Pray for More Ministers
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Pray for More Ministers
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As we pray for leaders in America, we don’t forget prayer for our spiritual leaders: pastors, teachers, and those in parachurch ministry. Let’s ask God to raise up more of them, as well.
Who is praying on the wall?
Their numbers are declining among most mainline Protestant denominations. Among Catholics and Jews, the story is similar, or worse.
Older pastors are part of the “Great Resignation” cohort. And 46% of younger pastors have told surveyors that due to such factors as burnout, COVID-related congregational stresses, and low pay, they are considering quitting full-time ministry.
Even if mature pastors were in plentiful supply, we would still need young leaders “in the pipeline.”
In 2022, there were 600 fewer Christian seminary students than in the previous year — a decline of 3.2% in evangelical enrollment, and 5.9% at mainline institutions, while Catholic and Orthodox students rose by 2.6%. Missionary sending is down too.
In the words of Paul the apostle: “How shall they hear without a preacher?” And new answers to this old “how” question are emerging. Bi-vocational pastors can make ends meet by means of an extra gig, like military chaplaincy or online work with flexible hours. Perhaps ordination could be allowed for those who have training even if they lack college degrees. Mission agencies are working smarter, learning how to equip indigenous clergy. Technology can put Bible mastery, spiritual direction, prayer, and even some fellowship at the tips of our fingers. Congregations can encourage their leaders and host “career days” and similar activities to motivate young people to consider full-time ministry.
Seminaries are becoming more savvy about offering online training, jettisoning expensive brick-and-mortar campuses. Seminaries could also offer more courses in such relevant areas as spoken-language courses, to help American pastors serve immigrants, or perhaps degrees in elder care, nonprofit leadership, disaster response, hospital chaplaincy, and addiction counseling or prison work. Such courses would train Biblically literate men and women to bring their faith to jobs outside the church walls or to enhance church leadership with practical skills.
One of the things Jesus exhorted was that we should pray earnestly for God to send laborers into His harvest. Let us pray, therefore, that more people would answer the call to ministry.
How are you praying for those in ministries, and for an increase in the laborers? Share this article to encourage others to pray.
Leah Farish is an attorney and host of the Conversation Balloons podcast, at https://open.spotify.com/show/5cNWjjcxsdpl3PAyWKesMa. Her legal and devotional writing can be found at LeahFarish.com. Photo Credit: Canva.
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This might be God’s way of purifying His church and His pulpits. It might be a good thing for our churches to be cleansed of the “influencers” such as Ed Stetzer, Jen Hatmaker, and Beth Moore. Our churches may need to be cleansed of their popular Bible studies that proclaim worldly philosophy and anti-Biblical teachings.
Father, we are in need of You, Your Truth, Your will and Your way in the church, in our lives, in our households, in our communities, and in our country.
11 Raise up some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into Him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
Ephesians 4
Raise up a True five-fold ministry in Your Holy Name we ask and pray, amen.
I believe that this may be a good thing. Church has become more of entertainment arena than discipleship. I love the ideas expressed in this article. Yes, let’s think outside the box to see how we can train ordinary people to bring Christ to the hurting. We don’t need to go overseas because we all have lost and hurting in our back yard. I have been praying to learn how to share the gospel. Lord, give us new methods for reaching the lost.
Amen!
Dr. Rick Warren proposes that his Purpose Driven Church movement is a New Reformation, the greatest paradigm shift in church government and message since Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the door of the church in Wittenburg, Germany, on October 31, 1517.
Without doubt, the Purpose Driven Church has become a tremendous force in the world, buth Noah Hutchings sees a dark side to this force.
Dr. Warren stated on May 23, 2005, at the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life: “The word ‘Fundamentalist’ actually comes from a document in the 1920s called the Five Fundamentals of Faith. And it is a very legalistic, narrow view of Christianity.”
The five fundamentals fo the faith to which Dr. Warren objected are:
1. The inerrancy and full authority of the Bible
2. The virgin birth and full Deity fo Jesus Christ
3. The bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead
4. Christ’s atoning, vicarious death for the sins of the world
5. The literal Second Coming fo Jesus Christ
The Purpose Driven Church religion at best is a distortion of the gospel; at worst, a movement to unite all religions to produce a one-world church.
Could it be that God is nudging his believers to return to – New Testament- churches ? Are the mega churches with multimillion dollar budgets, where we get a -feel good- message once a week, God’s plan ? We are examples of God’s movement to spread his word to the hungry! With IFA and other daily devotions and study guides we are extremely more involved in walking with our savior 24/7..
We should all agree to give this much prayer.. I certainly am not advocating anything but a constant role with Holy Spirit and daily Word practice. Our Father is definitely shaking up his Ecclesia!!
Father, draw people to be shepherds of your people. Give us hearts to serve and spread your word.
My concern is that congregations may be expecting too much of those in ministry and not wanting to contribute enough to help them out with what needs to be done. More congregational participation would be a big help in many ways!!
Lord please help more people go into ministry. If You want me to go then send me Father. I pray this in the mighty name of Jesus Christ. Amen.