October is Pastor Appreciation Month, and apart from being a good time to stock up on Logos or Kindle deals, it is also a great time to actually “Thank” your pastor and be reminded of all the hard work they are putting in on a week to week basis. When we think of reasons for thanking our pastors, it is often for reasons that are very transparent: leadership on Sundays, preaching, etc. However, there are so many things our pastors do behind the scenes that we should remember to thank them for. Below I’ve listed for reasons to thank our pastors that we may often neglect:
1) Your Pastor Prays for You
As a member of a local church, we can rest assured that our pastors are praying for us on a daily basis. Even when times are tough and you don’t think anyone is remembering you or knows you exist, your pastor is praying for the congregation. Your pastor is deeply committed to prayer, and prays daily for the church. I believe it might have been Hudson Taylor (but I have also heard it attributed to A.W. Tozer) who said that “the church moves forward on her knees.” What a blessing it is to have pastors who lead the way by praying for their people!
2) Your Pastor Reads. A lot.
It is necessary for the local pastor to remain sharp and dilligent in all of their works. This necessitates that they are a person wholly committed to reading and sharpening their knowledge and craft. How long does it take you to finish your average book? A week or two? A month? More? A local pastor will often sit down and read multiple books in a week. This is not for a general pursuit of knowledge and for the sake of a hobby, this is so the pastor will be better suited to serve the flock.
3) Your Pastor Spends Countless Hours With People
You might only see your pastor on Sundays and occasionally at church events during the week, but your pastor is continually in the trenches with people of your congregation during the week; serving them, praying for them, discipling them, or rebuking them. Your pastor is deeply involved in the lives of people who are struggling with disease, marital conflicts, or the death of loved ones. Perhaps you think of your pastor only as a leader, but this is only a half-truth. The role of a pastor is not only a leader, but a servant. What a blessing it is to have had Christ remind us, “But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant,and whoever would be first among you must be slaveof all.For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:43-45).
4) Your Pastor Prepares
The average pastor spends around twenty hours a week prepping a sermon. Some spend upwards of thirty to forty. A pastor who is entirely committed to feeding the flock with solid preaching is a rich gift Christ gives to His Church. Thank God for solid preachers!
5) Your Pastor Thanks God for You
So thank God for your pastor!