For over 25 years our family has made it a practice to pray for pastors, missionaries and other gospel workers on Saturday night. We stop and think about the fact that on Sundays, more than any other day of the week, the Word of God is being preached. Those who are given the weighty privilege to fulfill that calling—even the strongest and most experienced of them—are in desperate need of grace and strength to do so effectively. So we pray for the ones we know—those with whom we have a personal relationship or whose lives and ministries have intersected our own or who have been given unusual influence.

A dear friend recently gave me this wonderful prayer that John Newton wrote for pastors. I thought it might be helpful to encourage others to intercede for the men who have been called by God to preach His Word week by week.

Chief Shepherd of Thy chosen sheep, from death and sin set freed:
May ev’ry undershepherd keep his eye intent on Thee!
With plenteous grace their hearts prepare to execute Thy will;
Compassion, patience, love and care, and faithfulness and skill.
Inflame their minds with holy zeal their flocks to feed and teach;
And let them live and let them feel the sacred truths they preach