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14WaystoEncourageYourPastor

14WaystoEncourageYourPastor
ByDr.DaleA.Robbins
Eph4:1116(NKJV)AndHeHimselfgavesometobeapostles,someprophets,
someevangelists,andsomepastorsandteachers,(12)fortheequippingofthe
saintsfortheworkofministry,fortheedifyingofthebodyofChrist,(13)tillweall
cometotheunityofthefaithandoftheknowledgeoftheSonofGod,toaperfect
man,tothemeasureofthestatureofthefullnessofChrist
APastorisoneofChristsfiveofficegiftstotheChurch.Yes,pastoringisagift...
andapastorhappenstobeaGIFTthatGodgivestoachurch.Thetermpastor
comesfromshepherd,onewhoguidesandcaresforaflock.
Servingasapastorisaremarkableandawesomeblessingandprivilege,but
sometimespastorscanbethemostmisunderstoodpeopleinthechurch.Oftentheir
hoursarelong,thepayminimal,thecriticismconsiderableandconstant.Despitethe
joysofservingGod,feelingsofdisappointmentanddiscouragementcanplaguethe
bestofthem.However,hereare14waysGodcanuseyoutobecomeablessingin
hislife,whichalsoenhanceyourabilitytoreceivefromhisministry:
1.RollupyourSleevesandBecomeaPartoftheTeamAttendchurchfaithfully
andshowthatyoureeagertofollowhisleadership.Thiswillblessyourlifeandbea
tremendousencouragementtoyourpastor.Lookforopportunitiestouseyourgifts
andtalentsfortheworkofChrist.Andbecomeasoulwinner.Peopleallaroundus
arelostinsin,dyingandgoingtohell.DoallinyourpowertowinthemtoJesus
Christ.TellthemwhatChristhasdoneforyouandwhatHecandoforthem.
Brethren,ifanyoneamongyouwandersfromthetruth,andsomeoneturnshimback,
lethimknowthathewhoturnsasinnerfromtheerrorofhiswaywillsaveasoulfromdeathandcoveramultitudeof
sins.(James5:1920)
2.BeOpenlyResponsiveNothingexcitesaspiritualleaderlikeseeingpeoplerespondtothepreachingand
teaching.Showhimthatyourelistening,andevensayAmenonceinawhile.Notonlywillitmakehisday,butitmay
maketheserviceshorter...asitisaprovenfactthatpreachersoftenunconsciouslyrepeatthemselveswhentheyfeel
theyrenotconnectingwiththeirhearers.
3.SubmittotheLeadershipofyourPastorTheBibleplacesspecialemphasisonsubmissiontospiritual
authorities.ThewriterofHebrewssays,Obeythosewhoruleoveryou,andbesubmissive,fortheywatchoutforyour
souls,asthosewhomustgiveaccount.Letthemdosowithjoyandnotwithgrief,forthatwouldbeunprofitablefor
you.(Heb13:17).WearealsoinstructedtofollowandimitatethosespiritualleadersastheyfollowChrist.Followthe
manofGodwhoisfollowingJesusChristassetforthintheWordofGod.Rememberthosewhoruleoveryou,who
havespokenthewordofGodtoyou,whosefaithfollow,consideringtheoutcomeoftheirconduct.(Heb13:7)
4.TreathimwithProperRespectTreathimwithasmuchormorerespectthatyouwouldanyoneelseinauthority.
