1. If your pastor is NOT mechanical (MANY are not b/c they have devoted their lives to study and church work) - offer to help with any maintenance on family cars. For free!
2. Ask if your pastor is a handyman...again many are not b/c they have spent their lives specializing in the needs of others....not how to fix things. Organize a group to make repairs at his home that he feels need attention.
2. Congratulate, show appreciation, and give love!!!! Keep your eyes and ears open for ways to show love and concern!
3. Provide adequate paid vacation!!!!!!!!!! Most people get to "go home" and "away" from their job every day. Pastors never really leave their pressures at work.
4. Take your pastor fishing, golfing, sailing, etc.... -NOT to talk about the church or anything heavy - BUT just to PLAY!
5. NEVER SAY negative things about your pastor or the church in front of your family or others. Talk DIRECTLY to the pastor if you have concerns!!!
6. Care for your pastor's health! Provide adequate medical insurance! This is a must!
7. Respect your pastor's privacy and family time. Unless it is REALLY an emergency - don't call him at home in the evening.
8. Buy your pastor a deep freeze and stock it once a year!
9. Give your pastor's spouse freedom to be who they are. Don't expect them to fit into a "stereotype" of the "typical" pastor's wife....plays piano....leads the quilting group....sings....etc. :)
10. Remember that the pastor's children are this: CHILDREN! Don't expect more of them than you do other children!
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11. Let God use YOU to do something in the life of the church. One of the most discouraging things can be having a church full of pew sitters.
12. Make sure your pastor and spouse get to attend conferences to encourage and inspire them.
13. GIVE NEW IDEAS A CHANCE! "But we have always done it that way" are the eight most deflating words a creative pastor can hear!!!!!
14. Never compare your current pastor with a former pastor. It is unfair, bears no fruit, and stands a good chance of causing discord.
15. It is amazing how many people expect the church to be lit, air-conditioned or heated, have children's church with creative supplies, be able to get counseling from the pastor and a sermon, or two, or three every week..... yet they never invest ANYTHING into the church...or they give sporadically at best. Decide TODAY to be a faithful giver of your tithe to the church (10% of everything God blesses you with - you give back to God through your local church). Your church can not grow and flourish and provide the things you consider so important - without you doing YOUR part!
16. Form a prayer group that prays regularly for your pastor, his family, and the needs of the church that are heavy on his heart.
17. Ask your pastor often - "Pastor, how can I help you?" And mean it!
18. Write them a letter of how they have impacted your life. Don't just buy one of those "pastor appreciation" cards. Write specifics of what you appreciate about THEM. Pastors need affirmation too!
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Pastor Appreciation #2
Pastor Appreciation rolls around every October...and most churches and church boards think....at the LAST MINUTE may I add.... "oh what can we do for our pastor to show appreciation?"
Give him a card? Take up an offering? Say from the pulpit "we appreciate you?"
The reality is that there is no other profession quite like ministry. Where EVERYTHING is personal. If someone walks out of your store because they don't like your products - no big deal. If someone doesn't like their doctor - they go to a different one - no big deal.
But when a pastor has POURED his life into investing in people's lives, investing in their children, spent HOURS preparing for sermons, and has even at times sacrificed way beyond what was expected...and THEN some of these same people slander him or criticize him for being overwhelmed, depressed, burnt out, having an "off day".... it is a serious thing. In no other profession is rejection so sorely felt.
And yes, many times pastors handle it well. But in reality - it hurts. It wears on you. You become discouraged. You wonder if you are making a difference.
Regardless of their smiling faces you see week after week - pastors NEED encouragement, affirmation, and LOVE! They need to know that you LOVE them.
Think about why would Paul have said they were "worthy of double honor"? They carry a HUGE load! With spiritual implications!
Maybe you could get them a card where you write something SPECIFIC and MEMORABLE in it of how their ministry has made a difference for you and your family? Maybe include a Restaurant Gift Card or cash gift along with your card? Maybe get together with a few others and pay for them to have a weekend break away somewhere?
Be sure and check out the previous blog post for ideas from Focus on the Family about Pastor Appreciation.
Give him a card? Take up an offering? Say from the pulpit "we appreciate you?"
The reality is that there is no other profession quite like ministry. Where EVERYTHING is personal. If someone walks out of your store because they don't like your products - no big deal. If someone doesn't like their doctor - they go to a different one - no big deal.
But when a pastor has POURED his life into investing in people's lives, investing in their children, spent HOURS preparing for sermons, and has even at times sacrificed way beyond what was expected...and THEN some of these same people slander him or criticize him for being overwhelmed, depressed, burnt out, having an "off day".... it is a serious thing. In no other profession is rejection so sorely felt.
