Text- Jeremiah 3:15 – “And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.”
"The customer is always right" is a slogan that has gained much popularity in recent years. However, most people carry this mentality also to Church, expecting the Pastor to meet their every demand without any obligation on their own part.
The problem here is the consumer mentality that most people carry to Church, and the seeker friendly mentality that some Churches have embraced. This is a growing danger amongst churches today, to every member of the church especially the Pastors.
Church goers are hard-bent on getting their pastors to satisfy all their needs, while forgetting that their spiritual leaders also have needs that the congregation should meet in return.
While it is true that Pastors are called to be servant leaders, and are expected to take good care of their flock, the church also has obligations towards their pastors as well. There are at least 7 of such obligations. We have discussed four (4) already – Obedience, service, appreciation and respect. Today, we will discuss the fifth.
5. Encouragement
Your Pastor will most likely not sit you down to discuss his challenges with you, but be attentive to times when he is talking about something that bothers him, and speak some kind words, or send a text to encourage him.
The reports of a recent survey show that although Pastors encourage a lot of people daily, they also oftentimes need some encouragement to root them on. The survey shows that:
53 percent of Pastors are often concerned about their family’s financial security
48 percent often feel the demands of ministry are more than they can handle.
21 percent say their church has unrealistic expectations of them.
Hebrews 10:24 says “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds”. Remember, your pastor is human too, so he can make good use of some encouragement. Be there for him when he needs it.
Even today, go out of your way to say some gracious words of encouragement to your Pastor.
Another way to encourage your pastor is by the results of your life. When your life is a prove that he is doing a great job, your pastor will be encouraged to carry on and to do more. So encourage your pastor by being a proper Christian and growing in your walk with God as he guides you on.
PRAYER
Lord, I will in no way contribute to the discouragement of my Pastor (or any other Pastor). I choose to be an encourager; please teach me and guide me to do so effectively in Jesus Name.
Image Credit: nami-dac.org