![]() ![]() In other words, love them well all year round. The Apostle Paul puts it this way, “We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work” (1 Thessalonians 5:12-13). This article isn’t about withholding praise and honor from those who shepherd you-just the opposite! This is a challenge to not limit your appreciation to a single month. All of the above would make him/her feel loved and certainly appreciated. I can speak to this as one with some authority because I happen to serve in a church that does all-of-the-above fairly well.Ī month of encouragement is not what pastors need. Sure, send your pastor on a cruise or give him a few gift cards in October. Gift cards and one month atta-boys are fine, but what will truly serve him is not a month of honor, but a culture of honor. These are just a few cultural shifts that will communicate to your pastor that he is valued. Create opportunity for healthy peer relationships. Make sure your church gives him a living wage. Give him ample vacation time with his family. If you want to appreciate your pastor, change the church culture. Let me be the lone pastor who tells you the truth: Your pastor doesn’t want a potluck! That doesn’t make him feel appreciated. A dinner of fried chicken and homemade potato salad is not what he needs. Here are a few reasons why:Ĭhurch cultures must change. If you want to best serve and appreciate your pastor, don’t host a church fellowship meal in his honor. And while I myself am a pastor (and do get discouraged and lonely and angry sometimes), I still believe Pastor Appreciation Month must die. Terminally discouraged is a phrase I would use to describe a large portion of pastors. Many pastors I know personally are scheming of an exit strategy from ministry. Many pastors wake up on Monday mornings thinking about why seminary was a bad educational decision. Jon, I thought you just said pastors should be appreciated and loved and valued!? I did just say that. In short, Pastor Appreciation Month serves a purpose and appears to be here to stay. Pastors swim in precarious waters and rarely do we hear the words Pastor and Appreciation in the same sentence. In contrast, my heart is grieved when I see pastors treated as hirelings whose continued employment is solely predicated on church growth or keeping the powerbase happy. ![]() So my heart is warmed when I hear of churches and members showing special appreciation to their pastors and reminding them of their value and important role in their lives. In fact, a large percentage of pastors are discouraged and depressed because of this mounting pressure. ![]() Pastors are often expected to be theologians, small business gurus, advertising executives, social justice advocates, and brilliant communicators. Pastors have one of the hardest, most thankless jobs on the planet. It’s during this time that churches around the country often lavish praise, thanksgiving, and honor on their pastors for being faithful preachers, patient listeners, and gentle counselors. Those not entrenched in Christian culture don’t know that the month of October is Pastor Appreciation Month. Originally published in Relevant Magazine. ![]()
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