In this episode of In Touch, Dr. Charles Stanley turns the spotlight on the heart of pastoral ministry: prayer. He draws on the story of Joshua, his own early experiences, and the practical steps he recommends for leaders who feel the weight of their calling.
What Does It Mean to Be Certain of God’s Call?
Dr. Stanley opens with a question that echoes through the ministry: "How absolutely certain are you that God has called you into the ministry?" He points to Joshua’s moment after Moses’ death, when God declares, "Moses is dead. You now have the responsibility of leading these people." The certainty he seeks is not a feeling of comfort but a conviction that comes from "knees before God." Without that clarity, he warns, pastors may drift toward "greener pastures" and lose the purpose that keeps them grounded.
Why Courage Requires Kneeling
"Be strong and courageous" repeats three times in Joshua 1, yet Dr. Stanley explains that true strength is born in helplessness. He shares a personal illustration: a conversation with his grandfather, a seasoned preacher, who said, "Obey God, and leave all the consequences to Him." The lesson is that courage is not self‑reliance; it is a posture of surrender that invites God’s power to work through a leader’s weakness.
The Ladder of Failure in Ministry
Dr. Stanley warns of a "seven‑step descent" that can bring a ministry to ruin: prayerlessness, burden bearing, weariness, discouragement, disillusionment, dropout, and disaster. He emphasizes that the first step—forgetting to pray—sets the whole chain in motion. He urges pastors to keep prayer at the center of their decision‑making, lest they slide into the lower rungs of this ladder.
- Prayerlessness
- Burdens bearing
- Weariness
- Discouragement
- Disillusionment
- Dropout
- Disaster
Building a Prayerful Team
Recognizing that a single leader cannot shoulder all burdens, Dr. Stanley recommends forming a circle of men who pray for the pastor. He recounts how a woman in his church prayed for him while he preached, and how that support lifted the load. By teaching others to pray, a pastor creates a network that "keeps the load lifted off of you."
To hear how Dr. Stanley ties these threads together and to discover the practical steps he offers for cultivating a prayer‑centered ministry, listen to the full episode.