11 Practical Ways to Appreciate Your Pastor

I had the opportunity to preach at the Southeast Atlanta SDB Church as they celebrated their pastor, Barry Dailey. In my sermon, I shared these 11 practical ways to honor their pastor. I believe these may be useful for you as you consider the work your pastor does on behalf of your church and the cause of Christ. 

1. A Worker is Worthy of His Wages 

Paying a pastor frees him to provide for his family (which he must do) and to do gospel ministry (pray, preach, teach, mentor, counsel). I know that most churches cannot afford to pay a pastor what he is worth. Pastors do not accept their calling because of finances. However, there are ways to think outside the box for ways to honor him and his family such as year-end bonuses, extra vacation, inviting his family out to dinner away, having a gasoline or clothing or phone or book allowance, and many more things. Be creative!

2. Don't Treat Your Pastor Like a Hireling 

If you can pay your pastor, do not lord it over him and treat him as a slave.You may pay him but he does not work for you. You pay him with God's money to do God's work. He is accountable not ultimately to you but to God for his work.

3. Understand What Your Pastor Goes Through 

Your pastor makes lots of tough decisions (and often have to do so quickly). When you hurt, he does. When you rejoice, he does. When you sin, he is grieved. When you grow in grace and faith, he celebrates what God is doing. He does this in addition to the emotional, financial, and personal difficulties that him and his family go through as well. Encourage his participation in other groups of pastors who can uniquely understand what it is like to pastor a church.

4. Pastors Get Discouraged; Don't Participate in Discouraging Him 

Your pastor gets discouraged when you don't show up (to worship/bible study/men's group). Your pastor gets discouraged when he casts a vision that God has laid upon him and no one follows. Your pastor gets discouraged when he spends hours each week in preparation for a sermon and people play on their phones during church. So, say thank you. Tell him you enjoyed his sermon (and what exactly you enjoyed about his sermon) and tell him on a day other than your day of worship (i.e. Monday or Tuesday). 

5. People Who Visit Your Church See How You Treat Your Pastor 

If you want to be known as a loving church, then you will love the shepherd of your church. People notice how you treat your pastor when they visit. In churches where they have lots of pastoral changes, the problem is probably not the pastors.

6. Your Pastor Wasn't Always a Pastor

While your pastor does enjoy reading the Bible and listening to other people's sermons, he enjoys some of the same things you do too (TV, books, sports, etc.) Know if he is an introvert or extrovert. Know your pastor's hobbies and favorites. Consider this when you think about a gift for him. By the way, other people besides the pastor can pray at meals. 

7. Share Your Pastor 

Allow your pastor to serve in the community (school board, neighborhood watch, coach, etc.). Allow him to teach, preach, and pray in other churches when invited. Your pastor, your church, and your community will be blessed if you do. 

8. Don't Make Your Pastor Choose Between His Family and the Church 

If you do make him choose, you will be disappointed because he will pick his family every time (and he should). Spiritual leaders in the church and in the homes of church members need to fill the gap. Your pastor loves you so it is easy to abuse him by asking him to do every little thing. Guard him from doing too much and do your best to take care of his wife and family.

9. Watch Out For and Encourage Your Pastor's Spiritual Growth 

As much as your pastor grows spiritually is as much as the church will grow. Let him go to conferences. Encourage him to take retreats. Allow him time off to listen to others preach. Pray for him often and regularly. Follow Him as He follows Christ.

10. Lift Up Your Pastor's Tired Hands

When your pastor asks you to do something say yes. When you say yes, do it. When you don't do what you say you will do, guess who has to do it most of the time (that's right, your pastor). Lift up his tired hands by showing up (and on time) and giving to the church (both your money and time). Cooperate with him and God in the ministry of the church by having a teachable spirit and repenting of sin. Assume that your pastor has your best interests at heart.

11. Honor Your Pastor 

Address your pastor in the manner he prefers to be addressed but err on the side of formality. Teach your children to respect the pastor as an authority through your example. If you participate in the service, practice your part. If you lead a ministry, be prepared to serve. 

This is by no means an exhaustive list of how you should appreciate your pastor. Just remember that your pastor is a gift of God to your church. Treat His gift and His church that your pastor leads with respect. 

Leadership Lessons from Ted Engstrom, Part 4

At the encouragement of a few friends and fellow General Council members, I am reading through The Making of a Christian Leader by Ted Engstrom. This book was written in 1976 but still resonates with its insights to this day. Talk about retro!

Every week, I will share some quotes and gleanings from my reading for the week. I hope to use this time as an encouragement to myself and to others that being a leader is a calling from Christ and only possible through Christ.




CHAPTER TWO: THE OLD TESTAMENT AND LEADERSHIP

"...spiritual men can take ... [leadership] tools and use them for the glory of God, whether or not all the tools in the leader's arsenal are spiritual.", p. 25

[Joseph provides] "a magnificent example of organization in Scripture!", p. 26

"...authority flows from the higher levels to the lower in God's plan.", p. 26

 "Authority carries with it great responsibility.", p. 27

"Those entrusted with authority are divinely ordained to use it responsibly for His purposes.", p. 27

"...the complex nature of authority...depend[s] upon the attitude with which it is received...", p. 27

"...the people did not understand his [Moses'] role in their midst.", p. 29

"...he [Moses] knew it was time to train someone else for leadership.", p. 30

Six qualities of Moses' leadership found in Hebrews 11 (p. 30):                                          1. Faith (v. 24)                                                                                                                      2. Integrity (v.25)                                                                                                                  3. Vision (v. 26)                                                                                                                    4. Decisiveness (v. 27)                                                                                                          5. Obedience (v. 28)                                                                                                              6. Responsibility (v. 29)

