"Pastoral Appreciation"

"Now we ask you, brothers, to respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work" (1 Thessalonians 5:13).
 
This month is a time we are encouraged to express our appreciation to pastors. After serving for 25 years in active pastoral ministry I am grateful for the many occasions the churches I served were kind enough to bless me with words, acts, and gifts of appreciation.

Brooksyne and I sure have some great memories of those kind expressions. One of the earliest that comes to mind goes way back to the early 80's when the church presented me with a huge cardboard tennis racquet and I was "forced" to carry it through the small town into the sports store to redeem it for a real racquet. I was a lot skinnier back then! *
 
In early 2001 we knew how important it was when we moved from pastoral service to the chaplaincy ministry to promptly get involved in a good local church. We began attending a small friendly country church near our home and have been a part of this church for nearly five years now. Our church recently transitioned from one pastor to another and I expect to continue to be blessed by our new pastor and hopefully I will be a blessing.

Pastors are under severe attack, some are burned out, many are so discouraged and others maligned. How they need the local church's heeding of the daily text. "Now we ask you, brothers, to respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work."
 
So what can you do to bless and support your pastor? Here are some starters.

"Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you" (Hebrews 13:17). "The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching" (1 Timothy 5:17).
 
 
Be encouraged today,
 
 
Stephen C. Weber

* Brooksyne's note

I well remember that day when Stephen had to walk through the small town and receive the many glances, finger pointing, and chuckles as he carried the oversized homemade cardboard tennis racquet to redeem for a tennis racquet of his choice.  As a matter of fact I walked a few paces behind him so that I would receive less attention.  It was worth the fun humiliation since he and I would play tennis for many years to come. I truly am grateful for our years of pastoral ministry. 

There were so many who blessed our lives by their kind acts and expressions of support for 25 years.  Sadly, there were the few who were "sheep biters" as pastors refer to them, since they harm the flock God has called the pastor to shepherd.  But God used those experiences in our lives to bring us to our knees as He developed character traits such as perseverance, self-control, forbearance and many other spiritual fruit.

Brooksyne's Prayer – "Jesus, I want to thank You for the kind people in my life; the people who think the best of me when they hear the worst.  I thank You for those who express personal concern when they see that I am troubled.  I thank You for those who challenge me to develop a new gift or try again when I didn't succeed the first time.  I'm so glad for the folks who don't compare me unfavorably with my predecessor but love me for who I am.  Lord, I thank You for those who kneel before the Father and lift my name up in prayer. You've given them a burden to care for my soul and love me unconditionally.  Thank You for the body of Christ who are supportive of their church leadership in prayer, in words spoken, in works of service and in their consistent testimony to a world that is dying without Christ."

Here's a prayer to publicly pray for your pastor. I encourage you to use a prayer like this, adapting it for each situation. It would be powerful to have the board gather around him and offer prayer together. I can tell you from experience such a prayer would be a real blessing to him and the congregation.

Here is an outline to a sermon I preach to churches as they prepare for a new pastor.

Here are some other references and sources concerning Pastoral Appreciation Month (AKA Clergy Appreciation Month)
http://www.dayspring.com/ecards/allcat.asp?category=31
http://www.family.org/pastor/cam
http://www.christianitytoday.com/holidays/clergy