Reformed theologian John Piper agreed with Chan, challenging pastors to examine all of those aspects in their lives. He went further to say plainly, “It’s either give up on Him and go sell insurance … or say ‘I trust you [God].'” And addressing those who ask whether prayer makes a difference if God is sovereign over everything, Piper said such curious questions are “sophomoric.”

The subject of prayer seemed to have struck right at the heart of many pastors as confessions of prayerlessness and lack of trust poured out on Wednesday.

As Desiring God ministry was closing out its annual pastors conference, a Q&A session turned into somewhat of a confession one for both the audience and panelists alike.

Well-known speaker Francis Chan had early on in the conference spoken about how God is faithful in hearing and answering prayers. But the talk proved to be discouraging to some pastors, one of whom confessed that during his 20 years in ministry, there wasn’t a specific answered prayer he could point to.

“It’s caused me to struggle in my ministry and in leading people because I don’t feel like even though I do it that I can see the specific intervening of the hand of God,” the anonymous person wrote.

Another pastor submitted, “‘If you abide in me and my Word abides in you ask what you will and it will be done.’ This never happens in my ministry.”

And yet another pastor expressed frustration with prayer, comparing Chan’s amazing story of answered prayers to his own unanswered one.

Read More: http://www.christianpost.com/article/20110203/pastors-confess-to-weak-prayer-lives-doubts/