"Behind David's accomplishments was the blessing of God.", p. 31

"The strongest reason ... that the Israelite tribes offered for wanting David to rule was that he was God's choice.", p. 31

"David...protect[ed] them as their judge in peace and their captain in war.", p. 31

Secrets to David's Success (p. 32-33):                                                                                 1. Wise Diplomacy                                                                                                               2. Recognition of the Lord God                                                                                               3. Constantly Seeking God's Blessing                                                                                  4. Not Ashamed to be Involved in Spiritual Exercises                                                                             5. Led His People in Praising God

"...the Christian leader ... must be willing to exercise spiritual means to mold, stimulate, and continually challenge his colleagues and subordinates.", p. 33

"His [Nehemiah] character was above reproach; he was a praying man; he displayed great courage in the face of much opposition; he had a deep concern for his people...; he did not shirk responsibility given to him." p. 33-34 

Join me in learning with the next post on Chapter 3 (Christ and Leadership in the Gospels) of this book.

Leadership Lessons from Ted Engstrom, Part 3

At the encouragement of a few friends and fellow General Council members, I am reading through The Making of a Christian Leader by Ted Engstrom. This book was written in 1976 but still resonates with its insights to this day. Talk about retro!

Every week, I will share some quotes and gleanings from my reading for the week. I hope to use this time as an encouragement to myself and to others that being a leader is a calling from Christ and only possible through Christ.




CHAPTER ONE: WHAT IS LEADERSHIP?

"When God creates a leader, He gives him a capacity to make things happen.", p. 19

"...the closest we seem able to come to a broadly acceptable definition of leadership is, it is what leaders do.", p. 19

"...leadership development is the key to...the effective future of the Christian church..." p. 20

"There are three kinds of people in the world - those who don't know what is happening, those who watch what's happening, and those who make things happen." - Nicholas Butler, p. 20

"...swift and clear decision[making] is a mark of true leadership.", p. 20

"It [leadership] is an act by either word or deed to influence behavior toward a desired end.", p. 20

"Men of faith have always been men of action.", p. 20

"Leadership...demands faith.", p. 21

"...they [leaders] perform competently.", p. 21

 Leadership Principles: (p. 21-23)                                                                                       1. Determine your objectives.                                                                                               2. Plan necessary activities.                                                                                                3. Organize the program.                                                                                                    4. Prepare a timetable.                                                                                                        5. Establish control points.                                                                                                  6. Clarify responsibilities and accountability.                                                                     7. Maintain channels of communication.                                                                            8. Develop cooperation.                                                                                                      9. Resolve problems.                                                                                                          10. Give credit where credit is due.

 Distinctives between Leadership and Management: (p. 23)                                                          1. Leadership is a quality; Management is a science and art.                                             2. Leadership provides vision; Management supplies realistic perspectives.                     3. Leadership deals with concepts; management relates to function.                                 4. Leadership exercises faith; Management has to do with fact.                                         5. Leadership seeks effectiveness; Management strives for efficiency.                              6. Leadership is influence; Management is accomplishment.                                              7. Leadership provides direction; Management is concerned about control.                     8. Leadership is about opportunity; Management is about accomplishment. 

"...[A] leader [is]...one who guides activities of others and who himself acts and performs to bring those activities about.", p. 24

Join me in learning with the next post on Chapter 2 (The OT and Leadership) of this book.

Leadership Lessons from Ted Engstrom, Part 2

At the encouragement of a few friends and fellow General Council members, I am reading through The Making of a Christian Leader by Ted Engstrom. This book was written in 1976 but still resonates with its insights to this day. Talk about retro!

Every week, I will share some quotes and gleanings from my reading for the week. I hope to use this time as an encouragement to myself and to others that being a leader is a calling from Christ and only possible through Christ.




INTRODUCTION

"Crises...stem first from a lack of positive, constructive, dynamic, creative leadership...[sometimes] no leadership is being exercised at all."

 "The successful organization has one major attribute that sets it apart from unsuccessful organizations: dynamic and effective leadership."

"...with the requirement for leadership implicit in change, there are too few individuals with leadership qualities to manage the changes taking place."

"Christian organizations are different [from secular organization]-or at least they should be. They are different because they have a higher allegiance than the basic purpose of the organization."

"An organization may have a fixed, grand objective-to serve Christ, to serve mankind, or to care for the needy-but too often that purpose is not stated in terms of what we intend to do to accomplish that purpose. The goals and objectives are not clearly defined. A major sign of this malady is the large number of committees, department or boards [that exist in an organization]"

Join me in learning with the next post on Chapter 1 (What is Leadership?) of this book.

Leadership Lessons from Ted Engstrom, Part 1

At the encouragement of a few friends and fellow General Council members, I am reading through The Making of a Christian Leader by Ted Engstrom. This book was written in 1976 but still resonates with its insights to this day. Talk about retro!

Every week, I will share some quotes and gleanings from my reading for the week. I hope to use this time as an encouragement to myself and to others that being a leader is a calling from Christ and only possible through Christ.

The Making of a Christian Leader has eighteen chapters. I will share the table of contents today as my hope that this book might appeal to you as well and that you can follow along with me as I share.

1. What is Leadership? 
2. The Old Testament and Leadership
3. Christ and Leadership in the Gospels
4. The Epistles and Leadership
5. Administration is a Gift
6. Boundaries of Leadership
7. Styles of Leadership
8. The Personality of the Leader
9. The Price of Leadership
10. The Measurements of Leadership
11. Personal Traits in Leadership
12. Developing Leadership Skills
13. Motivation and Leadership
14. The Major Tasks of Leaders
15. The Leader Implements the Plan
16. A Leader must Effectively Control the Operation
17. Guidelines for Excellent Leadership
18. Marks of a Christian Leader

Join me in learning with the next post on the Introduction of this book.