“The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching.” 

• I TIMOTHY 5:17 

“If Christians who have been complaining about their ministers had said and acted less before men and had taken the trouble to cry to God for their ministers, if they had risen and stormed heaven with their humble, fervent, and incessant prayers for their pastors, they would have much more in the way of success.” 

• JONATHAN EDWARDS 

Pray About It: Are you critical of church leadership? Have you expressed your concern to God? To God alone? If you’ve been complaining openly to others, then you may actually be hindering God from moving in your pastor’s life. 

If you can’t respect and honor your church leadership, then you should move to another church. Both you and that pastor will benefit from the change. Men who are called to shepherd God’s flock need the support of their congregations. All pastors, without exception, have faults— because they’re still human beings, prone to error. What they need are people who will daily undergird them in prayer and uphold them before others in the local body. 

Today, make a point of praying for your pastor and other local church leaders. Honor them as they obey God’s call on their life. 

“Do you want a new minister? I can tell you how to get one. Pray for the one you have till God makes him over.” 

• R. A. Torrey

– A Devotional written by Nick Harrison in the book Magnificent Prayer, pp. 409-410.