Week 232: Marriages and Pastoral Ministry

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Please join us this week in praying for the marriages of those in pastoral ministry. Because of the various demands of the pastoral role, it is easy for the pastor to become wedded to his ministry, fully believing he is doing good when in fact he is a workaholic, neglecting the needs of his spouse and unintentionally undercutting the very ministry to which he has been called.

Also, in the process of being "all things to all men,” pastor and spouse can get so caught up in the busyness of knowing everyone, attending everyone's "special" events and caring for everyone during crisis that they fail to slow down and take the time to build deep, personal friendships and, consequently, miss out on the joy and support these friendships can supply.

Finally, marriages of those in the pastoral ministry are lived in a fishbowl.  The business of the pastor and spouse is everybody's business.  This fact can cause those in the pastoral ministry to put up a false front, to some degree living a lie, well-intentioned though it may be, and fail to live authentically before their congregation.

As you pray for these couples, pray that they will
  • be able to set priorities, reserving time for spouse and family
  • be bold enough to express to the church the need for personal time
  • not mistaken family time as a forsaking of their ministerial responsibilities
  • have personal friends, both inside and outside the congregation
  • be pro-active in making friends and refuse to become isolated
  • be authentic, refusing to pretend perfection
  • be transparent and honest about their struggles and eager for the prayers of their congregation
  • have a congregation that will heed the direction of the Scriptures to honor them, support them and pray for them continually

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