Appreciating your Pastor …

Did you know your pastor — now prepare yourself for this — YOUR pastor is … uh, well … he’s human!

Actually, there’s more to it than that.

YOUR pastor is a human as fragile, vulnerable, and imperfect as other human beings.

Yes, it’s true!

With October being Pastor Appreciation Month, one of the best things you can do in appreciating your pastor is understanding that the man behind the pulpit is just that — a man! — one who has the same kind of needs and struggles, wants and desires, problems and challenges that we all do. But added to that is the responsibility for the spiritual well-being of all those he leads. Ringing in his ears are the words of James who wrote, “Dear brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers in the church, for we who teach will be judged more strictly,” James 3:1.

And he has to bear all that as a human being.

Being a pastor is an incredibly big responsibility, one for which God Himself sets aside the life of a person He selects for a highly accountable job of shepherding His children. It’s a job that untold numbers carry out as a great privilege. To honor those who serve as pastors, here’s a few other ways you can demonstrate your appreciation for all they do for the cause of Christ:

Love them …
At the core of our being, we humans want (and need) to be loved. So does your pastor. The same man who prays with you through your struggles, counsels you and your spouse through marital hard times, encourages you through life’s crises, calls on you when you’re sick, cares about your child’s development like they were his own, and equips you with the Word of God, does all those things not simply because he loves God, but also because he loves you! Being “loved back” is a great reward for any pastor.

Listen to them …
Pastors haven’t had God set their lives apart to be ignored. It is God who has set aside these men to lead you. In that case, listen to them! Hebrews 13:17 says, “Obey your spiritual leaders, and do what they say. Their work is to watch over your souls, and they are accountable to God. Give them reason to do this with joy and not with sorrow. That would certainly not be for your benefit.”

Learn from them …
Pastors spend their lives in the Word and in prayer in order to teach and equip you to become like Christ. It’s directly to your own benefit to take advantage of their learning and study. One of the greatest delights of a pastor is to see someone who is teachable, someone who wants to learn God’s Word and actually apply it. Use their passion to teach as an opportunity to learn.

Lift with them …
Have you ever struggled to handle a heavy load while someone stood by and watched you strain in pain? It’s a little frustrating, isn’t it? Likewise, no one person can bear the needs of an entire congregation alone. That’s why a church is a family, brothers and sisters in Christ knitted together in a bond of love. Help your pastor meet the needs of your faith family, and beyond into the community, by lifting burdens alongside him.

Laugh together …
Life has plenty of troubles, but not everything is so serious. Share some lighter times with your pastor, laugh together!

Let me give you one more encouragement. Each year, as we’re reminded of Pastor Appreciation Month, we might give a word of appreciation as we shake the pastor’s hand while exiting the sanctuary. Let me encourage you to do more this year. Find a way to connect personally with your pastor and clearly, kindly, even lovingly, convey your appreciation for his service to Christ and to you.

Scotty