I know. It’s Christmas day already.
You’ve likely given all of the gifts you planned to give. You might have received a few gifts yourself.
Still, this gift idea for your pastor is worthy of being a bit late. I can almost promise you that pastors will be thrilled when you present the gift to them. It really doesn’t matter that it didn’t arrive on Christmas day.
I received this gift when I was a pastor. That was many years ago, but I still remember it with joy to this very day. It is truly the gift that kept on giving.
It’s time to unwrap this gift for you to view. Just what is it?
The Greatest Gift for Pastors
The gift is simply a commitment to pray for your pastor, but one of the most effective ways to deliver the gift is with three key components.
1. A stated written commitment to pray. I encourage you to write your commitment to your pastor. Frankly, if you simply verbalize it, the commitment will likely wane at best and be forgotten at worst. So, get ready to write that email. Even better, give your pastor a handwritten letter and commitment. That takes a bit more effort, and the act of writing it will serve as a reminder in your mind.
2. A commitment for a specified number of days. Of course, you might desire to pray for your pastors every day. I admire your commitment and love for them. But the commitment really does work better if it has a defined time. Open-ended commitments to pray for every day tend to wane and then disappear over time. I recommend you try a 30-day commitment. You can always do it again if you are led and motivated to do so.
3. Asking other church members to join you. Think about four or five other church members you would feel comfortable asking to join you in a 30-day commitment to pray for your pastor. If five of you pray for your pastor for 30 days, you have offered 150 days of prayer! Your pastor will be incredibly encouraged to hear about this commitment!
The Letter
I don’t presume to know how to write this letter gift any better than you do. But, in case you need a template, here is something to consider:
Pastor –
I have a gift for you. It is a gift of prayer. In fact, five of us in the church have committed to pray for you for 30 consecutive days. In one month, we will have offered 150 prayers for you (and your family).
Please know that we love you. Though we might take your sacrifices for granted at times, we desire to be more intentional in supporting you, particularly by praying for you.
We will let you know how our prayer time went at the end of 30 days. I do hope you sense this committed time of prayer as the Holy Spirit works in your life.
By the way, we hope that this 30-day commitment to pray will be the first of many.
My Own Plan
I will give this gift to my pastor after Christmas, around the first of the year. I plan to ask ten church members to join me.
I wrote a book for this specific purpose. It is a 30-day journey to pray for your pastor. The book has a simple name, When the People Pray. Here is a link to the book if you want to get it for yourself and others.
Merry Christmas, pastors! You sacrifice for your church members every day. I hope and pray we can create a prayer movement to intercede for you for years to come.
It would indeed be a gift you will never forget.
Posted on December 25, 2023
With nearly 40 years of ministry experience, Thom Rainer has spent a lifetime committed to the growth and health of local churches across North America.
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