14 Ways to Encourage Your Pastor

5/5/2015 14WaystoEncourageYourPastor

http://www.victorious.org/blesspastor.htm 1/2

14WaystoEncourageYourPastorByDr.DaleA.Robbins

Eph4:1116(NKJV)AndHeHimselfgavesometobeapostles,someprophets,someevangelists,andsomepastorsandteachers,(12)fortheequippingofthesaintsfortheworkofministry,fortheedifyingofthebodyofChrist,(13)tillweallcometotheunityofthefaithandoftheknowledgeoftheSonofGod,toaperfectman,tothemeasureofthestatureofthefullnessofChrist

APastorisoneofChristsfiveofficegiftstotheChurch.Yes,pastoringisagift...andapastorhappenstobeaGIFTthatGodgivestoachurch.Thetermpastorcomesfromshepherd,onewhoguidesandcaresforaflock.

Servingasapastorisaremarkableandawesomeblessingandprivilege,butsometimespastorscanbethemostmisunderstoodpeopleinthechurch.Oftentheirhoursarelong,thepayminimal,thecriticismconsiderableandconstant.DespitethejoysofservingGod,feelingsofdisappointmentanddiscouragementcanplaguethebestofthem.However,hereare14waysGodcanuseyoutobecomeablessinginhislife,whichalsoenhanceyourabilitytoreceivefromhisministry:

1.RollupyourSleevesandBecomeaPartoftheTeamAttendchurchfaithfullyandshowthatyoureeagertofollowhisleadership.Thiswillblessyourlifeandbeatremendousencouragementtoyourpastor.LookforopportunitiestouseyourgiftsandtalentsfortheworkofChrist.Andbecomeasoulwinner.Peopleallaroundusarelostinsin,dyingandgoingtohell.DoallinyourpowertowinthemtoJesusChrist.TellthemwhatChristhasdoneforyouandwhatHecandoforthem.Brethren,ifanyoneamongyouwandersfromthetruth,andsomeoneturnshimback,lethimknowthathewhoturnsasinnerfromtheerrorofhiswaywillsaveasoulfromdeathandcoveramultitudeofsins.(James5:1920)

2.BeOpenlyResponsiveNothingexcitesaspiritualleaderlikeseeingpeoplerespondtothepreachingandteaching.Showhimthatyourelistening,andevensayAmenonceinawhile.Notonlywillitmakehisday,butitmaymaketheserviceshorter...asitisaprovenfactthatpreachersoftenunconsciouslyrepeatthemselveswhentheyfeeltheyrenotconnectingwiththeirhearers.

3.SubmittotheLeadershipofyourPastorTheBibleplacesspecialemphasisonsubmissiontospiritualauthorities.ThewriterofHebrewssays,Obeythosewhoruleoveryou,andbesubmissive,fortheywatchoutforyoursouls,asthosewhomustgiveaccount.Letthemdosowithjoyandnotwithgrief,forthatwouldbeunprofitableforyou.(Heb13:17).WearealsoinstructedtofollowandimitatethosespiritualleadersastheyfollowChrist.FollowthemanofGodwhoisfollowingJesusChristassetforthintheWordofGod.Rememberthosewhoruleoveryou,whohavespokenthewordofGodtoyou,whosefaithfollow,consideringtheoutcomeoftheirconduct.(Heb13:7)

4.TreathimwithProperRespectTreathimwithasmuchormorerespectthatyouwouldanyoneelseinauthority.Sometimesfolkstendtothinkofhimasanemployee,insteadoftheirspiritualleader.Apastor,however,isGodsappointedman,tohelpguidethesoulofyouandyourfamily,andneedsourloveandrespect.Expressyourrespecttohisauthoritybyaddressinghimaspastorratherthanbyhisfirstname,especiallywhileonthechurchpremises.Andweurgeyou,brethren,torecognizethosewholaboramongyou,andareoveryouintheLordandadmonishyou,(13)andtoesteemthemveryhighlyinlovefortheirworkssake...(1Thes5:1213)

5.Pray,Pray,PrayforYourPastorYouknowhowmuchoppositionthatyoureceiveyourself...fromtheworld,theflesh,andthedevil...andbeassured,yourpastorreceivesmuchmorethanyou.Prayforhimeveryday,andaskGodtoshoweryourpastorwithanabundanceoflove,hope,joy,faith,peace,power,wisdom,andcourage.Prayforyourspiritualleadersmaturityandgrowthinthefaith.WhileyoupraybemindfulofthiswiseadvicefromtheGermanwriter,JohannWolfgangvonGoethe:Ifyoutreatapersonasheis,hewillstayasheisbutifyoutreathimasifhewerewhatheoughttobe,hewillbecomewhatheoughttobeandcouldbe.AsPaulwrote,Finally,brethren,prayforus,thatthewordoftheLordmayrunswiftlyandbeglorified,justasitiswithyou,andthatwemaybedeliveredfromunreasonableandwickedmenfornotallhavefaith.(2Thes3:12)

6.CommittoStandwithHimThroughToughTimesBeaREALfriendnotjustafairweatherbuddy.Agenuinefriendissomeonewhoremainssteadfastwithyouregardlessofwhatmaycome.Hestandswithyouintheadversecircumstancesoflife,doesnotforsakeyouwhenothersmayabandonyou,helpsguardyouwhenyouareoffguard,helpsholdyouaccountabletoyourvalues,forgivesandencouragesyouiforwhenyoufail.

