There have been “prayer requests” quite frequently (lately) for our elders/Leadership Team. It seems to me that when this sort of request for prayer is sent out, some are not quite sure just HOW to pray for this group of people.

We know that our chair has resigned and will soon be moving to Vancouver Island. So, maybe we should pray for new chairperson? That’s a good idea.

We know that once Peter leaves, the elder team will then only consist of 3 people. So, maybe we should pray for more elders? That’s a good idea too.

May I suggest one other prayer or way of praying? One I recently saw while reading from the book of Acts. In Acts 20, Paul has been traveling a good deal (mostly Turkey and Greece in our modern world) and when he is leaving Miletus (the west coast of Turkey) he calls the elders together. He offers a charge to them, which I suggest we can use as a model for how to pray for our own elders.

Here are a few different translations of this “charge” in Acts 20:28 from Paul to these elders:

“Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.”  (ESV)

"Now it's up to you. Be on your toes—both for yourselves and your congregation of sheep. The Holy Spirit has put you in charge of these people—God's people they are—to guard and protect them. God himself thought they were worth dying for.” (The Message)

“So guard yourselves and God’s people. Feed and shepherd God’s flock—his church, purchased with his own blood—over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as leaders.” (New Living Translation)

 Thank you for your prayers!