November 19, 2006

Installation Prayer of Lead Pastor Steve Hall

O Lord, I have heard your voice and was afraid.  You have called me to an awesome task in a grave and perilous hour.  At this time in history, I know you are about to shake all nations and the earth and also heaven - that the things that cannot be shaken may remain.  O Lord, my Lord, you have stooped to honor me to be Your servant.  No man takes this honor upon himself except that he is called of God as was Aaron.

My God, I will not waste time deploring my weakness nor my incompetence for this great work.  It is time, O God, for You to work, for the enemy prowls Your pastures.  I beg you, give me sharp eyes to detect the presence of the enemy; give me understanding to see and courage to report what I see faithfully.  Make my voice so like Your own that even the sick sheep will recognize it and follow You.

Lord Jesus, I come to You for spiritual preparation.  Lay Your hand upon me.  Anoint me with the oil of the New Testament prophet.  Forbid that I should become a religious slave and so lose my prophetic calling.  Save me from the curse that lies dark across the modern clergy, the curse of compromise, of imitation, of professionalism.  Save me from the error of judging a church by its size, its popularity or the amount of its yearly offering.  Help me to remember that I am a prophet - not a promoter, not a religious manager, but a shepherd.  Let me never become a slave to crowds.  Heal my soul of carnal ambitions and deliver me from the itch for publicity.  Save me from bondage to things.  Let me not waste my days puttering around your house.  Lay Your terror upon me, O God, and drive me to the place of prayer where I may wrestle with principalities and powers and the rulers of the darkness of this world.  And now, O Lord of heaven and earth, I consecrate my remaining days to You; let them be many or few, as You will.  I am Your servant to do Your will, and that will is sweeter to me than position or riches or fame and I choose it above all things on earth or in heaven.

Though I am chosen of You and honored by a high and holy calling, let me never forget that I am but a man of dust and ashes, a man with all the natural faults and passions that plague the race of men.  I pray, therefore, my Lord and Redeemer, save me from myself and from all the injuries I may do myself while trying to be a blessing to others.  Fill me with Your power by the Holy Spirit, and I will go in Your strength and tell of Your righteousness.  I will spread abroad the message of Your redeeming love while my temporal powers endure.

Amen!

The general content of this prayer is from the ordination prayer of A.W. Toze; which I personalized.