Last Sunday Pam and I were privileged to be in the Russells Point Church of God for the purpose of preaching and conducting an installation for Pastor Bill and Lorraine Riley. It was such a blessing to be a part of the service as pastor and people spoke words of blessing and promise to one another as a part of the installation. I likened the union of pastor and people to that of a marriage. The relationship flows two ways. I was thinking of this in light of October being Pastor's Appreciation Month and some words I thought appropriate to share are those words I spoke to the congregation in terms of ways that they can make every week and every month a time of pastor appreciation. Below are the words I shared with the good people of Russells Point who greatly love their pastor:
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In conclusion, let me share some words of advice to you the congregation that if followed will make for a lasting and growing marriage as pastor and congregation. Just as 50% of marriages end in divorce today, 50% of those who enter ministry will leave it within five years. As easy as it may sound to some, pastoral ministry, if done right, is one of the toughest and most pressurized jobs in the world. It is a hard place to survive let alone thrive. To that end, let me give you some hints as to how you can make this a lasting and growing marriage that gets better over time.
1. Tell your pastor and his/her family that you love them and do it regularly. Let “love” be a word and an act common to this place.
2. Pray for your pastor every day. Satan is waging a war against the men and women called to spiritual leadership. His purposes are to destroy God’s work and he seeks to do so by destroying God’s servants. Undergird your pastor with prayer. Hold up his arms in battle lest he tire of the fight and succumb to the enemy.
3. Remember your pastor and family on special occasions---birthdays, anniversaries and Christmas. Remember the anniversary of his coming to pastor you and celebrate it every year. Over time most pastors begin to feel just like a part of the furniture.
4. Respect the office to which he/she has been called. He is God’s anointed who has been placed here by God. He is not simply a hireling or an employee. If you truly believe in the call of God, you understand that it was God who called him here, not merely you. He is God’s gift to the church and he has been charged by God with the awesome responsibility of the spiritual leadership of this congregation. Respect that and honor him for that call and for the awesome responsibility that he carries.
5. Finally, remember his wife and children. You will best show love to him by loving her. Typically the most lonely and powerless person in the church is the pastor’s wife. Be her friends and honor her for the significant role she plays in the pastor’s life and in yours.
God has brought pastor and congregation
together. What God has joined
together as one, let not man put asunder.
And now may the Lord God bless you and keep you,
now and forever.
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