That is the vision Wesleyan Men has for every local Wesleyan church. The Pastor's Prayer Partners ministry is designed to help men in your church become intercessors - prayer partners for the pastor(s) leading your congregation, for believers actively involved in lay ministry in your church, and for unsaved persons in your community.

What does a Pastor's Prayer Partners ministry look like? In some churches, it may simply be a group of men who meet before each worship service to pray out loud for the pastor, the worshippers and the realization of God's goals for the service. Other teams may want to establish a prayer room and staff it with volunteers who pray throughout each public service for those who are leading and attending. Some prayer ministries may take different forms: a weekly men's prayer breakfast that prays for the church and its leaders or a monthly prayer vigil that organizes volunteers to pray around the clock for special needs. Other prayer partnering may simply involve recruiting men who will promise to pray daily in personal and family devotional times for the church and one day monthly specifically for the pastor.

What steps should Wesleyan Men leaders take to develop a Pastor's Prayer Partners ministry?

Most pastors will welcome the idea being initiated by lay persons. Some pastors will want to take the lead themselves in recruiting and organizing prayer partners. Cooperate fully with your pastor in this area as a demonstration of your real interest - simply providing tangible evidence of the spiritual support your pastor and church can count on.

This assumes your Pastor's Prayer Partners ministry will take the form of an organized prayer team. Those invited should be persons selected by the pastor or in consultation with him or her. It is usually best not to extend an open invitation to a whole group or church. A prayer partner team does not have to be large or include everyone to be effective. Size is not the issue, commitment to intercession for the pastor, church, and community is.

(a) Prayer partners should be lead to make a one-year commitment to the team.

(b) Prayer partners are expected to participate in an annual orientation/covenant signing meeting (this may be part of a prayer retreat, if one is planned), weekly pre-worship prayer meetings (when assigned), and quarterly team meetings for encouragement and enrichment.

(c) Prayer partners should be willing to promise to pray regularly and often in secret for the pastor.

(d) Team members are expected to demonstrate Christian love, loyalty and support for the pastor.

(a) Men of faith and integrity, whose walk with God and testimony are respected by others;

(b) Mature believers who are able to respond to needs of the pastor and church with discernment and tact;

(c) Team players who are able to keep confidences and respect the trust placed in them by their pastor;

(d) Spirit-filled men who are aware of the need to live holy lives and who rely on God for power to be victorious in Christ;

(e) Individuals who are faithful in their church attendance and financial support and, therefore, able to pray with integrity about the discipleship of others;

(f) Willingness to grow in one's own discipleship and spiritual discipline.

Led by the pastor, this retreat might include time for teaching about intercession and prayer; time for personal sharing and spiritual renewal among group members; and time for intense prayer together. A retreat models the ministry of intercession for new prayer partners and is an opportunity for previous participants to reaffirm their commitment.

I, ______________________ promise to pray regularly and faithfully during the next twelve months for my pastor, church and community. As a member of the Pastor's Prayer Partner Team, I commit myself to living a life of faith, holiness, and integrity, and will pray for the growth of my pastor, fellow believers and new Christians in the same areas.

I, ______________________, pastor of ______________________Church,

promise to pray regularly and faithfully for each of my prayer partners, asking God to enable us to bear much fruit for Him together and trusting the Lord to lead each of us in knowing and doing His will with joy.