathering skill or the aforementioned practices. My confidence is in God’s grace and His eagerness to reveal the gospel of grace to my son. Left to myself, I am in way over my head as a father. But God hasn’t left me to myself. He has called me to this holy task. He has given Chad to me as a gift and a holy assignment. Chad needs to be trained and I need to be sanctified. And God has promised to do both by His grace and for His glory.

Books4InsideYourHead

With Father’s day coming up, here’s a few books that dad might enjoy.

Kathy greatly blessed me with a copy of Payne Stewart by Tracey Stewart (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2000) on the Father’s Day after Elijah was born. It is a great story of the developing faith of a man that heroically won the U.S. Open (golf) in 1999 and then lost his life in a tragic plane crash months later. Every June, I pick this book up for a reminder of how it is I wish for my wife and children to think of me as a husband and dad. It is an incredible story. I never fail to laugh and shed tears when reading it.

This book could send a mixed message, but I promise you the message is powerful in C. J. Mahaney’s Humility: True Greatness (Sisters, OR: Multnomah Publishers, 2005). Mahaney is probably the best preacher you have never heard. He is president of Sovereign Grace Ministries and founding/former pastor of Covenant Life Church in Gaithersburg, Maryland. To hear him preach, you can go to www.covlife.org and check out their sermon section and look for him under the listings or go to C.J.’s favorites.

Does your dad like sports in general and college football in particular? The Junction Boys: How Ten Days in Hell with Bear Bryant Forged a Championship Team by Jim Dent (New York: Thomas Dunne Books, 1999) is the best sports book I have ever read. Period. Nothing can touch the aura of Bear Bryant and his place in the mind of fans on fall Saturdays. This is part of his legend pre-Crimson Tide while coaching, of all places, at Texas A&M. Dent tells a great story—you can feel the heat and taste the dust. This volume made for a great week in Panama City a few years ago!

America’s history during the sixties and the seventies, especially political history, is simply fascinating. The turbulence, the ideas and the personalities cast long shadows on us today. Dad may very well enjoy Evan Thomas’ Robert Kennedy: His Life (New York: Simon and Schuster, 2000). It is hard for my generation to understand the rock star status R. Kennedy enjoyed while running for president. This book does not deify the man, it attempts to tell the stories and what was driving them. Thomas does a nice job. The ending of the book makes you feel the way—if possible—the way it must have felt the night he was shot. If you read the entire book and make it to the end, the effect is unlike any other feeling I have ever had at the end of any other book. Haunting. Great read.

A Buddy, A Blanket and Boxing Gloves

“Take heart my friend,
we can walk together
and if our burdens become to great,
we can hold up and help one another
in Gods love. In God’s grace.”
—Fernando Ortega
from the song, “Take Heart My Friend

“At least one of the purposes of church is to remind us that God has other children, easily as precious as we. Baptism and narcissism cancel each other out.”
—Barbara Brown Taylor
from the book, Leaving Church, San Francisco: Harper San Francisco, 2006, p. 95.


So now we explore praying for and being church. Will one blog entry get it all figured out? In my dreams it does.

The Apostle Paul makes an incredible decision in the first chapter of Philippians. While struggling over the options of dying to be with Jesus or staying to help the church, he decides remaining for the church is best. Why? In order to assist them in their “progress and joy in the faith.” (Philippians 1.25) Get that? Paul comes to believe that it is much better to forego heaven and commit to living for the benefit of other believers.

In any of your thinking about church, have you ever considered your responsibility to the progress and joy of other Christians? Do you ever show up on Sunday morning (or for some of you, Saturday night—rabbit chase: I once went to church on Saturday night and rather enjoyed it) thinking, my role today is to help another Jesus-follower be more like him and find more joy in serving him? Wouldn’t that tweak the corporate gathering?

Let me suggest you pray Ecclesiastes 4:1-12 for your congregation. The first eight verses serve as a window on the world and its harsh reality. Verses nine through twelve are set, I might suggest, as a beautiful model of how the church of Jesus Christ should (and can?) operate in this world. Pray, desperately, these verses will be so in your church.

Ecclesiastes are the musings of “the preacher”—King Solomon—having lived as the grandest and most resource-laden monarch of his day. He enjoyed women, wealth and all the wisdom that God would grant him, yet his conclusions about life, are at times, cryptic and cynical. He sees through what many would call good and believes it to be chasing after the wind. His window on the world in verses one through eight show three realities.

Reality #1: Some people beat the living daylights out of other people. The beaters get more and more help and more and more power and the beaten have no one or no thing (v. 1).

