A Prayer for Transformational Leadership

On July 1, 2009, the beginning of our second year in Clearfield, I wrote a prayer in my journal for our ministries. Though the prayer has been revised over the years, it has stuck with me ever since (in fact, I posted an earlier version of it in 2011).

A few months ago, the Clearfield Cluster of United Methodist Churches had responsibility for planning and leading worship for a district pastors’ gathering. As part of the worship, I led a responsive prayer based on the 2009-prayer.

This continues to be my prayer for Joleen’s and my ministries, and I invite you to pray it as well.

A Prayer for Transformational Leadership

O God, give us clean hands and pure hearts, hearts like yours. Break our hearts for what breaks yours!

Give us strength. Be our Rock, our firm foundation. Provide us with the spiritual grounding we need for the journey ahead. As we build our lives on Christ the solid rock, develop your character in us!

Give us favor with the people you call us to reach and the people you call us to be in ministry with, especially the leaders and influencers in our churches!

Give us wisdom to lead well, and discernment to sift through all of the distractions in order to focus on the things you call us to be about!

Give us patience and persistence to stay the course in the midst of the challenges and obstacles that will arise during the slow-going work of transformation!

Fill us with passion and energy that will sustain us for the long haul! Give us courage to do what’s difficult. Help us to follow you even when it’s hard!

Pour out your Holy Spirit upon us and cause us to bear much fruit! Do something unpredictable and uncontrollable. Please use us to make your name great!

Through your leadership in our lives, expressed and lived out in the places we serve, create communities of faith that will be fully engaged in the mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world! Amen.

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