Clergy Appreciation Month 2017: Encouragement

“And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:  Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another:  and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”  (Hebrews 10:24-25 KJV)

October is here a time set aside for appreciating our pastors and all they and their families do—the sacrifices they make to care for the people in their charge.  Of course, we should appreciate them the other eleven months of the year!  October is Clergy Appreciation Month, with this in mind, I will be sharing (with some editing) what I posted the last two Octobers.

To read previous posts in this series, please see:  Clergy Appreciation Month, Clergy Appreciation Month:  Pastor Appreciation Sunday, and Clergy Appreciation Month:Laity Serving.

We are told in the Bible to encourage each other daily, while we still can (see Hebrews 3:13), this includes our pastor.  How are we doing in following the counsel of the writer of Hebrews?  

One area where we can encourage our pastor is in dreaming and or visioning for the church, one of the many parts of a pastor’s job description.  It is here that our pastors seek the Lord, ideally, for direction in leading the church.  For example, it is here that new ministries are born or new formatting for worship is realized.

Dreaming or visioning is simply planning, setting goals for the future.  Without goals churches, like people, tend to aimlessly drift through life.  Dreams or visions help get things accomplished.

Be supportive of those dreams—handling them with care because they are delicate—like soap bubbles.  Many times, those dreams are inspired by the Holy Spirit.  Dreams can be costly in terms of time, effort, and even money.  Yet Holy Spirit inspired dreams can change the direction of churches and of lives.  Holy Spirit dreams can (and have) set the world on fire!  Holy Spirit dreams are still setting the world on fire and making a huge difference in the lives of countless people. 

Personal Photo

What dream(s) is the Holy Spirit giving you?

When the temptation arises to criticize the dreaming and or visioning of your pastor (or anyone else!), recall how it felt to have your dreams destroyed by someone who simply did not understand or simply refused to understand.  How did you feel?  What happened to those dreams?  Please encourage others to not criticize as well.

Encourage your pastor to keep dreaming!  Ask good questions and seek to understand your pastor’s ideas.  In so doing, I believe that you will learn more about the heart of your pastor.  Learning more about your pastor’s heart is priceless!  Deeply consider and pray about how you can help him or her in implementing those dreams, by using your gifts and talents.  

What dreams and/or visions has your pastor shared with you and/or your church?  How can you support him or her in those dreams and/or  visions?

Please join me in prayer:

Dear Lord, we pray that our pastor will find the freedom and courage to dream godly dreams and have the courage and strength from You to follow them.  Bless our pastor in planning for the future ministry of our church.  Help us to support and encourage our pastor to pursue the dreams and visions and not get in the way; encouraging others to be open to new ideas and new ways of doing things.  Open us to the ways we can assist our pastor in dreaming and visioning for the church and in pursuing those by the use of the gifts You have graciously given us.  In Jesus’ name we pray.  Amen.   

From My Heart to Yours,

Kim

Special Note: Faith Journey with Kim: Growing in Christ Jesus has a Facebook page.  To get to the site, please click on the grayish text above or here.

Clergy Appreciation Month: Encouragement

“And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:  Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another:  and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”  (Hebrews 10:24-25 KJV)

October is here a time set aside for appreciating our pastors and all they and their families do—the sacrifices they make to care for the people in their charge.  Of course, we should appreciate them the other eleven months of the year!  October is Clergy Appreciation Month, with this in mind, I will be sharing (with some editing) what I posted last October.

To read previous posts in this series, please see:  Clergy Appreciation Month, Clergy Appreciation Month:  Pastor Appreciation Sunday, and Clergy Appreciation Month: Laity Serving.

We are told in the Bible to encourage each other daily, while we still can (see Hebrews 3:13), this includes our pastor.  How are we doing in following the counsel of the writer of Hebrews?  

One area where we can encourage our pastor is in dreaming and or visioning for the church, one of the many parts of a pastor’s job description.  It is here that our pastors seek the Lord, ideally, for direction in leading the church.  For example, it is here that new ministries are born or new formatting for worship is realized.

Dreaming or visioning is simply planning, setting goals for the future.  Without goals churches, like people, tend to aimlessly drift through life.  Dreams or visions help get things accomplished.

