I had believed that I prayed for my members every day. Without fail I would ask a hurried blessing for my congregates as I rushed to the office or to attend some urgent duty.
Then one day, as I analyzed my personal praying patterns, I realized I was primarily asking only that God would make my membership larger and my problems fewer. I also admit that I regularly threw in a few texts from the imprecatory Psalms, which fervently echoed David's petition for God to smite my enemies and to wreak the havoc I was so certain His vengeance promised.
In reality however, I was seeking short cuts to spiritual discipline. It wasn't that I refused to pray. Instead I neglected a deep interaction even as I convinced myself that I was a "praying pastor."
After all, isn't that what pastors do? We pray! Like a physician dispensing pills, we offer up prayers for any occasion—from opening worship services to opening a hospital room door, from committees to counseling sessions, from prayer meetings to potlucks, pas tors pray publicly and often. Like most pastors, I prayed a dozen times or more in a typical day. All my contacts—from the couple struggling with marital problems to the Pathfinder drill team— received their share of the pastor's prayers.
Wanting to bring more depth and greater intentionality to my prayers, I devised a method for systematically praying for my members on a pre planned schedule. I even published the schedule and invited my members to respond at the appointed date if they wished to inform their pastor's prayers.
I purposed that I would focus on a specific family even if they chose to ignore my offer to pray for particular issues. This process, alone, refocused my prayers and changed me—both spiritually and professionally—as I lifted the names and needs of my members before my heavenly Father. If my members mentioned a particular need, then my prayers grew even more focused on the day I "remembered" them. I came to understand experientially that when I pray for someone, I am not praying in order to change God's mind about that individual or their need; rather, God changes my mind about that person and their situation.
Recently, I have examined a remark able tool for providing even more effective guidance to my prayers. Pastor's Confidential Prayer Box, offers a simple, beautifully-constructed, secure method by which members can alert their pas tor to specific requests which, other wise, might go unnoticed or unknown (see ad on next page).
Sam Martz, president of Exotic Wood, Inc., has presented a number of these boxes to active clergy. My Adventist pastoral colleague, R. P. Stafford, Nashville, writes, "This locked box has allowed my members to express thoughts and requests, which heretofore was not possible. I am involved in Bible studies that originated in the prayer chest. I cannot envision ever pastoring a church without the benefit of this spiritual tool."
John D. Morgan, pastor of Houston's Sagemont church says, "I have never seen a tool more effective for ministry. In only three weeks I received over one hundred prayer requests. Many of our members have spoken to me personally as to how much they appreciate my sensitivity to their desire for confidentially." The administrative assistant to Charles F. Stanley, pastor of Atlanta's First Baptist Church, says they receive requests from their prayer box daily.
"Beyond your congregation, these prayer boxes can dramatically impact the wider community," says Terry Teykl, a Methodist pastor who places prayer boxes in businesses such as banks, stores, professional offices, and even bars. The most creative placement mounted a box where motorists could drop in requests from their cars. Teykl says, "strategically placed prayer boxes give God's address to people in need."
Clarence Phairas of the Pendleton Church of God, Anderson, Indiana, says his congregation has placed eight boxes around their small community. "While some locations do not generate many requests, you build spiritual relationships even from those who allow placement of the boxes. I told one business owner I was praying for her." He encourages participants to collect the requests from these various locations and give them to the intercessory prayer team.
I encourage you to try this new way to pray for your own ministry. I am convinced it will enhance your personal prayer life as well as the pastoral care you give your members.