Do you ever wake up thinking it would be better to just face the day from the comfort of your bed? The next day...what about the next decade! We have all had those days—one more shot and you are in the ditch. Why does life seem designed to break you in two and then spit on your guts? Solomon’s conclusion? It is better to be dead or never to have have been (vv. 2-3).

Reality #2: The only reason people do what they do is to keep up with Joneses (v. 4).

Want to know what trying to catch the wind is like? Letting the guy who lives next door determine your standard of living. Why do you really want that promotion? That new car? That new house? Some figure being lazy is a better option—not! (v. 5) Solomon’s conclusion? Enough is never enough (see 5:10-12)! A cup of peace and quiet is better than an estate of anything else (v. 6).

Reality #3: Working hard for your self--having no mate, no kids and no friends--and being unsatisfied is useless. Why bother (vv. 7-8)?

Living your life without taking honest inventory of why you are doing what you are doing just makes no sense. It just seems at some point, everyone wakes up one morning and wonders what it is all for. Alone and unsatisfied do not appear to be very good options for Solomon.

Pray that vv. 1-8 are not your life and the life of your fellow Jesus-followers. Living this way is like pouring out your last cold drink of water in the desert. No benefit. However, in the midst of this ever oppressive life, Solomon envisions a better reality. A reality we pray for and live out within the body of Christ. Oh brother! Oh sister! Pray it to be with all your heart for your local congregation.

Better Reality #1: Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!”

Paul celebrated and found much joy in the Philippian church because they were his partners (see Philippians 1:3,5). How glorious it is to have someone come beside and say, “Let me help you out of that hole! I will walk with you. Let’s do life together. I know it’s messy and I know you’re not perfect. Heck, neither am I. But I’ll stick with you, no matter what.” The hardness of life is made easier with another at your side. What about another? And another? And another? Yes, Father let that be my church! May Galatians 6:2 and Colossians 3:12-17 be true in us.

Better Reality #2: Ecclesiastes 4:11 “Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone?”

One Christmas in Indiana, I woke up to go to the bathroom and discovered it was zero degrees outside. Thank God for a warm blanket and a warm wife to share it! Yes Father, help my church to be that! Yes Father, let us practice Ephesians 4:13 and II Corinthians 13:11-12.

Better Reality #3: Ecclesiastes 4:12 “And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.”

Do you ever wonder why that guy who gets beat up in the movie always goes back to get friends? He’s just smart. Father, help my church to practice this verse. Our lives and our enemies are kicking the snot out of us. We feel close to being broken. Help us, together, to practice and live Ephesians 6:10-18.

Do I overstate the case? Then go ahead and walk on alone. Me?

I’m waiting here for a friend to show up. We’ll catch up later. I am sure we’ll pick you up out of the ditch if need be. We’ll bring a blanket. Then will go chase down the guys from Ecclesiastes 4:1 who did it to you. You’re worth it!

I Need Your Ear...Seriously!

I want you to lend me your year. I pray it will hear well.

There are a few observations I have made about your pastor(s) who is charged with the watch, care and maturity of your soul (Colossians 1:28, Hebrews 13:17), your church which is called to display the glory of Christ (I Corinthians 10:31) and be salt and light to this tasteless and dark world (Matthew 5:13-16) and you who are called to delight yourself much in the author of salvation (Matthew 22:37-40; Ephesians 2:8-10; I Corinthians 1:30-31).

One, your pastor will one day stand a stricter judgment from God because of his position (James 3:1). The day he answered the call upon his life and the day a local congregation affirmed that he possessed the qualifications for service in ministry (I Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9), he placed himself in a position to be highly scrutinized by the king of glory. I believe the Lord wants your pastor to be very aware of the weightiness of his job. The heavenly Father, in his graciousness, calls fallible men, empowered by the Spirit, to do a holy and precious work. Your Father knows they are not perfect and because of it, they need to be driven to a deep dependence upon him and prone to have less and less confidence in themselves (John 3:30; Philippians 3:4-11). One day, your pastor will give an account for how he has taught and led the flock. This seems to be the reason James tells men not to be too quick in desiring such a position and responsibility.

