Ronnie Floyd

Archive for the 'Join the Movement' Category

October 16th, 2017

Pastors and Churches, Help Us Pray for America in 2018

Join the Movement, National Day of Prayer

The churches in America are God’s footprints in our nation. God’s churches are blessed and anointed by Him, and the greatest network our nation has. As President of the National Day of Prayer and Senior Pastor of a local church, I am convinced that we cannot complete our mission of mobilizing unified public prayer for America without the support of the pastors and churches in America. Our priority must be to mobilize pastors and churches to pray for America.

Appealing to Pastors and Churches

I appeal to pastors and churches in America, will you join us in praying for America in 2018? A National Day of Prayer has been observed on the first Thursday of May since 1988. When Thursday, May 3, 2018 comes, we will observe thousands of gatherings across America on the National Day of Prayer.

Just think what would happen if each pastor and church in America established a service or observance on the National Day of Prayer. What are the options?

Connect with and mobilize your church to an existing observance somewhere in your community.
Create a new observance in your community in order to mobilize more people to pray for our nation.
Realize you can create as many observances in your community as desired and there will still not be enough to mobilize your entire community to pray for America

There should be a day in America where at least 100,000 gatherings for prayer occur on the National Day of Prayer. It is my hope that every Christ follower would want to join with others to pray for America on the National Day of Prayer.

What I Wish I Could Tell Every Pastor and Church in America

If I had the opportunity to personally speak with every pastor and church in America, I would explain that the National Day of Prayer provides a unique opportunity to engage all kinds of people in their communities who love America and hope for its best. Some of these community members may not know Christ personally, but this service or observance can introduce them in a positive, non-threatening way to the things of God and the claims of Jesus Christ.

The people of America love our nation. They realize our nation is broken and in trouble. Most also realize it will take some kind of divine intervention to see our nation go forward together positively.

This is where the National Day of Prayer comes in – to provide the way to connect with one another in a positive, unifying way to pray for America. The National Day of Prayer belongs to all Americans. It is a day where this country can unify over what really matters: praying for America.

What’s Next for Pastors and Churches

Please mark Thursday, May 3, 2018, on your personal and church calendar. Determine to schedule the National Day of Prayer as a priority on your personal and church calendar.

Go to our National Day of Prayer website and sign up to host an observance in your community in 2018. Talk to your staff team or church leaders, and determine to become a strong participant in the National Day of Prayer.

Evangelical Christians Should Stand Strong

The church in America should stand strong on the National Day of Prayer in thousands upon thousands of gatherings, proclaiming we believe in the power of prayer, even prayer for our nation. We need to become proclaimers of hope for our nation.

I appeal to all pastors and churches in America: On Thursday, May 3, 2018, let’s plan now to stand strong, participate, and even lead in the National Day of Prayer in our communities. Until then, we will pray for America daily.

Now is the Time to Lead and to Pray,

Ronnie W. Floyd
Senior Pastor, Cross Church
President, National Day of Prayer

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Dr. Ronnie Floyd is the Senior Pastor of Cross Church, President of the National Day of Prayer, founder of the Cross Church School of Ministry, and host of the Ronnie Floyd on Life and Leadership Today podcast.

To request an interview with Dr. Ronnie Floyd
contact Gayla Oldham at (479) 751-4523 or email gaylao@crosschurch.com.

Visit our website at http://ronniefloyd.com
Follow Dr. Floyd on Twitter and Instagram @ronniefloyd

Dr. Ronnie Floyd is the President & CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee.

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October 9th, 2017

How to Pray for Your Pastor

Join the Movement, National Day of Prayer, Pastors, Prayer

Every Christ-follower engaged in a local church has a pastor. These followers of Christ should pray for their pastor.

Pastors may appear as though they are so strong they do not need prayer. But I can assure you, any pastor genuinely called to the ministry knows he needs prayer; earnest, passionate, and effective prayer. “Pray for me” should be the number one personal request from a pastor of the church he serves.

Stand on God’s Word When You Pray for Your Pastor

I think the strength of prayer stands on the authority of Holy Scripture. You need to stand on the infallibility and truthfulness of God’s Word when you pray for your pastor. I want to challenge you to pray while standing on Colossians 1:9-12:

For this reason also, since the day we heard this, we haven’t stopped praying for you. We are asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, so that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, so that you may have endurance and patience, joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the saints’ inheritance in the light.

Paul was praying this for the believers in Colossae, and these words can be prayed for your pastor.

5 Specific Ways to Pray for Your Pastor

Pray for your pastor to be:

1. Filled with the knowledge of God’s will

Pastors face the same dilemma people faced in the first century, when these words were penned originally. The knowledge of the world pours into the minds of pastors, but pastors need to have the full knowledge of God’s will. The will of God does not inflate a pastor’s ego, but it enlightens us to do what God wills for us to do.

Father, give my pastor the full knowledge of Your will in all things at all times, personally and for our church.

2. Filled with all spiritual wisdom

Pastors will view life from one of two perspectives: The world or the Spirit. Only the Holy Spirit will always lead a pastor to the Word of God and the will of God. The Spirit of God will lead a pastor to view life and ministry from God’s perspective, not his own. His perspective will determine his decision making.

Heavenly Father, fill my pastor with Your wisdom and perspective about all things in his life, in our church, and in this world.

3. Filled with spiritual understanding

Pastors can operate and lead the church apart from information and facts, but not very effectively. Spiritual understanding is the experience of seeing the facts and hearing the needed information, but being able to put these things together biblically, spiritually, and practically. A pastor’s leadership and decision making will be determined by the level of his spiritual understanding about whatever is before him.

Lord Jesus, fill my pastor with spiritual understanding that will help him put facts and information together biblically, spiritually, and practically.

4. Walk worthy of the Lord

God wants his people, especially God-called pastors, to live in a way that is worthy of Him. Pastors represent the Lord everywhere they go. Pastors cannot say one thing, but live a different way. Walking worthy always leads to pleasing God and bearing fruit in every way in life.

Oh Lord, empower my pastor to walk in a way that would exemplify You to all persons, pleasing You in all ways, and bearing fruit in every way before others.

5. Strengthened with God’s power

Pastors should be full of spiritual vitality. Pastors need the spiritual strength to overcome the challenges of each day in ministry. Submission to God daily will lead to God’s power. This power is so strong that a pastor is able to endure stress and suffering that ministry brings. It is so powerful that he will refuse to retaliate in any way toward difficult people and circumstances. It is even so strong that he will live life and do ministry with true joy that overflows with thanksgiving to God. Every pastor needs this kind of power.

Oh God, strengthen my pastor with Your power that fills him with spiritual life daily, including the difficult days of life and ministry; and leading him to persevere with joy and thanksgiving.

A Brief Word

The people of God have prayed for me through all these days I have served as a local church pastor. It is rare that I would not say to my church with all sincerity, “Please pray for me.” I say it because it is the number one thing people can do for me. It is the number one thing you can do for your pastor. Pray for your pastor daily.