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Pray for the Pastor’s Children

June 4, 2010 at 12:36 pm | Posted in prayer | Leave a comment
Tags: pastor's children, pray

Here is a subject that is near and dear to my heart. I was not raised in a pastor’s home but my sons were. The spiritual warfare around a pastor’s kids is every bit as real as the spiritual warfare around the pastor of a local church. The expectations for those kids can be unrealistically high at times. They do get judged differently than other kids. They are expected to behave better than most other kids in church. Sometimes that just comes with the territory.

But a dad who is a pastor can still love, support, communicate and discipline in a Biblical way that is not based on worldly higher expectations. That consistent love in both words and deeds toward the children can make all the difference in the world in helping the kids go through the expectations placed upon them by others. What is really good is that the children can grow through the unbiblical and unrealistic expectations of others because of their confidence in the love of their father.

Pastor’s kids can grow through unfair and unrealistic expectations and become successful, victorious adults. They can learn to be responsible for their attitudes and behaviors in spite of how others treat them or their parents. They can become “more than conquerors through Him who loves them.” But they still need prayer. Maybe our intercessory prayers will help them more than we can imagine. Please take some time and pray for your pastor’s children.

Let’s pray for:

1.      Their dad (the pastor) to love them with God’s help

2.      Their dad to pray for them and with them

3.      Their dad to love their mom and for the kids to see and hear tangible aspects of that love

4.      Their dad to choose to spend quality time with them to get to know them and to teach them about life

5.      Their dad to ask them questions and listen to the answers. This is a big one because I think most pastors like to talk and are not good at listening. For example: Pastor Dad, what is each of your kid’s favorite color? Sandwich? Movie? Book? Toy? You get the idea. Answer quickly without thinking too much. If you don’t know the answers, go back spend some time with your kids and listen to them and pay attention.

6.      Their dad to teach them Bible stories in word and deed

7.      Them to have other adults in the church to love them and support them

8.      Them to have some adults who can act like grandparents (if they live far from extended family)

9.      Them to have good wholesome friendships with saved and unsaved

10.  Them to know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior at a young age and live for Him all the days of their lives

11.  Them to want to lead others to Christ and make disciples in their own way and time

12.  Any other way you feel led.

I guarantee that your pastor and his wife would be thrilled and appreciative if they knew you were interceding for their children. They may never know that you are praying, but God does. Your prayers will make a difference. Thanks for praying.

Stay faithful and hopeful,

Bill (a fellow-laborer)

Romans 15:13; Isaiah 50:7

“Fathering is unpredictable, untidy and frequently confusing. That is why there are so many fathers who have children, but so few children who have fathers.”

–         Tim Hansel, What Kids Need Most in a Dad

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“Wherein you reprove another be unblamable yourself, for example is more prevalent than precept.”

–         George Washington, The Rules of Civility