Two, the enemy of your soul and the soul of your pastor is committed to do everything to either destroy or render ineffective your life, the life of the one chosen for the care of your soul and the ministry of your congregation. He does this by making everything—even good things—more important than the only real essential thing. Do you know what it is? A wise pastor will tell you it is the Gospel and it alone. (To be clear, when I say Gospel, I mean salvation by Christ alone through faith alone and all its implications for all of life both individually and corporately.) It can not be compromised or diluted and yet, the enemy will tempt your church, you and your pastor to do just that. If he can not get you to dilute the Gospel, he will then work to distract you, your church and your pastor from it. He is a thief (John 10:10). He is a lion (I Peter 5:8). He is the Father of confusion (I Corinthians 14:33). He parades with a glorious costume of light (II Corinthians 11:14). Before you know it, your church will be chasing after a myriad of things that focus more on the priority of personalities of people in the church than on the character of the Christ. Ask yourself. Is the condition and environment of my church, my life and my pastor promoting a more glorious display of the Gospel and bringing great joy and fame to the King of Heaven? If not, who do you think is glad? Think that guy across the aisle is the enemy? Think again (Ephesians 6:12). Remember, the throngs of Satan were defeated by the conquering Savior on the cross (Colossians 2:14-15; I John 3:8). He is under the Sovereignty of God (Job 1:7-12) and yet, works his wiles and schemes against the glorious bride of Christ (Ephesians 6:10-11, 13, 16). What is your position and evaluation of what is happening spiritually in your church? What is now consuming your life, your pastor and your congregation? Who is getting glory? May much prayer and obedience to God be our most outstanding characteristics.

So how do we pray in light of this reality? Let me suggest, in this article, a few ways you can pray for your pastor(s). (Next week will be your church and the next, your own life.) I promise you, he is desperate for your intercession. An effective way I have found to pray is seeing and seeking Scripture and praying through what is there. In light of my previous thoughts, let me suggest Acts 20:17-38 for your time of intercession for your pastor. (Praying the characteristics of I Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9 are very good, however, I believe the Acts 20 passage is particularly helpful!)

Paul is quickly moving toward Jerusalem. On his way, he stops at the port city of Miletus and calls for the Ephesian elders. He knew going to Ephesus would slow him and surely he was thinking about the riot that broke out because of him and the Gospel a mere three months before (Acts 19:21-41). At this seaport, Paul shares some very important information to these men charged with pastoring the church. He shares, first, his example of serving among them—qualities for which you should pray for your pastor. And second, he reveals how they need to respond in light of future threats—again, more qualities to pray for your pastor. This is a moving and powerful scene between a man who has been committed to the Gospel and seeing the church established and those he has trained—directly and indirectly—to carry out that work.

So how do you pray for your pastor(s)? Pray he embrace and exhibit the Spirit-given characteristics powerfully displayed in the life of Paul in Acts 20:17-38.

(v. 19) Pray your pastor(s) serve with humility and tears (i.e. passion, concern for unbelievers to become converted and believers to be established in faith). Pray your pastor(s) serve in spite of “plots” from enemies. In the case of Paul, it was Jews who were non-believers, these threats can be/are very real in your church.

(v. 20) Pray your pastor(s) will courageously declare and teach what is profitable both publicly and privately. (v. 21) Namely, that people must repent to God and that he will know that which is most profitable is Christ and the faith he graciously gives.

(v. 22) Pray your pastor(s) will be committed to Christ and serve the church even in light of the promise of trouble and affliction. (Note what the Holy Spirit promised Paul in v. 23! I recognize this promise was specific to Paul, but your pastor will face his own.)

(v. 24) Pray your pastor(s) will count his life precious only for the task of completing the course and ministry he has been given by the Lord. Any other view of his life is the enemy of humility and to God being glorified in him. Pray he testifies to the Gospel.

(v. 26) Pray your pastor(s) will be innocent in regards to the lives of people—this only comes by him courageously preaching the whole counsel of God (v. 27), pray he do that as well. Pray he will be a good watchman on the wall (Ezekiel 33:7-9).

(v. 28) Pray your pastor(s) pays careful attention to caring for his life (I Timothy 4:16—even your pastor(s) has “blindspots!” ) and to the lives of the people that make up the church. Pray your pastor will not forget the preciousness of the church—that it belongs to God and was purchased through the death of his son.

(v. 29) Pray your pastor(s) will protect the church from false teachers that wish to destroy the church. (Paul states he knows this will happen!)

(v. 30) Pray your pastor(s) will protect your church from those within the church who speak distorted things for the purpose of drawing people after themselves. (Paul states he knows this will happen as well!)

(v. 31) Pray your pastor(s) will be alert!

(v. 32) Pray your pastor(s) has an unflinching commitment to God and the Word since it is the only thing that will build up you, your pastor and your church and provide the only lasting inheritance.

(v. 33) Pray your pastor(s) will not be greedy for money.

(v. 34-35) Pray your pastor(s) will work hard and be more committed to giving than receiving. That he will show a deep concern for the weak (both spiritual and physical).

(v. 36) Pray your pastor(s) will be a man of prayer and will gladly pray with others. That passion and love would grow among your congregation that was demonstrated there at the seaport.

May God use the prayers of his people and the Spirit of Christ to raise up deeply courageous and committed pastors that serve local congregations well for the glory of our King Jesus! May you be the one raised up to pray!