One of the secrets of successful ministry

Pastors (and dads): do you pray for your flock?

It is of little use to be devoted to labour for our people, if we are not equally devoted to prayer on their behalf. God make us Ministers of much prayer! For without this devotional spirit, we possess only that negative existence, which will eventually cut us off from the Church, as an useless 'incumbrance, instead of an instrument of good. A Ministry of power must be a Ministry of prayer. Thus Moses, Aaron, and Samuel,  stood in the gap. Jeremiah's intercession seemed as if it could restrain the execution of the Divine purposes. This was the Apostle's chief mode of expressing his " longing after'' his people, " in the bowels of Jesus Christ." He seems as if he never bowed his knee before his God without expressing his interest on their behalf. Could such a spirit fail of " having power with God, and prevailing? " Without this prevalency with God, we can never hope to prevail with men. ' The Minister of the Gospel should indeed be as the angels of God, going betwixt him and his people; not only bringing down useful instructions from God to them, but putting up earnest supplications to God for them.
--Charles Bridges, The Christian Ministry. Kindle Edition. 

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