Appreciating Our Pastors
APPRECIATING OUR PASTORS
By Michael Bozeman | MA, MACE, LPC
Since 1992, October has been the month recognized as Pastor Appreciation Month. As I sat down to write this blog, I prayed that pastors all over the country have felt loved and appreciated by their flocks in celebration of this month. I pray that if you are reading this that your church, and even you as an individual, went out of your way to make much of these servants and their families this month. And if you haven’t had that opportunity, maybe today you can consider a special way to reach out to them in love and support.
I have always loved tangible ways to show people how much they mean to me. I recently pulled out a box of cards that I received from individuals showing appreciation to me when I served on a local church staff. It is amazing how those cards still fill me with feelings of appreciation to this day.
Paul in his writings to Timothy and the church at Thessalonica really laid the foundation for what would become Pastor Appreciation Month. He stated in 1 Timothy 5:17, “Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching.”
To the church at Thessalonica he wrote, “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. Be at peace among yourselves,” 1 Thessalonians 5:12–13. Paul knew then what we all know today about our pastors. The calling Christ put on their lives is one that they take seriously. They work hard to minister to their flocks, and many times we have no idea what all they deal with on a daily basis. Paul reminds us that we are to “esteem them highly in love.” As churchgoers, Paul’s words fall on us to make much of those whom Christ has placed over us as our ministers.
The season that we have been living in this year has brought new challenges that many pastors have never met before. They have had to navigate waters when they could not really see where they were going. I cannot imagine the pressure they have felt over the last 7 months as they have tried to continue to meet their church’s needs. We have a golden opportunity to show our pastors just how much we appreciate all they have done through these trying times.
There are many tangible things we can do during this month to honor our pastors. If you and your church have not already met with church leaders to set aside a time in October to draw attention to the significance of this month, plan now to do that next year or plan for another time that works well for your church family. And though October is winding down, we can still individually do something special for our pastors this month.
As you look for ways to “esteem them highly in love,” remember that Jesus in his infinite wisdom placed your pastor and pastoral team in the positions they are in for a time just as this. Consider treating them to a cup of coffee or a meal, writing a note via snail mail or online, planning a special prayer time for them, or anything else you can think of to let them know just how much you appreciate all that they do for you and your family.
UPDATE: Michael Bozeman was recently invited to be the guest speaker for a podcast dedicated to supporting and helping pastors, the Church Leadership Podcast. From their page, describing the podcast: In this episode, we will discuss an important topic during these stressful times, spiritual and mental health. Along with addressing the problem of anxiety, stress, fear, and depression, Michael also mentions some practical ways to stay healthy while leading in the local church.
Listen here on the Church Leadership Podcast page.
You can also find the podcast on your favorite podcast app.