October has been dubbed "Pastor Appreciation Month." Throughout the country churches honored their pastors in a variety of ways to show their support and affection for them. My church did the same this year and I was encouraged by all that they did.
I could not help but think on that that day, in the middle of the event, how much I think people miss what it truly means to honor the pastor. Everyone is well intended and take the time - the extra time out of their days and even their finances, to demonstrate their feelings for the pastor. While I am thankful for those efforts, I want to be honored in a different way. While I cannot say that I speak for everyone, but I do believe the vast majority of pastors would agree with me on this matter.
Here are at least eight ways to honor your pastor:
1. Be growing in love with Jesus in evident and transforming ways
Nothing makes a pastor happier than when those he is leading are growing in their live for the Lord. When the lives and affections of the sheep increasingly reflect the heart of the Savior, let me tell you, there is NOTHING more gratifying than this to a pastor.
2. Listen to and apply what he teaches and preaches to you week after week
Most people have no idea the amount of work, time and labor that goes into preparing a sermon. Week after week pastors labor over, under and in the Word to bring a message that is fresh, clear, relevant to the lives of the saints. Think about it this way. The pastor has to preach the same gospel every week but in different ways, in a way that impacts and speaks to all of the people he serves so that they leave with a sense of having heard the gospel freshly applied to their lives. When you take the time to truly work to apply their teaching to your life - and they see it being played out in your life, that makes their heart grateful. Think about it, when you don't eat up the message they spent the week preparing for you it is equivalent to you preparing a meal for someone who simply plays over the food. Not nice, is it?
3. Show up on time to church
Let me be brutally honest here. I speak for me, but perhaps for many other pastors when I say this. I can only think of only a very few of things that feel more disrespectful to a pastor than when people show up late to church - regularly! We all have those mornings that get away from us but for those who are always late... It communicates some things. If church starts at 10 and only a handful of people are there, what does a visitor think when he or she arrives? I will leave it there!
4. Love one another and protect the relational and racial unity of the church
Nothing slits a pastor's heart more than the breakdown of relational and racial unity in the church and the destructive designs of gossip and slander. Honor your pastor by fighting to maintain unity in the church. Honor the pastor by living in a spirit of forgiveness and reconciliation. There is no greater joy in his life than when those he serves are intentionally committed to serving the good of others (See Philippians 2:1-4)
5. Seek to live holy lives
Trust me when I say that your life is the weight and focus of the pastor's prayers. Your life and everyone else's life in the church consumes him. He feels the constant weight of leading you to the place of spiritual maturity and when your life reflects it, it is his joy. When your life is unholy, it is his constant burden before the Lord.
6. Share the gospel with others and invite unchurched and unsaved people to the church
When you are evangelizing you are being obedient to Jesus. When you invite people to the church you are saying to the pastor: "I have a growth mindset pastor! I want this church to grow!" Pastors are highly encouraged by this
7. Pray for them regularly and, occasionally, let them know you've prayed for them
This stands for itself. I will add this one thing: the pastor is on the front lines of warfare, for his soul and for yours as well. It highly benefits you to pray for him. It highly encourages him when, on occasion, you tell him what and how you are praying for him. A simple text will do.
8. Leave
Sounds harsh, right? Not really at least I don't intend it to feel that way. The truth is, however, that if you are unwilling to do all of the above you have to ask yourself why are you at the church to begin with? If you cannot and will not do all of the above it might be that the church is not a good fit for you or you are not a good fit for the church. It can reflect the nature of a saints relationship to Jesus as well. Does it not makes sense to be somewhere you want to be?; a place where you are willing to sacrifice self for the health of the church? For some, the best way to honor the pastor and the Lord is to depart.