And yes, many times pastors handle it well. But in reality - it hurts. It wears on you. You become discouraged. You wonder if you are making a difference.
Regardless of their smiling faces you see week after week - pastors NEED encouragement, affirmation, and LOVE! They need to know that you LOVE them.
“The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching.”
(1 Timothy 5:17, NIV )
Think about why would Paul have said they were "worthy of double honor"? They carry a HUGE load! With spiritual implications!
Please take the time this month to THOUGHTFULLY think of how you can affirm your pastor. And not just a handshake and a "we appreciate you pastor" given in the hallway!
Maybe you could get them a card where you write something SPECIFIC and MEMORABLE in it of how their ministry has made a difference for you and your family? Maybe include a Restaurant Gift Card or cash gift along with your card? Maybe get together with a few others and pay for them to have a weekend break away somewhere?
Be sure and check out the previous blog post for ideas from Focus on the Family about Pastor Appreciation.
Pastor Appreciation Month
One time a pastor friend of ours shared with us what his church does for pastor appreciation. He sheepishly shared that it was quite embarrassing. They wanted HIM to get up in front of the congregation and take up an offering...for himself! He said the appreciation he felt was so pathetic - that he would rather them do nothing!
To help you to REALLY show appreciation to your pastor - Focus on the Family has developed the following resources:
Our Clergy Appreciation Month Planning Guide is available online with complete step by step instructions and pages of exciting celebration suggestions. It also includes long-term ideas for the proper care of your pastors and their families. This complimentary guide can be reviewed, downloaded or printed immediately.
(Note: Adobe Reader is required to view this PDF file. Click on the image to the right to download the latest version for free. The CAM planning guide PDF file itself may take several minutes to load into your computer's memory, especially with a modem, so please be patient.)
Secret Sins #1
As we are packing and purging...I ran across an old message of mine. Though I would share an excerpt...I'm having to pray about some things this morning!
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There are sins that we would like to try and hide. We find it easier to stuff them back in the dark place of our heart instead of facing them.
GOD says, "pull it down, cast it out, bring EVERY single thought into captivity."
On the outside you keep the appearance of righteousness but in the deep recesses of your mind there is a hidden chamber with a poison that infects your whole soul. There is nothing harmless or innocent about evil thoughts. If they are not CAST DOWN immediately they can poison the soul.
#1 IS UN-FORGIVENESS your secret?
Has someone misunderstood you and said hurtful things about you?
Do you begin to let those thoughts replay over and over again in your mind?
Do you get injured easily? Do you boil inside? Fret? Stay up at night and burn, replaying every word?
There are mothers and daughters, fathers and sons who are enemies.
There are CHRISTIANS that won't even speak to each other.
There are some who say, "I can't forgive what was said. I can't get over it."
I've been there. I've thought, "if they would just APOLOGIZE - I could let this go!!!" :)
But then there came a time when God showed me all that Jesus had suffered...MORE than I have EVER suffered. And NO ONE apologized. Ouch.
If we will cast out all thoughts of vengeance and stay sweet, bringing all evil thoughts into captivity, we will live to see the day God balances the books. Or we will come to see it is not WORTH the pain we have caused ourselves over it. And we will be so glad we did not take matters into our own hands.
I will try to post #2 and #3 from the "Secret Sins" message soon. Good stuff. I am having to pray today!
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There are sins that we would like to try and hide. We find it easier to stuff them back in the dark place of our heart instead of facing them.
GOD says, "pull it down, cast it out, bring EVERY single thought into captivity."
On the outside you keep the appearance of righteousness but in the deep recesses of your mind there is a hidden chamber with a poison that infects your whole soul. There is nothing harmless or innocent about evil thoughts. If they are not CAST DOWN immediately they can poison the soul.
#1 IS UN-FORGIVENESS your secret?
Has someone misunderstood you and said hurtful things about you?
Do you begin to let those thoughts replay over and over again in your mind?
Do you get injured easily? Do you boil inside? Fret? Stay up at night and burn, replaying every word?
There are mothers and daughters, fathers and sons who are enemies.
There are CHRISTIANS that won't even speak to each other.
There are some who say, "I can't forgive what was said. I can't get over it."
I've been there. I've thought, "if they would just APOLOGIZE - I could let this go!!!" :)
But then there came a time when God showed me all that Jesus had suffered...MORE than I have EVER suffered. And NO ONE apologized. Ouch.
If we will cast out all thoughts of vengeance and stay sweet, bringing all evil thoughts into captivity, we will live to see the day God balances the books. Or we will come to see it is not WORTH the pain we have caused ourselves over it. And we will be so glad we did not take matters into our own hands.
I will try to post #2 and #3 from the "Secret Sins" message soon. Good stuff. I am having to pray today!
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