Leadership

By Justin Jeppesen

This prayer guide, inspired by the chapter titled Leadership in Strategic Renewal’s resource 21 Days of Prayer for Your Church Leader, is focused on seeking God’s face through the following passage.

John 10:1-18

10 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. 2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5 A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” 6 This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.

7 So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. 11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13 He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. 17 For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”

12 Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers

Leadership Prayer Guide

Reverence

Identify and celebrate God’s praiseworthy attributes

  • Jesus is our Good Shepherd (vv. 11, 14)
  • He is the gatekeeper and door who guards and protects His sheep (vv. 3-9)
  • He knows, loves and lays His life down for us (vv. 3, 11, 14)
  • He has authority over life and death (vv. 17-18)

Prayer Prompts

  • Jesus, I praise You that as my Good Shepherd, You have…
  • Good Shepherd, thank You for how I have experienced abundant life in …
  • Jesus, I am grateful for how my pastor has reflected Your goodness to me by…

Response

Surrender to Him and His ways

  • Jesus, I confess I have not listened to Your voice when…
  • I repent of not following Your leadership in…

Requests

Ask the Spirit to guide prayer over concerns, resources, and relationships

  • Jesus, help …(church leader) hear Your voice saying to them that…
  • Jesus, bring a renewed sense of Your abundant life to… (church leader) by…
  • Good shepherd, lead…(church leader) to shepherd their own family first so that…
  • Jesus, help me to partner with my church leaders to reach… (list those in your community who do not know Jesus)

Readiness

Encouragement and strength for spiritual battle

  • Good Shepherd, we trust in Your authority to overthrow the enemy’s attempt to…in the lives of our church leaders
  • Help us and our church leaders today to lay down our lives for the sake of…

*this prayer guide is an excerpt from the appendix of 21 Day of Praying for Your Church Leaders, by Strategic Renewal. Click HERE for more information on this resource.