A few years into our lead pastoral ministry, my husband and I decided to drive from Clearwater to Jacksonville to attend our ten-year high school class reunion. And while there, we discovered that the young man who’d taken me to our senior homecoming game couldn’t make our reunion because of his responsibilities as a heart surgeon.
While traveling home into the wee hours of the morning (so Randy could preach at our church the next day), he whispered to me, “Just think, Peg, if you’d kept dating him, you could be married to a heart surgeon.”
I paused for a moment, then responded, “I did marry a heart surgeon! You see, he can only assist people in this lifetime, but the work you’re doing helps folks live forever.”
Good answer, huh?
But it’s true that the work of a genuine shepherd/pastor has lasting, eternal value in the lives of the people he ministers to.
Recently, my husband was the guest speaker at a church, and the man introducing him sincerely said, “Randy pastored one church for thirty-seven and a half years and he’s still following Jesus.”
Randy stepped to the stage, and with a smile said, “I like that introduction. I think he was saying that after pastoring a church for so long, it’s wonderful that I’m still a Christian!”
Those of us involved in pastoral ministry understand very well the joys of following God’s call on our lives, but we also realize the many difficulties that accompany the call. We won’t get into that in this writing, but I wanted to begin this Pastor Appreciation month by reminding pastors and their spouses that what you’re doing is of greater value than you can ever imagine. You may not always see the fruit of the seeds you’ve planted in this lifetime, but eternity will fully reveal every effort you’ve made to lead people to Jesus and to encourage His followers in their faith.
To the congregation, I’d say one of the greatest things you can do for your pastors is to occasionally tell them how much they’ve helped you grow in your faith journey. Oftentimes, because we see our pastors up front and centerstage, we assume that they’re receiving countless compliments and an abundance of encouragement (and gifts) all the time. But that’s far from true. If you’re enjoying your pastor’s new sermon series and it’s making a difference in your daily walk with Christ, tell him/her about it. A little appreciation can go a long way.
To the pastors, I’d say that whether anyone encourages you with their words or even a gift, be like Nehemiah in chapter six. He’s obeyed the Lord and is doing incredible work on the wall – rebuilding what’s been broken down. And while he’s obeying this call from God, the enemy keeps coming against him, trying to intimidate and discourage him from continuing with the work. So, he replies in verse three, “I’m doing a great work; I can’t come down.”
Sometimes, you’ve just got to encourage yourself in the Lord and send the enemy back to his scheming cavern. When you yell, “NO!” to his lies and stay steady in your calling, you can sense God smiling your way and know that He’s proud of you for following His lead.
Pastors, please give yourself a break. My husband and I learned early on in ministry life that few people will encourage you to take a break, take a sabbath or even TAKE A VACATION! So, it’s up to us in ministry to purposefully plan to take care of ourselves.
Amazingly, when you establish your day off on the calendar or tell your congregation when your sabbath day is during the week – they’ll (for the most part) honor that. Of course, extreme emergencies will come, and we’ll be flexible in those cases. But remember that only YOU can take care of YOU. And to be at your best, you must decompress, de-stress, go golfing, go fishing, read, get away from the phone, go out of town, have fun with your family, and try not to discuss any business of the church. Just rest, replenish, and refresh.
Pastors, I hope you’ll pause to remind yourself on this designated Pastor Appreciation Month that the work you’re doing is eternal. You’re much more than a heart surgeon. You’re an ambassador for the King who gives everlasting life.
We appreciate and applaud you, dear pastors! You’re doing a great work for God!
Written by: Peggy Morris. Peggy and her husband live in Seminole, FL and have served in ministry together for 38 years.
