AN EASTER PRAYER FOR OUR LEADERS

Several years ago, when I was a pastor in NY, I was troubled with leadership and personal challenges. For weeks I had a heavy sense of private discouragement. After opening up and sharing this with my board of elders, one of the older men said to me, “Pastor, I think you just need to relax a little and rest in the Lord.”

It was as gentle of a rebuke as I could have hoped for but it was as dead-on accurate as it could’ve been. I had been striving in my service, trying way too hard to make things happen and to achieve through my efforts what can only happen when God works by His Spirit.

Come to think of it, this has been at the core of most of my challenges in ministry. Maybe that’s the case with you also?

I’ll never forget the year my fellow elder advised me to do the unthinkable, to relax and just trust God. Why? Because I determined I would heed his advice and do just that. For 40 days leading to Easter, I studied what Christ had done for me, and for all His redeemed. Wow, what a life-giving season of personal revival. 

I want to tell you, this Good Friday, it’s not too late for you to remember to relax a little, to rest in Christ and be revived. Leader – you cannot produce or achieve what your church needs this weekend. Only God can. 

So relax, fix your eyes on Jesus. Pray to Him and trust that He hears you.

My fervent prayer for you this Easter weekend is that…

• You experience personal revival as you reflect on God’s love displayed on the cross.

• You experience renewed focus on the purpose of ministry – the redemption of the lost.

• You experience the Spirit’s power as you proclaim His victory in song and sermon.

• You see the fruit of conversion as you invite listeners to receive Christ.

• Your church rejoices with indescribable joy as the Church celebrates the truth that God’s justice has already been satisfied on our behalf, Christ is alive, and that death and Satan are defeated.   

May your hearts be encouraged and may the future and final victory of Christ become present in the midst of your Sunday celebration.

I love you in Christ!

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Eddie Cole

Executive Vice President of National Ministries at EFCA

Eddie is currently planting a church in Virginia with his wife Jessica. He was previously the Executive Vice President of National Ministries for the EFCA and before that the EFCA East District Superintendent. Regardless of role, with a desire to share the Gospel in word and deed, Eddie’s calling is to come alongside pastors and leaders helping them live well, lead well and multiply their ministries with vision and passion.

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