I don’t have to convince you that prayer is important. Most Christian leaders would readily admit that prayer is powerful and beneficial, and can bring about great results in our lives, churches and organizations. But too often, our proactive, get-it-done nature as leaders causes us to bulldoze our way into the future.

If we’re not careful, our relentless, fast-paced, get-it-done-at-any-cost mindset can push us ahead of God, or out of step with Him. That’s one reason prayer is so important in the life of a leader. It keeps us in tune, in step and in an intimate relationship with God.

Prayer is also essential if we want to see God move in the places where He has called us to lead. Christian author Steve Moore once said, “If God has called you to lead a ministry, He has also called you to intercede for that ministry.”

Your prayers in private have a direct bearing on your ministry in public. You don’t get to preach, but not pray. God has not called you to innovate, but not intercede. Prayer is the backbone that makes the difference.

This issue of Make It Count explores eight aspects of the prayer life of the leader:

Your prayers in private have a direct bearing on your ministry in public.

• The leader’s motive for prayer
• The leader’s purpose for prayer
• The leader’s bravest prayer
• The leader’s plan for prayer
• Using prayer to handle the pain of leadership
• Using prayer to overcome the temptations of leadership
• The multiplication of prayer
• Leading with bold prayers

As you read, discuss and apply these lessons, not only will your prayer life grow, but your experience with prayer’s power in leadership will expand.

This eight-week study, which appears in the March/April 2019 issue of Influence magazine, is now available online as a free download. Church leaders can print multiple complimentary copies of this resource and use it to promote development, spark discussion and inspire vision among team members.

The online resource also includes a fill-in-the-blank guide for team members to use as they follow along with the studies.

Adapted from the March/April 2019 edition of Influence magazine.