Photo Credit: P. Whitlatch

Be supportive of those dreams—handling them with care because they are delicate—like soap bubbles.  Many times, those dreams are inspired by the Holy Spirit.  Dreams can be costly in terms of time, effort, and even money.  Yet Holy Spirit inspired dreams can change the direction of churches and of lives.  Holy Spirit dreams can (and have) set the world on fire!  Holy Spirit dreams are still setting the world on fire and making a huge difference in the lives of countless people. 

What dream(s) is the Holy Spirit giving you?

When the temptation arises to criticize the dreaming and or visioning of your pastor (or anyone else!), recall how it felt to have your dreams destroyed by someone who simply did not understand or simply refused to understand.  How did you feel?  What happened to those dreams?  Please encourage others to not criticize as well.

Encourage your pastor to keep dreaming!  Ask good questions and seek to understand your pastor’s ideas.  In so doing, I believe that you will learn more about the heart of your pastor.  Learning more about your pastor’s heart is priceless!  Deeply consider and pray about how you can help him or her in implementing those dreams, by using your gifts and talents.  

What dreams and/or visions has your pastor shared with you and/or your church?

Photo credit: P. Whitlach

Please join me in prayer:

Dear Lord, we pray that our pastor will find the freedom and courage to dream godly dreams and have the courage and strength from You to follow them.  Bless our pastor in planning for the future ministry of our church.  Help us to support and encourage our pastor to pursue the dreams and visions and not get in the way; encouraging others to be open to new ideas and new ways of doing things.  Open us to the ways we can assist our pastor in dreaming and visioning for the church and in pursuing those by the use of the gifts You have graciously given us.  In Jesus’ name we pray.  Amen.   

From My Heart to Yours,

Kim

Commencement

*Note: I am re-posting this from last year (original post date:  May 29, 2015) with some editing. 

From http://www.clker.com/cliparts/C/R/m/z/8/q/graduate-md.png 

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.”  (Jeremiah 29:11 KJV)

Me on my high school graduation day (May 27, 1990)

Since commencement season is upon us once again; I thought it would be a good idea to revisit the imagery we can see in commencement ceremonies.

Commencement is defined as:  “an act, instance, or time of commencing; the ceremonies or the day for conferring degrees or diplomas”.  While commencement seems to indicate an end of something, such as high school or college, it really means a beginning of something, a new time of life.

My Uncle Carrol and me on my graduation day from William Penn (College) University (May 14 1995, Mother’s Day)

During our lives we have many beginnings and starts—the very first day of school, the first day of high school, the first day at a new job—the list is endless.  Many times a new beginning is the end of some thing that captured our attention for many years.  We grieve what we are leaving behind; while feeling a degree of anxiety and/or excitement about what our future holds.

What feelings did you experience at your high school and/or college graduation?

In what ways did your dreams come true after graduation?  If not, how were God’s plans and dreams different than yours?

My friend, Maud, and me after our college graduation ceremony

Have you ever considered how inviting Jesus into your heart is like a “commencement”?

We know there is much rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents (Luke 15:7).  There is a turning from “idols” to the Lord (1Thessalonians 1:9); much like the turning of the tassel during the graduation ceremony, we have a new identity and a new set of responsibilities.  A totally new way of life is open to us.

To be sure, there is an adjustment period, not only for new graduates but also for those who receive Jesus as Savior and Lord.

What advice would you give to this year’s graduates?

What advice would you give to new Christians?

Me after graduate school graduation ceremonies at the University of Northern Iowa (May 8, 1999)

Please join with me in prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for knowing Your plans for us—plans that will bring about positive things for us.  Help us to trust in You and the plans You have for each one of us.  Clearly reveal Your presence those who are beginning new chapters in their lives, whether it is through graduation or starting life anew as a Christian.  We pray for our graduates that they will correctly discern the plans You have for them.  May each one seek You and discern the dreams You have for them.  In Jesus’ precious name, we pray. Amen.

From My Heart to Yours,

Kim

         

Clergy Appreciation Month: Encouragement

“And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:  Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another:  and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”  (Hebrews 10:24-25 KJV)

To read previous posts in this series, please see:  Clergy Appreciation Month, Clergy Appreciation Month:  Pastor Appreciation Sunday, and Clergy Appreciation Month: Laity Serving.

