The church I serve is getting ready to welcome a new pastor. I’m excited to see how God will use him in our community. It’s always interesting too to see how he uses them as individuals. The last pastor we had was about as close to a superman as you could get, but don’t forget that the Apostle Paul referred to himself frequently as “the least of all saints.”
As a pastor, you want to be successful and make a difference for Christ. You’ll never do that if you settle for mediocrity or doing things the way they’ve always been done. That’s why it’s important to pray for a new pastor. Learn about; Prayer for pastors and leaders, Short prayers for pastors.
Prayer for a new pastor
Dear Lord,
I pray that you will bless [new pastor’s name] as he begins his new journey as a pastor.
May he feel your presence in all that he does, and may he be reminded of the power of prayer.
May he find joy in being able to serve others, and may he be able to use his gifts to help people grow closer to God.
Dear God,
We ask that you guide our new pastor in his work, and show him the way to lead our congregation. We pray that he will be your mouthpiece and carry out your vision for this parish. We pray that he will be a good man who will inspire us all and bring us closer to you through his example. Help him to minister in a way that is true to his heart and reflects the love you have for us all. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Amen
Dear God,
We pray for our new pastor, [name]. We know that this is a difficult time for him and his family, but we also know that you have great things in store for them. We ask that you would guide him as he leads the church and that you would give him the strength to lead well. Please help us to be a supportive congregation during this transition, and please help us to embrace the new pastor with open arms. We pray for peace in his family as they make this transition and we pray for wisdom in all of his decisions.
In Jesus’ name, amen
Dear Lord,
We ask that you bless our new pastor, [name], with a long and fruitful ministry here at [church name]. We pray that he will be a good steward of the gifts you have placed in him, and that he will use those gifts to build up our community. We also pray for his family. May they always be blessed by your love and grace. In Jesus’ Name, Amen
Dear God,
We are writing this prayer to you to ask you to bless our pastor, [name]. He came to us recently, and we have been so excited about having him on board. We believe that he is going to be a great fit for our church and for the community that we serve.
We ask that you guide him as he begins his work here. We want him to be successful in all of his endeavors, and we hope that any challenges he may face will help him grow as a person.
Please let this be the start of a long and fruitful ministry for him here at [church name]. We ask that you grant him wisdom and knowledge about how best to spread your message within our community. Please give him strength during times of difficulty, so that he can continue being an inspiration to those around him. Please let him find joy in serving others through his work here at [church name]. Please let these prayers be answered in Jesus’ name. Amen
Prayer for pastors and leaders
Lord, I ask that You would give me the strength to lead my church well. I ask that You would give me the wisdom to make decisions based on Your Word, and that You would give me discernment in knowing when I need to seek counsel from others.
I pray that You would help me to be a good shepherd, caring for my flock and protecting them from harm. I pray that You would make me a blessing to those around me, including my family and church members.
I pray for wisdom as I work through the challenges of being a pastor or leader in this day and age. I pray that You would give me wisdom regarding finances, conflict resolution and other issues so that my ministry may be successful.
As a pastor, you are called to serve. You are called to lead. And you are called to pray.
In the Bible, the prayers of leaders have a way of setting an example for all those who follow them. From Moses to Paul, we see how prayer can change lives and bring about miracles. As a pastor and leader in your church, it’s important that you pray not only for yourself but also for those who look up to you.
Here are five short prayers every pastor should pray on a regular basis:
Prayer for Your Ministry
Father God, I thank you for calling me into ministry and for giving me the opportunity to serve others. May my life be an inspiration to those around me as they see how much you love them through my actions and words each day.
Prayer for Your Team
Father God, thank you for my team members who work alongside me each day in ministry. May they continue to be faithful workers and servants of yours so that they might grow together as brothers and sisters in Christ while they serve our church body with excellence!
