Paraklesis
[‘encouragement’, ‘exhortation’, for life and ministry]
March 2025
Peter Adam
Dear friends,
We continue our series on Leadership. Last month I showed how much we are influenced by secular models of leadership: being a CEO, ensuring productivity and profit, assessed in purely easily measurable means: numbers! While, as I showed we need administrative and management skills, there is more to Biblical leadership than that!
The Bible includes leadership in prayer: not just in praying, but in leading by praying. The praying leader is the Bible norm. Leaders should lead in prayer!
Jesus led in prayer. He prayed and taught his disciples to pray.
‘as Jesus was praying, heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended on him’ [Luke 4:21-2]; ‘Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night in prayer’ [Luke 6:12]; ‘Jesus was praying in private and his disciples were with him’ [Luke 9:18]; ‘Jesus went up onto a mountain to pray’ [Luke 9:28]; ‘ Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up’ [Luke 18:1]; ‘my house will be a house of prayer’ [Luke 19:46]; ‘Jesus prayed more earnestly and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground’ [Luke 22:44] ‘get up and pray that you will not fall into temptation’ [Luke 22:46]. [And see the Lord’s Prayer, Luke 11:1-11, Matt 6:5-15; and Jesus’ prayer in John 17].
Look at Paul’s example of leadership.
- He prayed, and he frequently told his church that he was praying for them.
‘… constantly I remember you in my prayers at all times’ [Rom 1:9,10]; ‘I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers’ … ‘I thank my God every time I remember you’ [Phil 1:3]; ‘We always thank God … when we pray for you’ [Col 1:3]; ‘We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers’ [1 Thess 1:2]; ‘I thank God, whom I serve, as my ancestors did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers’ [2 Tim 1:3].
- He constantly told his churches to pray, to be devoted to prayer, to pray continually.
… overflowing with thankfulness [Col 2:7]; giving thanks to God the Father through him [Christ] [Col 3:17]; Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us too… [Col 4:2]; Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God [Phil 4:6]; Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus [1 Thess 5:16-18]; I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Saviour, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth … Therefore I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or disputing [1 Tim 2:1-4,8].
- He told his churches what he was praying for them, to model how to pray, and to train them to pray.
Paul prays for the Thessalonians: ‘May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones’ … ‘May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it’ [1 Thess 3:12,13 and 5:23,24].
Paul prays for the Corinthians: ‘May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all’ [2 Corinthians 13:14];
Paul prays for the Philippians: ‘And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God’ [Phil 1:9-11].
Paul prays for the Colossians: ‘For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins’ [Col 1:9-14].
And here is Epaphras: ‘Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured’ [Colossians 4:18].
And of course, read Paul’s rich prayers in Ephesians: Ephes 1:16-23, and 3:14-21.
Paul, full-time man of prayer, preached the occasional sermon and wrote the occasional letter![1] Praying was part of his leadership and ministry! Paul prayed, he told others to pray, and he showed them how to pray, to train them to pray.
We should spend ministry-time in prayer, on our own, and with others. Our own prayers are part of our leadership and ministry, and we should be encouraging, teaching, and training church leaders, ministry leaders and church members in prayerfulness.
As the prophet Samuel said to God’s people, ‘Far be it from me that I should sin against you by failing to pray for you’ [1 Samuel 12:23]; and as the apostles said to God’s people, ‘We will devote ourselves to prayer and the ministry of the word’ [Acts 6:4].
John Calvin wrote, prayer is ‘the chief expression of faith’.[2] And as Charles Spurgeon told his ministers, ‘I would rather see you eloquent with God than eloquent with people’.[3]
Here are some practical ideas to encourage you in your leadership in prayer:
- In every Council meeting, planning meeting, staff meeting, committee meeting, spend time praying! Put praying together on the agenda! Pray not only for the meeting itself, but also for the ministry and the people you are serving.
- Make sure that each day you spend time praying for yourself, your family, your friends; and also spend time praying for your ministry that day, and for the people you will serve.
- When preparing a Bible study, sermon, or Bible talk, spend ½ your time studying the text, and ½ your time praying for the people who will receive the ministry.
- If someone asks for prayer for a particular issue, offer to pray for it with them at that time.
- Follow Paul’s example, and every time you pray for someone, thank God for them as well.
- Try using some of Paul’s prayers as you pray for your church and people!
- Make sure your public ministry includes leading in prayer. Don’t leave all the public praying to others.
- When you meet with anyone in your ministry team, pray with them not only for their ministry, but also for the people they are serving.
- Make sure that every particular ministry in your church or group is bathed in prayer.
- As part of your discipling program, disciple people in how to pray.
- Offer prayer ministry after each service, staffed by people you have trained to pray in that context. [People may bring personal confidential prayer requests. The people praying are not taking on pastoral responsibility for those for whom they pray. It is best to have a man and a woman providing the prayer ministry].
- When you are talking with someone, for example, after the service, offer to pray with them, if it seems appropriate.
- Pray through your list of members, either personally or with others.
- Make sure that public intercessions are not just about people who are ill, or national or international crises. Pray some of Paul’s prayers! Pray that your church and members would come to maturity in Christ. Pray not only for your Mission Partners, but also for world evangelisation, for God’s global gospel plan. Pray for God to bring people from your local community to become Christians.
- As people are trained for particular ministries in your church or organisation, make sure they are trained to pray for their ministries, and for those they serve.
- As you mentor and train people for future vocational gospel ministry, train them to pray!
Lead like Paul: pray, teach people to pray, and encourage them to pray! Leaders lead in prayer!
Yours,
Peter Adam