Pray for Me: The Power in Praying for Others

"Pray for me," someone says to you. How seriously do you take such a request?

Ken Carter, a pastor for nearly 30 years, says he has learned to honor the request "Pray for me" as a cry for help. "It is an acknowledgment that we are limited and finite creatures. It is a trust placed in a higher power," he comments. "It is always prompted by a situation that would not be desired, yet it is always an occasion for the grace of God."

Carter compares a person in need--whether it's because of illness, grief, a broken relationship, a job loss, or a spiritual crisis--to someone holding a bucket that is full. The bucket is filled with emotion, grief, confusion, and disappointment.

An intercessor comes alongside the person in need, holding an empty bucket. The person in need pours out his or her concerns into the intercessor's empty bucket. The intercessor then receives that person's agenda as a calling from God to pray for him or her.

In "Pray for Me" Carter lays a scriptural foundation for intercessory prayer and introduces you to this powerful and life-changing ministry. Interspersed through the 6 chapters are brief, practical exercises that lead you to pray for others in various situations.

If you've ever felt a burden to pray for others but didn't know where to start, this book is a must-read. Individuals, small groups, and congregations who want to grow in their ministry of intercessory prayer will benefit from reading this book.

Kenneth H. Carter Jr. is resident bishop of the Florida Conference of The United Methodist Church. He gives pastoral and administrative leadership to almost 800 congregations, fresh expressions of church, campus ministries, and outreach initiatives in an episcopal area that stretches from Tallahassee and Jacksonville to Miami and the Keys. He came to the Florida Conference in 2012 after serving for 29 years as a local church pastor in western North Carolina. Bishop Carter is the author of 11 books, including Pray for Me (Upper Room Books, 2012) and Embracing The Wideness: The Shared Convictions of United Methodists (Abingdon Press, 2018). Carter and his wife, Pam, have two adult daughters. His hobbies and interests include baseball (MLB and spring training), Duke basketball, hiking, Florida seafood, North Carolina barbecue, travel, reading, and roots music.