Appreciation Challenges

But we request of you, brethren, that you appreciate those who diligently labor among you, and have charge over you in the Lord and give you instruction, 13 and that you esteem them very highly in love because of their work. 1Thes 5:12-13

“Pastor Appreciation Month” is a mixed bag for most pastors. It began through the initial work of Focus on the Family in the early 1990’s. While most of us didn’t follow Jesus’ call for the human appreciation, it feels great to receive genuine gratitude. That can make it weird because our focus is making disciples, building Jesus’ church and fishing for people NOT fishing for appreciation! We feel strangely uncomfortable thinking or talking about pastor appreciation.

I want to just name part of that challenge out loud because you probably can’t in your setting. A core challenge includes the range of ways church approach it. Some churches are incredibly generous (think trip to Hawaii or Israel). Others seem oblivious to it. Many in the middle have good intentions but it snuck up on them or there just wasn’t thoughtful leadership to do something meaningful. So it ends up feeling more like an obligatory afterthought than genuine appreciation. It isn’t about what is spent, but the level of authentic appreciation shown. Some of my favorite blessings were heartfelt words shared in writing or verbally. If you are in ministry long enough you will experience all of them. If you are a pastor, stick with me a bit longer.

If you are not a pastor, I encourage you right now to determine how to help your church show genuine appreciation to your pastor(s).

If your church shows you authentically generous expressions of gratitude. I am thrilled for you and them. If they don’t. I am sorry. Try not to dwell too long on that. Either way remember Jesus is with you and he will reward you all along the way as He sees fit! The one who called you is stands with you, empowers you and loves you deeply! Keep looking to Him for direction and serving to please Him above all others.

1Pet 5:2-5 shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness; 3 nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock. 4 And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. 

Whatever happens in your church, I want to say that I seriously appreciate you!

To all of you pastors, THANK YOU! I am deeply grateful for your obedience and impact. I have also committed to praying for those of you in our network in a more intentional way. As a former church pastor, I understand your joys & burdens. I used to pray through our church directory as a discipline. Recently, I began praying through our state convention’s directory of churches and pastors. If you want to entrust me with specific requests that will be kept in confidence, please pass them along.

For this week, I am praying this for you:

Col 1:9-11 For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us  to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light.