Whether in North America, Europe, Asia, Africa, or elsewhere, church leaders have a difficult job. People look to pastors, deacons, and elders to teach God’s word, to model godly living, and to care for them in times of need—often within a society that opposes or dismisses Christianity. 

For church leaders in the Majority World, the task can feel especially daunting. Some are well-educated, respected, and influential leaders of wealthy urban churches or denominations; but many more serve sacrificially under difficult conditions. Few have had the opportunity to attend seminary; some haven’t even graduated high school. Many shepherd congregations experiencing extreme poverty, where the needs are great and the resources are limited. It is common for pastors to work other jobs for income or to lead multiple churches. Beyond that, well-meaning Westerners often call on Majority World pastors to help them with everything from distributing money to running orphanages to hosting short-term teams. While these things are meant to bless the churches, they also bring opportunities for disunity, corruption, jealousy, and all kinds of harm. Majority World church leaders need wisdom and power from the Holy Spirit so that, in the midst of all of this, they can lead strong churches that glorify God and transform communities.

Please pray with us for pastors, deacons and elders…

• That the Holy Spirit would give them understanding of God’s word and how to teach it to others (1 Corinthians 2:9-16), and that their preaching would accomplish God’s purposes (Isaiah 55:11). Pray that their teaching and their actions would reveal God’s intentions for all of life.
• Pray that their love for God and others would abound more and more in knowledge, insight, and discernment (Philippians 1:9-11).
• To be comforted in their trouble and suffering—and that they would depend on God through any struggle—so that they can comfort and encourage others (2 Corinthians 1:3-11).
• To be strengthened by the Holy Spirit to resist temptations and to live in a way that glorifies God. Pray against all corruption, materialism, and immorality (1 Timothy 3:1-7).
• To address and overcome divisions within the church and disunity between denominations (1 Corinthians 1:10-17). Pray that they would be peacemakers (Romans 14:19).
• To see themselves as servants and to overcome broken cultural concepts of leadership—like power, dominance, control, and prominence (Matthew 20:25-28, 1 Peter 5:2-3).
• Pray for the Western church to understand how to partner with pastors in the Majority World in ways that build up the body of Christ and do no harm to communities (2 Corinthians 13:7-9, Ephesians 4:15-16).