Do you know what October is? Yes I know its a month of the year. Yep... I know it is when Halloween comes. And yes I know that it is when the leaves change colors and then drop dead! Am I obnoxious enough for you yet? Oh well I guess if you know me well enough or you have read any of my blogs then you know I can ramble for a long time without saying much...sorry I guess its a gift!
Okay, enough of my giving you a hard time so I'll get on with it. October is Pastor Appreciation Month!! No, I'm not talking about the place where the cows stay! I'm talking about your preacher ya ninny! Have you told your Pastor how much you appreciate him yet? Why should you do that you ask? There are plenty of others that will do it so no need for you to bother...you say? Well hang with me a few minutes while I give you a few of my reasons to let your Pastor know that he is appreciated. Remember this is coming from me, a preachers kid, so my views are tainted a little from experiencing the Pastor's family life first hand. There are many things that go on in a pastors life that you may not be aware of. Things that many times go unappreciated and unnoticed, never the less these are a part of a pastors existence; and his wife and children too.
While writing this I personally have a few pastors in mind that have had a positive impact on my life. None are perfect and I'm sure that all have made mistakes both before their ministries began and during their pastorates. Some have had big churches and some have had smaller ones. Most are Baptist like me, and one is a Church of God Pastor, but they have one thing in common...a heart for the Gospel and the people they serve. Here are just a few reasons from my own experience why I say that I appreciate each of you. I'll list the names of these Pastors at the end of this blog. I really do appreciate what any true pastor does for his God and his people. Here is what I see in those of you that live the life you preach:
- You put your heart into what you are called to do Sunday after Sunday and year after year with very little real heart felt response from those you serve. The messages you preach are prepared with much study and prayer, yet many times you see little change in the hearts and minds of your congregations. We seem numb and disconnected at times, but yet you come back and do it again the next service because it is your call.
- I know about the late night calls, the hospital visits, the long hours comforting a dying friend and their families as they enter into eternity.
- The prayers you pray for people in your church, or even the prayers for those you may not know. You simply pray for strangers at the request of others.
- The times you have to explain to your family that vacation plans have been changed because of unexpected illness or death in the church. Or the times you returned home early for the same reasons or just to reside over a wedding where the couple wants you and no one else.
- (Thinking strictly in the flesh here) I also know that you are human and there are times that you hold your peace when you have every right to speak it. Those times when you are treated unjustly. Like most men you would probably love to tell the gossipers what you really think when they set out to destroy the reputations of people in your flock. At times it's your reputation they want to destroy, but you do your best to take the high road instead as you try to maintain unity in the church.
- You take it as calmly as you can when folks talk about who they like and don't like; especially when they are talking about preachers in the area, choir directors, church leaders, and church staff. You listen to complaints about the music program, the air conditioning, the heat, hymns verses worship songs, youth programs, the church budget, the janitor, small group problems, worship times, carpet colors, piano placement, drums and guitars in the church; sermons too long; need I say more? You must be "God called" to put up with all of that. Trust me, most of us parishioners would have bowed out long ago or possibly "punched out" some spiritual lights! However for some reason we expect you to take it with a spiritual smile. We church members can be a great bunch of people, but we can be a bit self-centered and un-Christ-like as well. Maybe we should include a little extra money in your check fr babysitting us imature Christians? :-) Ooch!
- Many times we expect our preachers to live in a little lower lifestyle (financially speaking) than we do (May the good Lord help you if you live below my lifestyle :-) So if you get a new car or new home then you may be deemed worldly or showy! Of course we drive new cars and live in nice places, but you must live the life of sacrifice in the eyes of some. God help you if we ever see you in a swim suit!...in public...Yikes! (I'm sounding a little ugly here huh? It's true though correct? Not all but some.)
- Our expectations of how you and your family should dress and act can be unrealistic and can add undeserved pressure on you and your family. Pressure and unreal expectations can be a breeding ground for resentment especially in your wife and children, but you do our best to keep that from happening.
- Whether you pastor a large church or a small one; whether you are full-time or bi-vocational; or even if you are not serving in a pastorate right now at all, you serve where and when God gives the opportunities.
- You stick with it through thick and thin; through good and bad; and you live a faithful life of service setting the example for our spiritual growth!
- To my pastor Darrell Henry Oakwood Baptist Chuch Chickamauga Georgia who is faithful to the preaching of the Word in Truth and for leading his flock toward spiritual maturity. Thanks for being trustworthy!
- To Paul Raines my friend throughout life that has ministered to people that are un-churched. For leading countless numbers to the Lord while personally doing it without recognition or applause. He has also ministered to my family and I over the years by listening and by being completely non-judgemental. A friend and pastor that was always there when I needed a friend and prayer.
- To my Uncle Ramon Clark that has always remained faithful to his calling. Watching him remain steady in his faith through the years even after his wife, my aunt Doris, lost her sight. Their example has meant much to me.
- To my High School buddy Steve Smith that I have also watched over the years as he remained faithful to his call through the good and the bad as well.
| Rom 10:15 | And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! |
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