We are told in the Bible to encourage each other daily, while we still can (Hebrews 3:13), this includes our pastor.  How are we doing in following the counsel of the writer of Hebrews?   

From http://encourageyourspouse.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/encourage-synonyms.jpg

One area where we can encourage our pastor is in dreaming/visioning for the church, one of the many parts of a pastor’s job description.  It is here that our pastors seek the Lord, ideally, for direction in leading the church.  For example, it is here that new ministries are born or new formatting for worship is realized.

Dreaming or visioning is simply planning, setting goals for the future.  Without goals churches, like people tend to aimlessly drift through life.  Dreams or visions help get things accomplished.

From https://gaffordpdc.files.wordpress.com/2014/12/dowithlife-1jk9o11.jpg?w=300&h=199

Be supportive of those dreams—handling them with care because they are delicate—like soap bubbles.  Many times, those dreams are inspired by the Holy Spirit.  Dreams can be costly in terms of time, effort, and even money.  Yet Holy Spirit inspired dreams can change the direction of churches and of lives.  Holy Spirit dreams can (and have) set the world on fire! 

From http://images.all-free-download.com/images/graphicthumb/transparent_bubbles_background_241377.jpg

When the temptation arises to criticize the dreaming/visioning of your pastor (or anyone else!), recall how it felt to have your dreams destroyed by someone who simply did not understand or refused to understand.  How did you feel?  What happened to those dreams?  Please encourage others to not criticize as well.

Encourage your pastor to keep dreaming!  Ask good questions and seek to understand your pastor’s ideas.  In so doing, I believe that you will learn more about the heart of your pastor.  That is priceless!  Deeply consider and pray about how you can help him/her in implementing those dreams, by using your gifts and talents.   

What dreams/visions has your pastor shared with you/your church?

From http://popmn.org/wp-content/uploads/popmn/2014/03/Gods-Dreams.jpg

Please join me in prayer:

Dear Lord, we pray that our pastor will find the freedom and courage to dream godly dreams and have the courage and strength from You to follow them.  Bless our pastor in planning for the future ministry of our church.  Help us to support and encourage our pastor to pursue the dreams and visions and not get in the way; encouraging others to be open to new ideas and new ways of doing things.  Open us to the ways we can assist our pastor in dreaming/visioning for the church and in pursuing those by the use of the gifts You have graciously given us.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.   

From My Heart to Yours,

Kim

Commencement

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.”  (Jeremiah 29:11 KJV)

Me on my high school graduation day (May 27, 1990)

Commencement is defined as: “an act, instance, or time of commencing; the ceremonies or the day for conferring degrees or diplomas”. While commencement seems to indicate an end of something, such as high school or college, it really means a beginning of something, a new time of life.

My Uncle Carrol and me on my graduation day from William Penn (College) University (May 14 1995, Mother’s Day)

During our lives we have many beginnings and starts—the very first day of school, the first day of high school, the first day at a new job—the list is endless. Many times a new beginning is the end of some thing that captured our attention for many years. We grieve what we are leaving behind; while feeling a degree of anxiety/excitement about what our future holds.

What feelings did you experience at your high school/college graduation?

In what ways did your dreams come true after graduation? If not, how were God’s plans and dreams different than yours?

My friend, Maud, and me after our college graduation ceremony

Have you ever considered how inviting Jesus into your heart is like a “commencement”?

We know there is much rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents (Luke 15:7). There is a turning from “idols” to the Lord (1Thessalonians 1:9); much like the turning of the tassel during the graduation ceremony, we have a new identity and a new set of responsibilities. A totally new way of life is open to us.

To be sure, there is an adjustment period, not only for new graduates but also for those who receive Jesus as Savior and Lord.

What advice would you give to this year’s graduates?

Me after graduate school graduation ceremonies at the University of Northern Iowa (May 8, 1999)

Please join with me in prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for knowing Your plans for us—plans that will bring about positive things for us. Help us to trust in You and the plans You have for each one of us. Clearly reveal Your presence those who are beginning new chapters in their lives, whether it is through graduation or starting life anew as a Christian. We pray for our graduates that they will correctly discern the plans You have for them. May each one seek You and discern the dreams You have for them. In Jesus’ precious name, we pray. Amen.

From My Heart to Yours,

Kim