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The lives of early Christians were characterized by matchless generosity, reliance on God, and a profound devotion to prayer. In Acts 2:46-47, Luke records, “They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.”

The Christian movement grew rapidly because of God’s response to the believers’ diligence, passion, and faithfulness in prayer. Jesus taught us in Luke 11:9-10 to “ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.” It is because Jesus told us that he will respond to our asking, seeking, and knocking, that prayer is to be a core commitment with Christians and the church. We believe that we express our faith, love, and dependence on God through lives of prayer and worship. Fishers United Methodist Church demonstrates this with its commitment to an organized and faithful prayer ministry.

The mission of the Prayer Ministry is to support the Fishers United Methodist Church community as inspired and empowered by the Holy Spirit.

Prayer Ministry will INTERCEDE to God consistently on behalf of the church leaders and its members. ENCOURAGE, MOTIVATE, and HELP church members to an active life of prayer and to participate in the weekly prayer activities with the ultimate goal of turning God’s House, the church building, into a House of Prayer (Isa 56:7; Matt 21:13) The prayer ministry will conduct prayer classes, meetings, or sessions, and will respond to pray with others in the body of Christ for specific concerns and needs of people within and outside our church community.

If you are interested in participating in this prayer ministry by lifting up Fishers United Methodist Church to the Lord, praying for others, meeting people's needs, interceding, etc., then may the Lord guide you to join us here in this spiritual ministry. Opportunities exist for intercessory prayer warriors to pray either at home on their own or in group settings, and/or to pray for others in a personal face to face situation. 

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Prayer Guide for Intercessors – Praying for our Shepherds.

In this prayer guide we seek to accomplish first a vision for the importance of praying intentionally and daily for our pastors. Second, to see what the Bible may have to say about praying for our church leaders. And lastly how you can get involved in intercessory prayer for our pastors.

A Ministry of Prayer for the Pastors.
We might ask the question, “Why do we need a prayer ministry devoted to praying specifically for the pastors?” Our pastors need our daily prayers simply because our adversary Satan, would like nothing more than to destroy the lives and ministry of the spiritual leaders of the church. 1 Peter 5:8 tells us to: “Be sober-minded, be alert. Your adversary the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour.” It is the believer’s responsibility to offer prayers for the church and it’s leaders.

Is Prayer for our Pastors Biblical?
Although it is true that there is no specific reference to praying for pastors referenced in the Bible, there is plenty of scripture throughout that point to the importance of standing with your leaders in prayer.

1. Scripture calls us repeatedly to devote ourselves to prayer (Philippians 4:6; Colossians 4:2; 1 Thessalonians 5:17). Christians are the recipients of God’s grace through the sacrifice of Christ, our sins have been forgiven and are declared righteous in God’s sight. Therefore, through our union with God through Christ, we can approach the throne of grace at any time as God welcomes our requests. (Hebrews 4:16) in intercessory prayer.
2. In the Old Testament book of Exodus 17:11, Moses modeled intercessory prayer. The Bible tells us that “While Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed, but whenever he put his and down Amalek prevailed.” Later in verse 12 we read that whenever Moses’s hands grew heavy, Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on each side, until the sun went down. This passage shows Moses interceding for the children of Israel to have victory in battle, as well as Aaron and Hur coming alongside their leader supporting him. A magnificent example of intercessory prayer for our leaders.
3. Later, in the New Testament Paul asked for prayer connecting the people and their prayers to the effectiveness of his ministry. (Ephesians 6:18-20; 2 Thessalonians 3:1-2;
   1 Thessalonians 5:25.)

This standing alongside of (through prayer), or as some say “standing in the gap” referring to Ezekiel 22:30 is important not only for our shepherds, but for the congregation. It is honorable to be able to pray for our pastors.

FAQ:
How do we begin? The Pastor’s Intercessory Team (P.I.T. Crew) will be made up of approximately ten intercessors that will commit to intentionally praying for the pastors daily for a one-month period.

Why ten intercessors? The prayer team believes that it is better to have a smaller number of intercessors who will commit to this ministry to intentionally pray daily for the pastors, than to have a larger number of people praying without the passion or commitment to pray.

What is the time commitment? Keep your prayer time brief and to the point allowing for 5 - 10 minutes per day for intercession should be adequate. The important thing is consistent daily prayer. Ask God to give you a passion to pray for our shepherds.

Do I have to come to church to pray? No. Pray where you are and pray as you can. Some may want to have a special time set aside to pray, some may want to set a reminder on their watch or phone, and some may want to incorporate prayer into their daily quiet time. No right or wrong answer here.

What should we pray for? As you set aside time daily to pray for the pastors, pay close attention to the leading of the Holy Spirit, and ask God to place prayer concerns for the pastors on your heart. Also, the following is a list of prayer topics you may want consider as well:

• For wisdom/discernment
• God to lead in their calling
• Pastors health
• Help through challenges
• Time each day for study in the Word
• Obedience to Scripture
• Pray for family relationships
• Pray for marriage or singleness
• Pray for financial needs
• Pray for peace in all things
• Set aside time for rest
• Pastors teaching and preaching
• Protection
• Opportunities for sharing Christ
• Relationships with colleagues
• A sense of unity within the church
• Time set aside for prayer and retreat
• Encouraged at all times
• Clear sense of calling and purpose

Pastors and Team:
• Mark Ellcessor Senior Pastor
• Ben Greenbaum Associate Pastor