Geoffrey R. Kirkland
Christ Fellowship Bible Church
As a church planter and as a man devoted to the trustworthiness and clarity of the Bible, I have begged God over the years to raise up men -- faithful men, humble men, Bible-men, servant-minded men. I praise God that He has richly blessed His church with faithful servants to lead, oversee, care for, and minister to the Body of the Lord Jesus Christ! I still, however, eight years into our church plant, pray for the Lord to raise up, equip, bring us men of God!
Like what? What do I pray for? How do I pray for this? Today, for instance, I was praying for the following 5 necessities:
Men Exemplary in Character
I pray for God to give His church men who are exemplary in character. This means they will meet the requirements that God provides for elders in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1. They will be holy men on the inside before they desire to be public men on the outside. They will love Christ, follow Christ, serve Christ, and delight in Christ whether they have a title or not. They are above reproach in their hearts, in their homes, and in their demeanor. I genuinely long for God to raise up more men solid in character, robust in Truth, courageous amidst opposition, and gladdened by grace.
Men Pastoring at Home
I pray for men who prioritize their home lives. If a man is married -- regardless of his age or how long or short he has been married -- he must prioritize his bride as his first ministry. If he has children still in the home (whether infants, toddlers, young children or teens), he makes intentional efforts to be at home with them and pastor their souls. He prays with and for them. He teaches them the Bible and applies it to their hearts. He evangelizes them and invites them into the arms of a loving and inviting Savior. He protects his family time so that he can have meals with his family, lead them in family worship, and remember that that which qualifies him for public shepherd-ministry is how well he pastors in the private ministry in his home.
Men Intentional in Shepherding
I pray for men who take the initiative. They want to dig into the lives of God’s people. With this I do not refer to information junkies or people who have the ‘answers’ to every person’s problems. Rather, I pray for the men who knows he’s filled with all goodness and knowledge and he knows he is able to admonish one another. He genuinely cares for people. It’s one thing to love the position of elder. It’s quite another to love the people that we serve. I pray for men to reach out and ask good questions, not just sit in the pew alone before church and then jet out as soon as the service is done. I pray for men intentional, thoughtful, proactive, and diligent in caring for all the saints.
Men Able to Teach
I pray for men who know God and know God’s Word. The great need of our day is discernment. We need men who know truth and can stand with healthy doctrine, biblical support and courageous convictions. I pray for men to have regular times of communion with God in prayer and in the Word. I long for brothers who grow and excel in their teaching by discipling others, by gathering groups of guys to disciple and teach the Word, by teaching his own home and family consistently. This is not about degrees, it’s about devotion. It’s not about professionalism, it’s about precision in and convictions for the written Word of God.
Men Devoted to Prayer
I pray for men who love to pray, men who need to pray, men who really do pray, men who must pray! Men of God understand that prayer is the life-blood of the Christian life, it’s the fuel that energizes and gives power to Christian ministry. This brother will pray -- though it may be brief -- with struggling Christians before or after service. They will pray in private for their wives and children and church family. They will gather with others and pray and give thanks when the Lord answers prayer. I pray for men to pray in the corporate prayer meeting. I pray for men to pray fervently, specifically, biblically, and believingly.
May God, in His abundant kindness and glorious sovereignty, raise up many men to shepherd His churches in the power of His might and with the grace and servanthood of the Lord Jesus Christ!