What’s So Special About October?

I Timothy 5:17 “Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching.”

Our church has been richly blessed with four Godly men who serve as our pastors. I am blessed to serve with these men as the Children’s Ministry Director.  It is my privilege to acknowledge their work, their leadership, and their sacrifices for our church. It is our privilege as a church to thank them in many creative ways for being our ministers.

Since the early 1990’s, churches everywhere have been encouraged to publicly and privately thank the men in leadership positions as pastors/clergy. The month of October was designated to be Pastor Appreciation Month and the second Sunday in October as the official Pastor Appreciation Day. This year it falls on Sunday, October 8.

Why should we celebrate our pastors? First of all, it is Biblical. As noted above, I Timothy 5:17 commands the believer to appreciate their pastor with double honor. According to “GotQuestions” online, “‘Double honor’ refers not only to an abundance of respect and obedience from members of the church but also reasonable pay. The Greek word translated “double” in 1 Timothy 5:17 means “two-fold.” And the term for “honor” in the original language includes the notion of a price or compensation. In English, we also connect the word honor with the idea of recompence through the noun honorarium, “a payment for unbilled professional services.” Paul felt that dutiful and diligent shepherds of God’s flock, the church, ought to be honored in two ways: in proper esteem and fair compensation.”

Secondly, Pastors serve the church daily. Their hours are usually not on a 9-5 schedule. While on a daily basis pastors prepare weekly messages, nurture the spiritual well-being of their congregants, and help manage a self-efficient church building with all its activities and programs, pastors are “on-call” for questions, crises, and solving conflicts.

Thirdly, Pastors and clergy serve the church and community during major life moments. Aside from the daily duties, pastors participate in the highs and lows of the lives of their church-goers and other members of the community. Pastors lead mourners during funerals, pray over the sick, and minister to the imprisoned and abandoned. Moreover, pastors bear the emotional pressure heaped upon them by disgruntled congregants and also absorb the hostile criticism of an increasingly anti-religious society. Our pastors also oversee our most joyous occasions. They play a vital role in marriages, baptisms, and requests for special blessings. Pastors also uphold the institution of marriage by counseling struggling couples to hold fast to their marital vows and they guide the Lord’s flock by giving clarity to those with a fractured sense of faith.

How can we show our appreciation? Let your creativity shine! There are so many ways to say thank-you, but here are just a few suggestions:

1.      Send a thank-you card. In our Main Street of our church, we do have a table set up with thank you notes that you can hand write a message to our pastors or send them through the post office.

2.      Text or email an encouraging note.

3.      Build a basket with all kinds of yummy treats or fun items.

4.      Send them over a meal or have them over to your home for a meal together.

5.      Gift cards

6.      Find out a special outing (concert, sporting event, or other activity) that they enjoy and pay their way.

7.      Ask your kids to draw a picture of your pastor and family and frame it for them.

8.      Offer to go with your pastor the next time they go to the hospital or nursing home to visit folks.

9.      “Sponsor” a date-night for your pastor and his wife-complete with babysitter, if needed.

10.  Let the pastor know how he has encouraged you, inspired you, or challenged you.

And of course, pray for them. And let them know that you are praying for them!

Dear God, We pray for our pastors to be encouraged. We ask that you would minister to them and give them a deeper sense of hope. Send laborers into their lives to extend needed help, support, and friendship. We pray that they and their families would be protected and covered by the precious blood of Jesus. May our pastors be restored and refreshed during this time. 

We pray, Lord, that our pastors would not be discouraged, or afraid, or grow weary. But instead that you would uplift their spirits, encourage them in their trials, and recharge them when they are feeling overwhelmed. We ask that you would help them to put their hope in you and that you would in return renew their strength (Isaiah 40:31). We thank you for our pastors, Lord, and all the work they do for your kingdom.

We pray for our pastors to have motivation and vision, that ministries would continue to launch and thrive, and that pastors would not lose one opportunity to serve and minister. We ask that you would help our pastors have a greater reach and that our churches would be a beacon of light and hope throughout the world. We pray that pastors would have perseverance and come through this season with new insights and more inspiration. 

We pray that their faith would increase and that they would be drawn closer to you, Lord. We pray for our pastors to be on guard, to stand firm in the faith, to be courageous, and to be strong (1 Corinthians 16:13). May you, oh God, satisfy their thirst for you and fill them up so that they are ready at all times to do the good work you have called them to.

We thank you for calling our pastors to their ministries. We thank you for equipping them with the spiritual gifts, talents, and skills for such a time as this. We pray over our pastors, Lord, that you would help them to lead with courage and strength. Send the right deacons and volunteers to lead alongside them, that they would not carry the weight alone. Help them to be leaders marked by humility, compassion, and wisdom. 

Let their congregations support them, submit to their leadership, and grow in respect and love toward their pastors. You did not give our pastors a spirit of timidity, so we pray that you would inspire our pastors to walk in power, love, and self-discipline (2 Timothy 1:7) as they demonstrate courageous leadership. We thank you for them and pray for your blessings and protection on them. Amen. (excerpts from Pamela Palmer, Prayers for Pastors).

Because Kids Matter to God,

Shari Coelho

Children’s Ministry Director