7.TossouttheCookieCutterDontexpectyourpastortodoeverythingthesamewaythelastpastordid.TrustGodtouseyourspiritualleadertobringaboutrelevantandeffectiveministrytothepresentneed...anddontstereotypehim

5/5/2015 14WaystoEncourageYourPastor

http://www.victorious.org/blesspastor.htm 2/2

eitherwiththestrengthsorshortcomingsofotherspiritualleadersyouveknown.Letyourpastorbehimself.Yourpastorisanimperfecthumanbeing,andisuniquewithhisowndistinctpersonality,giftsandtalents.Notallpastorsarethesame,sodontputhiminaboxandexpecthimtobeaduplicateofothersyouveknown.

8.BePatientandUnderstandingwithyourpastor,hismate,andhischildren.Donotexpectyourpastororhisfamilytobeperfect,theyarehumantoo.AmanofGodhasthesamehumantendenciesthatweallface,andsodoeshisfamily.Letyourpastorsspousebeherself,anddontplaceunspokenexpectationsonhertoperformparticularministriesorbelikeformerpastorsspouses.Justlovetheminfindingtheirplace.

9.Supporthimfinanciallysohecankeephismindontheworkoftheministry.Ifamancannotproperlycareforhisfamily,hewillbedistractedfromtheministry.Itcostsyourpastorjustasmuchtoliveasitdoesyou,andinsomecasesmuchmorebecauseofaddedexpensessuchasbooks,transportationorthewayheisexpectedtodress.Lettheelderswhorulewellbecountedworthyofdoublehonor,especiallythosewholaborinthewordanddoctrine.FortheScripturesays,Youshallnotmuzzleanoxwhileittreadsoutthegrain,and,Thelaborerisworthyofhiswages.(1Tim5:1718)

10.GiveHimtheBenefitoftheDoubtSupportyourpastorevenwhenhecantpubliclyexplainwhycertaindecisionsoractionshavebeenmade.Oftentimes,toprotecttheprivacyofothers,pastorsandleadersfrequentlycannotdiscloseeverythingpublicly...andprofessionalethicssometimesdemandsilenceoverissuesthatareverysensitive.Ifatoughdecisiontakesplace,supportyourpastorandavoidthecriticismthatusuallycomesalongwithsuchsituations.

11.KnockoffBehindHisBackCriticismMinisters,aswellasvirtuallyallpublicauthorityfigures,areoftenthesubjectofincessantcriticism.Ifthereisalegitimatematterthatconcernstheleader,itshouldbeaddressedtohimpersonallybutcriticismbehindonesbackcertainlydoesnthelpthem,andwhendistributedaboutcancausealotofharmtoaleadersreputationandcredibility.

12.SquelchGossipandBadMouthingDonotspeakagainstorlistentogossiporslanderaboutyourpastor.Ifyouhearnegativecomments,respondwithapositiveone.Ifmisinformationisbeingspread,correctitwiththeaccurateinformation.Or,ifpeoplearegossiping,justwalkaway.TheApostlePaulsaid,Donotreceiveanaccusationagainstanelderexceptfromtwoorthreewitnesses.(1Tim5:19)

13.LookforopportunitiestoencouragehimTellhimwhenhehashelpedyou.Ephesians4:29teachesustosaysthingsthatedify,andyouministergracetoyourpastorwheneveryoutellhimhowhehashelpedyou.Hewillbeamoreeffective,dedicatedservantofGodifyougivehimsomefeedbackonhisministrytoyou(seeProv.3:27).ItwillalsobeveryencouragingifyoutellyourSundaySchoolteacher,spouse,andyourchildrenhowtheyhavehelpedorbeenablessingtoyou.Praisedoesntcostbutitpaystremendousdividendsinthehome,inthechurch,intheschoolandonthejob.Andbesuretorecognizeyourpastorandhisspouseforbirthdays,anniversariesandChristmas.Itisnotalwaysnecessarytogivegifts,buttoberememberedonthesespecialdaysisanexpressionofyourloveandencouragement.

14.StayfocusedonthebigpictureThebigpictureisJESUS...tolove,forgiveandseektobringsoulsintotheKingdomofGod.Dontgetweigheddownbychurchpolitics,nonsense,offensesorwhateverelsegoeson,butkeepyourfocusonJesusandonwhatthechurchandthepastorarereallyallabout!

ThisarticleiscopyrightedbyDaleA.Robbins,2008,andisapublicationofVictoriousPublications,GrassValley,CA95949.Unlessotherwisestated,allscripturereferencesweretakenfromTheNewKingJamesBible,ThomasNelsonInc.,1982.Youmaydownloadthisarticleforpersonaluseaslongasyouretaincredittotheauthor.Obtainpermissionbeforereproducingcopiesforanyreason,byfillingoutoursimplepermissionform.Thiswritingisalsoavailableasanattractivetrifoldpamphlet,whichcanbedownloadedforreproductionfromourOnlineCatalog.Formediareproductionrights,ortoobtainquantitiesofthistitleinotherformats,emailus..

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