Pastor Appreciation - January 16

Read 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13

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

Reflect

Prayerfully consider the duties of the pastors and elders at your church. What challenges do they face and what sacrifices do they make to serve you well?

October has been designated “pastor appreciation month” or “clergy appreciation month.” But regardless the time of year, it’s always appropriate to heed the apostle Paul’s request to respect, esteem, and love those who “labor among you and are over you in the Lord”—pastors and elders. But in truth, we know that we should always be appreciative of our church leadership, not just one month out of the year!

Pastors have always carried a great responsibility and ministry has never been easy. But in the day and age of statistics, we have data that suggests that many pastors are feeling burnt out and unsupported. Data collected by Barna Group surveys in September 2022, sadly reported that 2 in 5 pastors had considered leaving ministry in the last 12 months. They cited a lack of job satisfaction, doubting their calling, and a decrease in their sense of well-being as contributing factors in their consideration to quit. Paul said it was imperative that pastors and elders were appreciated in his day and it is still important today.

First, Paul reminded the Thessalonians that their pastors work hard for them. In his first letter to Timothy, this was the job description Paul charged Timothy with  in 2 Timothy 4:2-5: “preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.”

That is a long list of difficult tasks! Plus, Paul reminded Timothy that his role as a pastor does not change, even though many people won’t listen to sound teaching. As is often the case today, pastors who are committed to preaching the truth straight from Scripture are ignored, rejected, slandered, and ultimately replaced by pastors who just want to satisfy “itching ears.” Church leaders who strive to be faithful to the Lord and His Word can expect to suffer for it.

Second, Paul emphasized that church leaders are “over you in the Lord.” They are in a position of spiritual authority over the members of their church but they aren’t acting on their own authority. Ultimately, it isn’t the congregation or even the board of elders that they answer to. Pastors and church leaders primarily answer to the Lord. That is why the author of Hebrews wrote: “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.” (Hebrews 13:17).

Third, Paul urged the body of Christ at Thessalonica to be at peace with one another. Nothing makes shepherding a church more difficult and disappointing than infighting and discord within the flock.

Above all, we need to remember that pastors and church leaders are gifts to us from the Lord. “...he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ…” (Ephesians 4:11-12). It is their God-given job to teach us, challenge us, correct us, discipline us, care for us, and spiritually lead us. In gratitude for their faithful labor among us, we should seek to make their jobs enjoyable and rewarding by listening to them, appreciating them, respecting them, and holding them in high esteem.

Respond

Lord, thank You for the gift of my local pastors and elders. I deeply appreciate their hard work and sacrifice to lead me well. Please reward them for their faithful and obedient service to You. Show me how I can meaningfully express my gratitude and be an encouragement to them. Amen. 

Reveal

How can you demonstrate your respect, esteem, and love for the pastors and leadership of your congregation?