“And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour
among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; And to esteem them
very highly in love for their work’s sake. And be ye at peace among
yourselves.”
(1 Thessalonians
5:12-13 KJV)
October is here; therefore, it is a good time to look towards appreciating our pastors and all they and their families do—the sacrifices they make to care for the people in their charge. October is Clergy Appreciation Month, with this in mind, I will be sharing (with some editing) what I posted the last two years.
Clergy
Appreciation Month was started in the early 1990s by a lay person, who saw a
need. He realized that there were months
and days honoring people and groups but nothing for honoring pastors. Pastors are human and need encouragement like
everyone else—it can be something quite simple—such as a pat on the back, a
word of praise, or simply being attentive during services. At times pastors seem to take more than their
fair share of criticism, so words of praise are even more important. Pastors (and their families) need our prayer
and support, not our criticism. Show
your appreciation publicly, even if you think they may be embarrassed; knowing how
much they are loved and appreciated will do more good than we can begin to
comprehend.
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| Personal Photo |
Remember most
pastors work incredibly hard, putting in extremely long hours to
care for the flock they love. (And by
the way, they work more than just on Sunday!) This means they miss time with their families.
They also neglect their own needs at
times. Therefore, they need to be
reminded they are loved and that they are making a difference in the lives of
others.
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| Personal Photo |
We see pastors
being encouraged in the Bible, such as the support Aaron and Hur gave to Moses
during the battle with the Amalekites (Exodus 17:10-13).
How is your
pastor being encouraged by the members of his/her congregation? Who holds up your pastor’s arms? What are you doing to encourage your
pastor?
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| Photo Credit P. Whitlach |
Do not forget to
encourage your pastor’s family; they are an important part of the ministry too!
The pastor’s family is a vital part of his/her ministry. They are expected to make many sacrifices that
many in the congregation would be unwilling to make.
One great way to
encourage your pastor and his/her family is through prayer! Let them know that you are praying for them. For some ideas to direct your prayers see: How to pray for your pastor
Throughout the
rest of this month and in the months ahead, think about ways to affirm the work
of your pastor and his/her family. Keep
in mind that our pastors should be appreciated and affirmed twelve months a
year, not just in October! Remember the times
that someone has expressed their appreciation of you. How did you feel?
How are you
honoring your pastor and his/her family? How have you showed appreciation (as an
individual or as a church) in the past? What
about this year?
Please join with
me in prayer:
Dear Heavenly
Father, thank You for all those who were and are obedient to Your call on their
lives and became pastors to shepherd Your flock. Prompt us to know how and when
to encourage our pastors; may we use our words with care—building up rather
than tearing down. Father, thank You for our pastors and their families; pour
out Your blessings on them, may they experience the fullness of Your presence
in their daily lives. In Jesus’ Name, we pray.
Amen
From My Heart to
Yours,
Kim
Note: There will be an additional post on Sunday on the topic of pastor appreciation.
