ENCOURAGE YOUR PASTOR

Posted on November 6, 2023 by Elizabeth Welte in Freedom Fighters

Not to mention other things, there is the daily pressure on me: my care for all the churches. – 2 Corinthians 11:28

 

A number of years ago a man came to see me in my office and wanted me to work on helping him get rid of his pastor. I listened to him share all of the things he thought his pastor was doing wrong, and then I gave him a challenge.

My challenge was for him to take the next 30 days to pray for his Pastor and ask God to reveal to him how he should address these issues. His immediate response was “No way!” When I asked him why, his response was, “I know what will happen. If I pray about this God will reveal things in my life that I need to change and this is not about me. It’s all about him.” Then he stormed out of my office.

 

I love what my friend, Dr. Robert J. Morgan, wrote about encouraging pastors:

Some people think a pastor’s job is easy—a thirty-minute workweek—but hours of preparation go into that half-hour sermon; and between Sundays are countless visits to hospitals, nursing homes, and shut-ins. Plus phone calls and e-mails from friends and foes, staff meetings, deacons’ meetings, funerals, weddings, denominational affairs, counseling sessions, budget meetings, mission trips, paperwork, reference forms, community functions, baptisms, and prospect follow-up. Not to mention soul-winning and disciple-making.

 We expect a pastor to be an orator, a biblical scholar, a student of the popular culture, a skilled administrator, a trained counselor, a conflict negotiator, a one-person complaint department, an evangelist, an educator, a PR spokesperson, and a change agent who can make improvements without altering anything.

 We want our pastor to be young enough to have energy and vision, yet old enough to keep the senior adults happy. We want our pastor to be innovative enough to change things, but traditional enough to keep things the same. And take it from me—a small number of demanding, critical, negative, and vocal people can drown out a thousand encouraging words.

I’ve found it more difficult to get saved people happy than to get lost people saved. All of which is to say this—pray for your pastor and love your pastoral staff. Disagree with them rarely, quietly, and discretely. Remember to say thanks. They depend on your encouragement in bearing the daily pressure of all the church.

• Morgan, Robert J. All to Jesus: A Year of Devotions. B&H Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

 

 

When was the last time you prayed for your Pastor? When was the last time you encouraged your Pastor by text, email, or better yet, just popping into the office to ask how you can pray for or encourage him in his ministry?

Don’t assume someone else is doing it. Years ago, I wrote to the Pastor who led me to Christ when I was 3 ½ years old (now I am almost 70!!!) I thanked him for leading me to Christ. He wrote me back and shared that in 30 years of pastoral ministry, I was the only one who ever wrote to thanked him for his ministry. How sad is that!!!

You might be the only one to encourage your Pastor. But it could be the lifeline he needs in his life and ministry right now.

 

Anchored to the Rock,

Bill Welte, President/CEO
America’s Keswick

Bill loves to hear from you. Email him at bwelte@americaskeswick.org

 

Written by Dr. Bill Welte: Bill has been the President & CEO of America’s Keswick for 26+ years, living and breathing Keswick’s message of Victory every day. He has an empowering gift with people leaving each one with an impressionable sense of God’s love, grace, and truth. He hosts & leads various Keswick events, as well as speaking at numerous churches in the tri-state area. He now lives off-campus with his childhood sweetheart of 40+ years, Jan. They have four married kids and 12 amazing grandkids. In his personal time, he loves to read and weekly writes for Keswick’s Freedom Fighter blogs.

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This Week’s Verse to Memorize:  “And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: “My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; ⁶ For whom the Lord loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives.” – Hebrews 12:5-6