Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel…Eph 6:19
Paul was no fool. He knew the task of preaching was an onerous one. He understood the dangers of leadership. He battled daily against the temptations that creep up on every pastor. And he saw, first hand, the devastation that flowed from ministers wandering away from the truth. So he asked his congregations to pray: to get on their knees and ask God to help him remain faithful and bold.
It’s all too easy to forget that our own leaders face similar tests and temptations today. In a world that swings between hostility to the gospel and apathy, it can be desperately appealing to amend the gospel message to make it more “palatable”. And sadly, many leaders succumb. Indeed, if the BBC have their stats correct, it seems 1 in 6 clergy in the Dutch Protestant Church are now either agnostic or atheist - 17% of ministers in Holland's largest protestant denomination have serious doubts about the existence of God and have given up holding out any clear gospel-hope to their congregations.
Such statistics should not be a surprise: the Bible reminds us that in these last days there will be false teachers (2Peter 2:1). But reports like this should remind us that we need to be praying for our pastors. So why not take a moment right now ... pray for your minister and the leaders of your denomination that they, like Paul, will be faithful to the gospel and bold for Christ.