Prayer for Your Congregation
Father God, thank you for giving us the opportunity to gather together this weekend on this Lord’s Day! May
Help me to stay focused on the mission of Your Kingdom rather than becoming distracted by other things. Help me to focus on what matters most — sharing Your love with others — so that they can come into a relationship with You through Jesus Christ. Amen
Short prayers for pastors
Dear Lord,
We ask for your blessing on our pastor. Give him wisdom, courage and strength to lead us in the way that you have laid out for us. Help him to see the needs of his parishioners and help him to care for them. Heal any wounds he might have from his past experiences as a pastor and give him peace.
Bless all who are involved in the search committee, helping them to find the right person for this position. May they work together in harmony so that they can make wise decisions regarding who will lead our church into the future.
We pray that God will guide everyone involved in this process, including those who have been elected to serve on the search committee or who may be approached about serving on it. We pray especially for those individuals who may be asked to serve on this important committee because they are available and willing to do so. May all their efforts result in finding someone who is truly qualified for this position and who can lead us well into the future.
Dear Lord,
We pray for all of the pastors who have been called to serve in this community. May they be strong and wise leaders who lead by example and encourage others to follow their example. We pray that they will strive to be faithful stewards of all that you have given them, and that they will never let themselves become discouraged by the obstacles that stand in their path. Dear Lord, please use us as your instruments to bless these pastors and help them to fulfill their calling with excellence. Amen
prayer points for pastors with scriptures
When one chapter comes to an end, we can always look forward to a new beginning. Kickstart the year with renewed hope and prepare for a fresh start with our three powerful prayers for new beginnings.
1. Prayers for a renewed heart
God, thank you helping me get through a difficult year. I know that even in the darkest valleys of my life, you have been with me. Your love has carried me through challenging times.
Please renew my heart and my mind. Help me leave behind the bitterness and pain of former things. Replace the old and broken ways of my heart and restore me with your grace and strength.
Fill me with new blessings, joy and peace. Help renew my heart so that I can be ready for a new beginning.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me” – Psalm 51:10
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” – 2 Corinthians 5:17
2. Prayers for future decisions
God, I trust you with my decisions and plans this year.
Help me lean on you with all my heart instead of relying on my own understanding. Give me the confidence and wisdom to follow you as you guide me towards the right path.
Even when I make decisions that aren’t the best, would you continue to work for my good and your glory. Remind me that your ways are higher than my ways and that you always know the best way to go.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” – Proverbs 3: 5-6
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.” – Hebrews 12:1b-2a
3. Prayers for a renewed heart
God, I give you all my cares and concerns to you.
I know you are my Heavenly Father who can provide me with everything I need. You know my needs before I even ask you for them.
Thank you, Lord, for your new beginnings and unwavering provision. I trust that your peace will watch over me as I step into a new beginning.
This year, I will rely on the riches of your love and grace to provide for my physical, emotional and spiritual needs.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” – Matthew 11:28
“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” – 1 Peter 5:7
Turning loss into a new beginning
At Mission Australia, we help vulnerable people find their new beginnings. Thanks to the generosity of our supporters and partners, we can help provide people like Cindy* with the support they need to thrive.
Cindy’s Story
Balancing life as a teacher and mother of three, Cindy* relied on an organised schedule. Most of her days were carefully planned out, until a sudden life event threw her off course.
Within weeks, Cindy was unemployed and left to care for three young children on her own.
Raising young kids alone is already difficult, but without a steady income, Cindy was at rock bottom.
In a desperate search for support, Cindy reached out to a local ParentsNext service where she connected with Judy. Together, they mapped out the next chapter of Cindy’s life.
“What are you most passionate about?” asked Judy.
Cindy told Judy about her desire to study psychology and help others. With Judy’s encouragement, Cindy pursued a plan that would allow her to study while supporting her family.
From software programs and printer ink to finding financial assistance options, Judy’s support gave Cindy and her three children the opportunity to start afresh.
“Cindy received first place in her final major assessment with the highest GPA,” shares Judy.
With outstanding results, Judy is confident that Cindy can secure a stable job that she’ll love.