Appreciation. We all need it, don’t we? From the worn out parent to the underpaid artist and the overworked employee, to be seen and valued for who we are and what we do is affirming and inspiring.
Although we all need appreciation, the entire month of October is set aside as Pastor Appreciation Month. As I thought about our lead pastor and the challenging year he’s had, it dawned on me that appreciating our pastors is good for them and us!
Good for Him
A lead pastor’s job is an unusually weighty mix of responsibility, isolation, and expectations.
A teaching pastor bears the responsibility of wisely teaching God's Word and keeping watch over our souls. He listens to our complaints and concerns, but also to all manner of confidential trauma and dark confessions that he must bear in silence. He helps us plan our loved ones’ funerals and walks with us through the darkest days of our lives, often when he is grieving as well. Pastors storm Heaven on our behalf and are frequently interrupted from leading, caring for, and enjoying their own family to comfort and care for us. And, as those in my congregation have been been painfully reminded of this year, he is still a man with his own very real needs and health concerns.
Pastors manage multiple teams, mentor younger pastors on their staff, do a crazy amount of planning ahead and communicating for the health of the entire church and so all areas of the church can effectively work together, invest hours upon hours into sermon prep, sacrifice their vision and make very difficult ministry and life-impacting decisions when church finances require, and he must constantly encourage and care for a congregation of widely diverse levels of spiritual maturity, wants, and needs.
Bottom line. A pastor’s job is ridiculously weighty. The pastor who encourages us needs us to encourage him.
“Fun-filled Fact: Pastor Rick Thompson plans his sermon topics an entire year in advance to ensure that the worship, spiritual formation, mission, and arts teams can best work together!”
Since our church budgets make it impossible to pay our pastors what their education, resumes, and constant care deserve, we must be especially mindful of paying them in genuine and frequent appreciation. Our specifically spoken and written words of encouragement buoy him on his hardest days. They inspire him spiritually, personally, and professionally. They remind him that he is seen and valued, that his work really does matter and his efforts are making a difference in our lives. They give him energy and increase his resolve to fulfill his calling.
Good For Us
Besides experiencing the blessings of honoring our pastors as Scripture encourages, expressing appreciation has been shown to improve physical and psychological health, enhance empathy, reduce aggression, help you sleep better, improve self esteem, and increase mental strength (Psychology Today).
While psychologists have long said that practicing gratitude changes our mood and outlook, I know this experientially. Looking for what is good has always been an important step in helping me to see it. When I see the good in my pastor, it is easier for me to follow his God-given leadership, I’m encouraged by his example, making me a more positive church member who is freshly motivated to fulfill my own purpose.
Next to the words “I love you,” I can’t imagine there being a more beautiful and welcomed phrase than a sincere “thank you.” So, this month in particular, let’s thank our pastors in the ways that matter most to them. Let’s use our written and verbal words to thank them for something specific they've done or said, letting them know how it made a difference in our lives. Let’s be positive and faithfully engaged church members who embrace their vision, serve alongside them, and love their family well.
Let’s appreciate the pastor who God has given to look over us. It really is good for him and us!
What is one thing you appreciate about your pastor?
Meet the Author!
Bible teacher, author, inspirational speaker and disciple-maker, Vickey Banks is passionate about helping women connect the dots between God’s Word and their everyday lives. She loves serving as Women’s Ministry Director at Council Road, celebrating her people, playing with her puppy and getting lost in a good story.