August 28, 2020 | Prayer Guides by Various Authors
Praying for the Pastor Search Committee
Day 1 – Spiritual Wisdom & Understanding
Colossians 1:9 “And so from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding.”
Now that the Pastor Search Committee has been selected it is important to keep these “Creek Family Members” in our prayers daily. As it states on the website from the team, “As we begin to search for our lead pastor, we are confident God has already chosen this man and that our role is to faithfully execute the responsibilities given to us. Rest assured our team will be defined by the Word, devoted to prayer, and dependent on the Holy Spirit as we conduct this search.”
Over the next few days we are going to pray specifically for each person serving on the committee. Just as Paul prayed for his brothers and sisters in Christ, we too need to follow his example. We are to pray for growth in Christ but also for growth in the knowledge of His will. This knowledge can only be attained by spending time in His Word - as we grow to know who He is and how He desires us to walk. We must remember that His Word is profitable for teaching truth, for rebuking sin, for correcting errors, and for training us to walk in godliness (2 Timothy 3:16).
The MacArthur Study Bible defines the following: Knowledge is not an inner impression or feeling but only truth revealed in the Bible. Wisdom is the ability to accumulate and organize principles from Scripture. Understanding is the application of those principles to daily living.
Church family, let us pray that our Pastor Search Committee is filled with the knowledge of God’s will and not their own will or understanding. As we pray for this knowledge, pray also that we all will be submissive to our Lord. Through submission and abiding in Christ (John 15), we will be filled with spiritual wisdom and understanding of what our King Jesus would have us to do.
Pray for committee members: Dave Howe and Sandra Carpenter
Prayer Prompts:
- Pray that the committee members will be filled with the knowledge of God’s will for Richland Creek and the future pastor.
- Pray for them to remain unified in mind and purpose. That God would grant them joy and clarity in the work they are undertaking.
Please download the Pastor Search Committee prayer card or pick one up at the church office.
Day 2 – Walking Worthy of the Lord
Colossians 1:10 “That you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.”
Paul prays that this church would walk worthy of the Lord, pleasing Him. To “walk worthy” is a New Testament concept that Paul brings out in other letters to the churches (Ephesians 4:1, Ephesians 5:10, and I Thessalonians 4:1). He is calling believers to live in such a way that is consistent with truths of scripture revealed in the life of Christ Jesus. Walking worthy refers to our daily conduct and behavior which should identify us as the Lord’s imitators. Jesus was obedient by loving God the Father and loving others.
Philippians 1:27a states, “Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ.” John MacArthur describes worthiness this way; “Believers are to have integrity – to live consistent with what we believe, teach, and preach.” As we move forward in the process of seeking out a pastor, may we be devoted in prayer for our brothers and sisters that God has placed on this committee, and for them to continue to walk worthy and please Him.
Church, we are to be “fruitful in every good work.” This is representative of a righteous life. When we are defined by God’s Word it will overflow into every area of our lives. Applying the principles of scripture will lead you to produce “fruit” that is pleasing to God.
The Bible identifies spiritual fruit as: leading people to Christ (1 Cor. 16:15), praising God and being thankful (Hebrews 13:15), giving financially (Romans 15:26-28), living a disciplined life (Hebrews 12:11), and displaying Spirit-filled attitudes (Galatians 5:22-23). Church family, let us pray that we all bear these fruits, and encourage each other through accountability to produce fruit pleasing to our Lord.
Pray for committee members: Johnny Hayes and Ashley Porter
Prayer Prompts:
- Pray that they would continue to be men and women of integrity and Christ-likeness and would walk in the Spirit in everything they do.
- Pray for a consistent life that is defined by His Word. Pray for their meetings to be fruitful and productive.
Please download the Pastor Search Committee prayer card or pick one up at the church office.
Day 3 – Strengthened with All Might
Colossians 1:11 “Strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy.”
Paul prays that they be “strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might,” and this power that he speaks about is the resurrection power that raised Christ from the dead. God has given every believer this power through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Paul writes about this power in another letter to the church in Ephesus.
“First, Paul prayed that God, whose resources are limitless, would grant believers inner strengthening in their present experience. As a result of this empowering, Christ would become fully at home in their lives with access to each area of their lives and as the governing fact in their attitudes and conduct. Paul’s second petition was based on the fact the believers have already been placed in the body of Christ, being rooted and grounded in love. He prayed that they might be empowered to grasp the immensity of Christ’s love and to know that love in their personal experience.” (Ephesians 3:16-19, NKJV Study Bible Notes)
It is important to understand that ALL believers have this resurrection power within them. The word for “power” in this text means to be strengthened or to make strong. We are only strengthened through God’s provision of power which enables us to live this Christian life because of the Spirit who lives in us. What does this power look like in a believer’s life? It’s not just miraculous healing or dramatic answers to prayer, but more often it’s when a believer is steadfast (bearing up difficult circumstances) and patient (bearing with difficult people) that we experience God’s mighty power in our lives. An example of God’s power can be seen in your work environment when you remain steadfast and patient; it’s only God’s strength and sustaining grace that empowers you in your weakness (2 Corinthians 12:7-10).
Pray for committee members: Ricardo Sanchez & Claudine Snyder
Prayer Prompts:
- Pray for the committee members to have perseverance and patience as they depend on the Lord’s power in their lives individually and as a team with joy in their hearts.
- Pray for them and their families to remain spiritually strong by being defined by God’s Word, devoted to prayer, and dependent on the Spirit.
Please download the Pastor Search Committee prayer card or pick one up at the church office.
Day 4 – Joyously Giving Thanks
Colossians 1:11b-12 Joyously giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light.
These days it is sometimes difficult to “joyously give thanks,” to keep positive and hopeful despite the negative culture we live in. Having joy cultivates within us Christ-like thinking toward others.
“Most people define joy as a feeling of happiness when you are smiling and laughing a lot. And, they think that happiness comes from “good happenings.” Good happenings mean everything is going your way, turning out right. You have lots of money and are healthy and are very successful in work or school. Right? But, what happens if things are not so good? Your family is stressed financially. You may be struggling in work or school. Your relationships are fraying. You or someone close to you is very sick. Can you really have joy then? In the Bible, joy is a deep, inner gladness regardless of circumstances going on around you. That means whether you are rich or poor, sick or healthy, successful or struggling, you can still have a feeling of gladness or pleasure deep down inside.”(Bible.org)
Paul brings out that we have been “qualified,” and this word in the Greek means “to make sufficient,” “to empower,” or “to authorize.” We are qualified through the finished work of Jesus Christ, and this can only be received once we place our faith in His work for salvation. Our inheritance is made available at once and is not something to be earned. We live in God’s presence all the time and have complete access to Him. What a humbling picture of God’s grace in our lives, that He has forgiven us guilty sinners, and we are qualified through Christ to receive blessings beyond what we deserve. (Romans 5:8)
Pray for committee members: Jacob Siegwart, Melissa Peters, and Robert Jernigan
Prayer Prompts:
- Pray for the committee members to remain grateful in the midst of challenging times and to remember it is God who empowers us to live this life.
- Pray for their protection from the enemy and his deceptive tactics to mislead and create division.
Please download the Pastor Search Committee prayer card or pick one up at the church office.
