May 2, 2025

What are you praying for? Better asked, who are you praying for?

We spent several weeks leading up to Easter at White Oak talking about and practicing prayer. We have now entered into a season where we are reading through the book of Philippians. Paul’s letter to the church in Philippi opens not unlike many of Paul’s letters.

3 I thank my God every time I remember you. 4 In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. -Philippians 1:3-6

At the opening of his letter Paul says that he is praying for the Christians in Philippi. He’s addressing not only the church in general, but he has many of its members in mind specifically, no doubt, having personally led to the conversion of Lydia and the Philippian jailor. Unique to Paul’s letters, here he also brings attention to the overseers and deacons of the church. He’s specifically praying for those in leadership as well. With phrases like “I thank God every time…” and “in all my prayers…” and “I always pray…,” it’s clear that Paul is passionately determined to be praying for this church.

We are sometimes focused during our prayer time in praying for circumstances. Often, we find ourselves praying for our family, those who are sick, and ourselves. My hope is that our prayer lives are dominated by worship and thanksgiving and praise. All that to say, how often do you pray for Jesus’s Church? Do you find yourself drawn and compelled to pray for the Church in North America, South American, Africa, or Asia? I wonder what our church would look like if 100% of the praying believers who are a part of White Oak Christian Church were praying for our church daily. And not just for White Oak, in general. I’m talking about lifting up specific people not just in their times of illness or of need but asking God to mature them in faith and to carry out the good work of forming them to be like Jesus.

And what about the leaders, staff, and elders of our church? Paul opens his letter to the Christians in Colossae this way,

3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4 because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all God’s people—

-Colossians 1: 3-4

The leaders of our church take on heavy loads. Whether staff or volunteer, God has appointed each to lead in a variety of ways (teaching, equipping, planning, mentoring, shepherding, serving, etc.). Each of these obediently steps into these roles because of the love that they have for all of God’s people. They do this at the cost of their time for work, family, and leisure. They do this opening themselves up for critique. They do this with the heaviness of helping to shoulder the burdens of others. They do this with the weightiness of the knowledge of the breadth of impact and eternal consequences of this ministry work. We do this asking God to give us his joy and to continue his work in us to completion!

I want to ask you to commit to praying for Jesus’s Church and White Oak specifically. Please pray for our congregation. Pray for the leaders, elders, and staff of WOCC. Join me in praying that God would continue to form each one more and more into the likeness of Jesus until we are found complete on the day Jesus returns. We need your prayers. Daily. We are so thankful when you tell us that you’re praying for us. I feel those prayers and God is moving! The work that all of us have to do here at White Oak to accomplish our mission of connecting people to full life in Jesus isn’t easy. It will take us all obediently stepping into roles of ministry. It will take prayer warriors and leaders to pray for those at our Ross Campus, those at our Colerain Campus, and for those who aren’t yet leading at future locations where God will lead us. Please develop, rekindle, or continue your habit of praying for us!

Grace and peace to you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. I thank God for you.

Thank you,

Nathan

Nathan Hinkle

Lead Pastor

How Can We Pray For You?