8 Prayers I Need to Pray More as a Church Leader

I write a lot about prayer, but I don’t claim to be the best prayer warrior. This far into my ministry, I’m still learning about prayer. As a pastor and church leader, I’m publicly making this commitment to pray these prayers more – prayers that I should have been praying persistently anyway.

1. “Lord, give us more laborers.” Jesus told us to pray this way (Luke 10:1-2). We have no right to complain about too few workers if we aren’t first praying like Jesus said. And, if we are praying like Jesus said, we won’t need to complain. 
2. “God, give me more patience.” I hesitate to pray that prayer because I know that patience often comes through hardship and God-ordained waiting. As a leader of church folks, though, I need more patience if I want to model Christlike love.  
3. “Father, give me compassionate eyes.” I spend a lot of time on the road, and I’m around a lot of crowds—but I don’t always see them as sheep without a shepherd (Matt. 9:36). I can’t expect my church to see people any differently than I do.
4. “God, help our church to be grateful and glad givers.” I’ve been guilty of challenging people to give more without covering that request in prayer. It’s God, though, who makes us cheerful givers. 
5. “Lord, burden me more about the reality of hell.” If I truly believe that hell is real, I would evangelize more consistently and passionately. I fear I’ve forgotten the fires of judgment.  
6. “Father, break my heart over non-believers.” This burden is connected to #5 above, but it also involves my church. I never want to be satisfied with church growth that comes only from other believers joining our church. 
7. “God, let _________ walk in a manner worthy of the Lord”(Col. 1:10). I want to fill in the blank with the name of a different church member each week. If any of our church leaders falls, I don’t want to be guilty of never having prayed against that happening. 
8. “Lord, I do not cease giving thanks for my church”(Eph. 1:16). In my case, that’s Restoration Church in Wake Forest, NC. I am thankful for them, but I don’t say that to God enough.    

Church leaders, what other prayers do you need to pray?