USA (MNN) — Sexual or financial scandals aren’t the only things weighing down the Body of Christ in the United States.
Ron Hutchcraft of Hutchcraft Ministries describes three “quiet crises” affecting today’s Christian leaders. “In every community, whoever the Christian leaders are become the primary target for the enemy,” Hutchcraft says.
“Not only do I see that scripturally, but because I’m in ministry interdenominationally, I hear the hearts of a lot of pastors, and these things keep coming up.”
The first crisis hits closest to home – a child who’s walked away from the Lord. “I’ve heard the broken hearts of many people in ministry for a son or daughter,” Hutchcraft says.
“It caused me to write a booklet called ‘[A] Jesus of Their Own: How to Fight for the Faith of the Next Generation*.’”
Isolation breeds a second crisis; many leaders tell Hutchcraft they have no one to confide in.
Hutchcraft tells leaders to “cry out to Jesus and be honest with God. He isn’t going to be shocked when you pray. You’re not informing Him; you’re inviting Him to come into the deepest parts of your heart where there is stored up hurt.”
The last of the three “quiet crises” is what Hutchcraft calls “profession replacing passion.”
“You’re still preaching the sermons; you’re still doing the meetings, but somewhere, it’s become a wheel you crank instead of the overflow of your heart,” he says.
“It’s time to go back to Him and say, ‘Lord, please break my heart again for what breaks Yours, and help me see what you see when you see people.’”
3 ways to pray for Christian leaders
Along with describing the crises plaguing today’s leaders, Hutchcraft describes three ways to cover them in prayer. “Don’t be a critic; be an intercessor; fight for them in prayer,” Hutchcraft says.
“All of us in Christian leadership need the people we influence to be completing the circle and praying for us.”
First, you can pray “for the family of a Christian leader, knowing that they are a primary field of attack,” Hutchcraft says.
(Photo courtesy of AMONWAT DUMKRUT/Unsplash)
“Our enemy can’t bring down the leader directly. He’ll go after a [spouse] or son or daughter, grandson, granddaughter, so pray for the spiritual protection and the spiritual life of [a leader’s] family and extended family because that is a great vulnerability for everybody in ministry.”
Secondly, “pray that there will be no harbored sin in the life of a Christian leader,” Hutchcraft requests.
“Many times, because of carrying such a load, a Christian leader will revert to some form of escape or relief that is sinful, that is a spiritual stronghold in their life. Pray that God will reveal those [and] lead them not into temptation, but deliver them from evil.”
Finally, pray for fresh fire and fresh passion. “That’s what keeps you in ministry – a love for Jesus,” Hutchcraft says.
“Pray that their time with Jesus will be one where they [do] not just read verses, but where two hearts touch, the heart of Jesus and the heart of one of his shepherds.”
*If you live in the U.S., you can request a free copy of [A] Jesus of Their Own: How to Fight for the Faith of the Next Generation by emailing your name and address to [email protected] with “Free Book” in the subject line. International readers can email the same address to request a PDF version.
Header image is a representative stock image courtesy of Diana Polekhina/Unsplash.
