Thank you, pastor

This time of year is my favorite. The weather begins cooling off and the leaves start changing colors. I also love this time of year because it’s football season. There is nothing like high school football on Friday nights and college football on Saturdays. 

However, of all the things we can highlight this time of year, one that often goes unmentioned is the time churches can set aside for pastor appreciation. Many churches designate October as Pastor Appreciation Month. It is a time when church families can express their thankfulness for their pastor and his family. 

It is extremely important as a church to let your pastor know you love and appreciate him. I pastored two churches and know firsthand the challenges pastors face. Allow me to give you three reasons your church should set aside time to show appreciation to your pastor:

Pastors work hard

There is an old joke that pastors only work on Sundays and Wednesdays. There is absolutely no truth in that statement. Pastors are some of the hardest working people there are. Every week, a pastor must seek the Lord for what he should share out of God’s Word for the congregation. He spends hours studying and crafting that message. On top of that, he is leading an organization. A church has many administrative duties that require leadership. He also must shepherd the people the Lord has called him to. Sometimes that requires counseling people. Sometimes that means early morning or late night visits to the hospital. Sometimes that means fixing things around the church. Your pastor works hard. 

Pastors can feel isolated

Pastoring can be a lonely calling. It’s one of the only positions in the world that has a constant revolving door of relationships. A pastor will see people come into the church and see people leave the church. People get engaged in the ministry and then they may move to another city. This makes it difficult for a pastor to establish deep relationships and can lead to feeling isolated. Make sure your pastor knows you love him and are here to support him. See him as a friend and a pastor. 

Pastors need time away

I often encourage churches to give their pastors time away. The nature of being a pastor means you are always on call. It’s not a job you can leave at the office. At any moment, a pastor’s time with his family could be interrupted for various reasons. There is rarely any time to unplug and recharge. I encourage your church to find time when your pastor can be away and be refreshed. I promise you, he will be a better pastor when his heart has been refreshed with rest and family time. 

I have always believed being a pastor is the greatest calling one can have. But it can be physically, emotionally, and spiritually draining. However, your pastor does it with joy day in and day out because he loves the calling the Lord has given to him. I encourage you to take time as a church to show appreciation to your pastor. When your pastor feels loved and appreciated, he will love and lead you well. 

I love you and am humbled to serve you!