While we often associate the word church with our locale of worship, Scripture takes a much broader
view. The Church, ultimately, refers to the body of Christian believers
around the world. The Lord is passionate for His Church, His bride. From
the dawn of time, God’s purposes have centered around revealing His
glory through His people and securing our eternity with Him.
As those who guide and disciple
the Church, today’s pastors and other Christian leaders face a vast and
unprecedented array of pressures. While God has blessed His people with
many godly ministers, these shepherds need our prayer support. As they
strive to remain obedient to Christ, ask the Lord to provide them with
strength and avenues of accountability so that they may maintain
steadfastness in their vital callings. Down through the ages Christians
have grieved over the tragedy of pastors who have succumbed to moral
failure. Such circumstances seem all too frequent in our day and age.
Pastoral families experience many unique stresses, too, and they can be
overlooked even though their support role is crucial. Intercede for
them, also, as they seek to faithfully come alongside their loved ones.
Meanwhile, the Christian community
as a whole must struggle to be faithful amidst an “unbelieving and
perverse generation” (Matthew 17:17). Our culture is rife with
ideologies and activities that run contrary to biblical precepts, and
believers must be increasingly “counter-cultural” in order to stay
faithful to their convictions. Clearly, the body of Christ needs
intercession as never before.
Pray for the Lord to spark a
revival throughout our nation, protect the witness of our pastors, and
continue to sanctify and purify Christians around the world. We know
that the spiritual condition of homes, communities and countries often
points back to the believers within those regions. That being the case,
it’s all the more important that we strive after righteousness,
corporately as well as individually.
Here are scriptures to use to pray for unity and boldness in proclaiming God’s Word.
Find
a prayer event in your area. This information was gathered from the National Day of Prayer’s website.
