A Good Shepherd Prayer

In this article, when we talk about “shepherds,” we are talking about believers that lead or shepherd people. We are not necessarily talking about overseers or pastors, but any Christian leading people towards Christ and godliness. For example, if you’re a small group or bible study group leader, you are already shepherding that small group of individuals.

Heavenly Father, as I shepherd a group of people, whether big or small, teach me to always rely on You in prayer and depend on Your grace and strength. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

What makes a good shepherd prayer?

A good shepherd’s prayer can be divided into two elements. The first is a prayer geared toward the particular person doing the shepherding work, like the overseer, pastor, minister, small group leader, bible study group leader, ministry head, etc. As mentioned above, we are about any person leading people, big or small, in a church context.

For the first aspect of prayer, Titus 1:5-9 and 1 Timothy 3:1-7 give us a clear picture of what someone who is a shepherd ought to be. Perhaps the question is, are the qualities mentioned in those passages applicable to every Christian? Can small group leaders and those who shepherd who are not pastors, overseers, and elders also learn something from the passage? The answer is yes. When the apostle Paul instructed Titus and Timothy about what an elder or overseer should be, Paul listed the qualities of a mature believer. In other words, Paul was saying that an overseer or elder must at least be a mature Christian.

In other words, if we want to follow the example of the passages regarding what an overseer or elder ought to be, we should be spiritually mature, godly in conduct, and wise in leadership. Those are the things that every believer who is leading a group of people can pray for.

The second aspect that a shepherd can pray for is the well-being of the people he or she is leading. That is a broad topic to cover since concerns for the well-being of those people could vary between physical, emotional, mental, and even spiritual concerns. However, just as Christ always seeks our well-being, we who lead people should do the same. In John 21:15-17, Jesus told Peter that loving Him would be feeding and tending to His sheep. Just like Christ, we exercise leadership where we seek the well-being of the people we lead and love them.

Heavenly Father, I thank You as You have provided us with Your Word, instructing us on how we should be as shepherds or leaders who lead people. May we also exemplify the same leadership that Christ lived out: loving others with an agape kind of love, serving them, and always putting their interests above ours. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

How to pray a good shepherd prayer?

You pray a good shepherd prayer by praying regarding the two aspects that we mentioned above. That means you pray for yourself to be the kind of shepherd or leader that God has called you to be, whether that means praying for the qualities you ought to have, the right heart, or the grace you need. The two passages given above, Titus 1:5-9 and 1 Timothy 3:1-7, tell us about how a spiritually mature believer is, which every shepherd should be. It can be a good guide for knowing what and how to pray a good shepherd prayer. For example, the words living above reproach, being respectable, lover of good, and self-controlled. Those are already the things you can pray for as you aim or desire to be a good shepherd. Considering spiritual maturity, godliness, and wise leadership, as the Bible generally shows us, a good shepherd or leader should also be a good guide when praying.

You should also pray for the second aspect, which is the well-being of the people you lead by presenting to God their concerns and prayer requests in prayers. In (6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7), it is written that we are to present our prayer requests to God, where His peace, which transcends all understanding, shall guard our hearts and minds. The prayer requests you present to God are the intercessions or supplications you have regarding the well-being of the people you lead. That is why a good place to start is knowing their well-being by checking on them and asking them what you can pray for them.

Heavenly Father, give me the grace to be the kind of shepherd or leader Christ was. Make me a servant leader and humble, who always places the interests of others above His. Help me grow in spiritual maturity, living by the Spirit, where the fruit is evident in my life. Give me the grace to live in holiness, be above reproach, and live a life that is a good example to others. May I grow in leadership and wisdom to lead with understanding and excellence. I pray for the people I am leading in my small group who are going through difficulties in life that You will give them the grace and strength they need to persevere. Comfort them, Father, and remind them that Your mercy and loving kindness will follow them wherever they go. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Being a good shepherd or leader to the people you lead is something you cannot do with your strength alone. That is why you must humble yourself before God, knowing that only by His grace, as written in (And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.  2 Corinthians 12:9), can you be the shepherd or leader that you ought to be. That is why we pray because prayer is an act of coming to God and depending on Him.