Thoughts for Life: #39 Clergy Prayer in Other Nations

C. Peter Wagner shares with us, "I personally conducted similar surveys (refer to his previous message, #38 How Much Do Pastors Pray?), in four other nations. I found that:

Australian pastors average 23 minutes a day in prayer.
New Zealand pastors average 30 minutes a day.
Japanese pastors average 44 minutes a day.
Korean pastors average 90 minutes a day.

In Korea, another survey showed that 83 percent of pastors across denominational lines pray one hour or more a day.

One out of three prays two hours or more.

One of my close friends, Pastor Sundo Kim, whose Kwang Lim Methodist Church is reported to be the largest Methodist church in the world (more than 50,000 members in 1990), has a prayer closet built into his study.

It contains a pillow on the floor for kneeling, a Bible on a low stand, a cross and a picture or two on the wall, and nothing else.

He told me he spends at least an hour and a half a day in that closet.

That hour and a half is over and above the hour or more he spends every single day leading his church's predawn prayer meeting and the time he spends in groups and in one-on-one praying during the day.

Like many other Korean pastors, Kim also has a motel-like bedroom and bath connected to his study because he ordinarily spends all of Saturday night there fasting and praying for Sunday's ministry

His prayer habits are about average for Korean pastors."

Today’s post -#39 Clergy Prayer in Other Nations, in the series taken from C. Peter Wagner’s book, PRAYER SHIELD, How to intercede for pastors, Christian leaders and others on the spiritual frontlines.(pgs. 81, 82) By Regal Books

(Google images added)

Let’s pray:

Father, these pastors have set high standards of prayer for themselves, and we admire them. It's no wonder their churches are having such results. We understand that our own pastors have a need to make time to pray, too.

You are moving in us, and in our pastor(s), to realize that determined prayer time is of utmost importance. If results are to happen in our churches, we must take the challenge to hold them up in prayer.

May they acknowledge their need to pray, and also have our support in this matter.

In the Precious Name of Jesus we pray. Amen.

Today’s Bible verse: Prov. 10:3a "The LORD will not suffer the soul of the righteous to famish."

Today’s quote: Margaret Feinburg – “God often chooses to reveal the wonder of Himself in quiet moments. Sit in silence for twenty unbroken minutes. Set an alarm, if need be, so you know how much time has passed. Keep paper and pen nearby to write down any fluttering thoughts.

Embrace the silence then invite God to speak. Reflect on what you hear in this posture of listening. Pray that God reminds you of people for whom you can pray. Ask God to bring scriptures to mind that he wants you to consider. Enjoy the wondrous silence of just being in God's presence.” Wonderstruck

Some thoughts today: There's nothing we can do to be in God's Family. He has to draw us. We are adopted, which means we're part of the family of God. We're accepted in the Beloved, Christ Jesus. We have a new identity in Him.

- The call is to walk worthy of our calling, to live like Christ. We're adopted, so we're to live in freedom. Every son/daughter God adopts, He chastens that we can become like Him.

Thursday’s post: #40 Do Pastors Pray Enough? C. Peter Wagner

Saturday's post: What Defines You? Jean Oathout

Sunday's post: Jesus, Keep Me Near the Cross Fanny J. Crosby

Tuesday's post: #41 Pastors Need to Pray More C. Peter Wagner

A popular post: Operative Power: Prayer Note #96 "He (God)is going to do this superabundantly more than we can ask or think in the measure of the power that is distributed from us."