Please Pray for Your Pastor

I just want to share something that's been on my heart......I was reading the post John Piper put out about taking a break from the pastorate....And I thought to myself the passage of Scripture that Paul said to the church of Philippi and us too! "Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus," Phil 2:4-5
Here is a man who preaches the word with such enthusiasm
Here is a man who is an amazing pastor/teacher
Here is a man who I admire and look up to with great respect
Here is a man who loves the Lord with all his heart, mind and soul
Here is a man who has been faithful to the word of God for so many years
Here is a man who knows (sees) when something is wrong personally!
Here is a man who humbled himself for the people he loves (Noel, and his church family)

Though his statement came as a shock to me! It grieves me [my selfishness of course] to see such a lovely man, a spiritual mentor, a fellow pastor, come to the point where he knows something is wrong in his own life! Ultimately! We know it's for the best...[not for me or you] but for John and his family.  You can read his statement for yourself by going to: http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/TasteAndSee/ByDate/2010/4555

As a pastor it humbled my heart to see a man share his concerns about what going on with his life. Especially in a society that looks upon pastors as "superhuman" sometimes. But that just isn't true. Pastor's are human!.....people.........We are nobody special. John shared this concern with the people who look up to him as a spirtual elder in the body of Christ, because it's so easy for a pastor [anyone for that matters] to have a pridefully and swelled head sometimes!.....It's humbling for me to see a man (a sinner saved by grace) taking the responsibility and the courage to say I need a break for the next 8 months (away from my pastoral duties), so that he can get things back spiritually and personally. This must have been very hard for John to do, since he has been the pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota for over 30 years. Why? Because your church family is very special to you! They are a part of your life each and every week, they are your family! We as pastor's know that this takes great courage and humility to say their is something wrong! We know the responsibility and pressures the church always puts on their pastor's [elders] and rightfully so! Since we have been called by God to lead, direct, and care for His church, His people for His Kingdom.

Please pray for John and other pastors like him, who need to rest and to concentrate on what's most important! Their spiritual walk and their beloved wives and families. And also! Please pray for all of use men [pastors, elders] who stand on behalf of GOD every Sunday morning exponding His word, praying for His people, helping those in the community, and on top of all that! Keeping a stable marriage and home that loves the Lord Jesus Christ. This is for my fellow Pastor's........Please remember this: If something like this can effect a godly man like John Piper. You better think twice! Because it could happen to any one of us, at any time! Please Christian's [body of Christ] The church, pray for your pastors! Because we need your prayers! So that we can do what the Hebrew writer says "Pray for us, for we are sure that we have a clear conscience, desiring to act honorably in all things." Heb 13:18 To God be the glory for He is sovereign and His providence in our lives, is always for our benefit...... God bless!