Back to school. Something I thought was a big deal as a kid that now feels like an even bigger deal as a parent. For the kids, there is excitement, anxiety, joy, fear, and many other mixed emotions over issues like making the team, having a friend, enjoying this as the best year yet, and more. For the parents, there’s typically the same emotions just over different issues: is this the best schooling choice, will they have friends, will they be bullied, will they be safe, and the list goes on. For teachers, there is a mixed bag of emotions as well over things like: how to best support each student, how to balance everything in the classroom, how to make connections, and more.
All of these examples barely hit the surface of what each individual is going through as we begin a new school year. On top of a new school year, our church also begins its new ministry year this month with kids, parents, and teachers facing emotions and concerns about that as well. For some, change brings happiness, joy, and the satisfaction of a fresh start. For others, change brings about fear, anxiety, or sadness. A lot of times, we simultaneously experience both. That being said, it is so easy to get caught up in the to-do lists this time of year or our own concerns and worries about what to do or what will happen that we forget to bring all of these issues to the Lord. He is the one we should go to first to give praise to in the happy achievements, to sustain us in the stress, to carry our burdensome worries of the future, and more.
For this 2025/2026 school year, let us be a church that goes to God in prayer on behalf of our students, parents, and teachers. The remainder of this post will provide various passages of Scripture with prayer points focused on these individuals. Please take some time throughout the next month to pray for our church family in this new season. What a joy it is to bring one another before the Lord together.
1 Timothy 1:7 – for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.
- Pray for students, parents, and teachers not to approach this year with a spirit of fear.
- Pray that they experience the love of God even in their fears and that they are able to have self-control of their thoughts and actions even when they are afraid.
Philippians 4:4-8 – Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
- Pray for all to rejoice in the Lord for the gift of this new season of life.
- Pray for all to give their worries to God and leave them with him.
- Pray that each would focus on what is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent, and worthy of praise as the enemy entices us to focus on the exact opposite.
Psalm 34:13 -14 – Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit. Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.
- Pray for each to refrain from gossip, talking bad about others, or being mean to one another.
- Pray for each to seek and pursue peace in relationships as they pursue Christ.
Galatians 5:16-24 – But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
- Pray for the kids and students to not gratify the desires of the flesh but to pursue Christ and, in turn, live a life exhibiting love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
- Pray for teachers to live a life honoring Christ and not gratifying the flesh as they set an example for their students.
- Pray for parents to model what it means to live a life exhibiting love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control to their children as they abide in Christ.
Ephesians 6:10-20 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.
- Pray for each student to “put on” the armor of God as they go about each day. Pray that they would be in God’s Word and pray in order to pursue Christ and, therefore, put on the armor of God.
- Pray for teachers and parents to model what this passage looks like practically to their students and families.
- Pray through this passage and call someone out by name as you pray through each verse.
Colossians 3:12-17 Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
- Pray for the students to have compassionate hearts and practice kindness, humility, and patience.
- Pray for teachers to be in God’s Word and for it to be evident that it is dwelling in them richly as they exhibit compassionate hearts, patience, and forgiveness.
- Pray for parents to abide in Christ through his Word and model humility, patience, and forgiveness well to their families.