Sometimesfolkstendtothinkofhimasanemployee,insteadoftheirspiritualleader.Apastor,however,isGods
appointedman,tohelpguidethesoulofyouandyourfamily,andneedsourloveandrespect.Expressyourrespectto
hisauthoritybyaddressinghimaspastorratherthanbyhisfirstname,especiallywhileonthechurchpremises.And
weurgeyou,brethren,torecognizethosewholaboramongyou,andareoveryouintheLordandadmonishyou,(13)
andtoesteemthemveryhighlyinlovefortheirworkssake...(1Thes5:1213)
5.Pray,Pray,PrayforYourPastorYouknowhowmuchoppositionthatyoureceiveyourself...fromtheworld,the
flesh,andthedevil...andbeassured,yourpastorreceivesmuchmorethanyou.Prayforhimeveryday,andaskGod
toshoweryourpastorwithanabundanceoflove,hope,joy,faith,peace,power,wisdom,andcourage.Prayforyour
spiritualleadersmaturityandgrowthinthefaith.WhileyoupraybemindfulofthiswiseadvicefromtheGermanwriter,
JohannWolfgangvonGoethe:Ifyoutreatapersonasheis,hewillstayasheisbutifyoutreathimasifhewere
whatheoughttobe,hewillbecomewhatheoughttobeandcouldbe.AsPaulwrote,Finally,brethren,prayforus,
thatthewordoftheLordmayrunswiftlyandbeglorified,justasitiswithyou,andthatwemaybedeliveredfrom
unreasonableandwickedmenfornotallhavefaith.(2Thes3:12)
6.CommittoStandwithHimThroughToughTimesBeaREALfriendnotjustafairweatherbuddy.Agenuine
friendissomeonewhoremainssteadfastwithyouregardlessofwhatmaycome.Hestandswithyouintheadverse
circumstancesoflife,doesnotforsakeyouwhenothersmayabandonyou,helpsguardyouwhenyouareoffguard,
helpsholdyouaccountabletoyourvalues,forgivesandencouragesyouiforwhenyoufail.
7.TossouttheCookieCutterDontexpectyourpastortodoeverythingthesamewaythelastpastordid.TrustGod
touseyourspiritualleadertobringaboutrelevantandeffectiveministrytothepresentneed...anddontstereotypehim
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14WaystoEncourageYourPastor

eitherwiththestrengthsorshortcomingsofotherspiritualleadersyouveknown.Letyourpastorbehimself.Your
pastorisanimperfecthumanbeing,andisuniquewithhisowndistinctpersonality,giftsandtalents.Notallpastors
arethesame,sodontputhiminaboxandexpecthimtobeaduplicateofothersyouveknown.
8.BePatientandUnderstandingwithyourpastor,hismate,andhischildren.Donotexpectyourpastororhis
familytobeperfect,theyarehumantoo.AmanofGodhasthesamehumantendenciesthatweallface,andsodoes
hisfamily.Letyourpastorsspousebeherself,anddontplaceunspokenexpectationsonhertoperformparticular
ministriesorbelikeformerpastorsspouses.Justlovetheminfindingtheirplace.
9.Supporthimfinanciallysohecankeephismindontheworkoftheministry.Ifamancannotproperlycareforhis
family,hewillbedistractedfromtheministry.Itcostsyourpastorjustasmuchtoliveasitdoesyou,andinsome
casesmuchmorebecauseofaddedexpensessuchasbooks,transportationorthewayheisexpectedtodress.
Lettheelderswhorulewellbecountedworthyofdoublehonor,especiallythosewholaborinthewordanddoctrine.
FortheScripturesays,Youshallnotmuzzleanoxwhileittreadsoutthegrain,and,Thelaborerisworthyofhis
wages.(1Tim5:1718)
10.GiveHimtheBenefitoftheDoubtSupportyourpastorevenwhenhecantpubliclyexplainwhycertain
decisionsoractionshavebeenmade.Oftentimes,toprotecttheprivacyofothers,pastorsandleadersfrequently
cannotdiscloseeverythingpublicly...andprofessionalethicssometimesdemandsilenceoverissuesthatarevery
sensitive.Ifatoughdecisiontakesplace,supportyourpastorandavoidthecriticismthatusuallycomesalongwith
suchsituations.
11.KnockoffBehindHisBackCriticismMinisters,aswellasvirtuallyallpublicauthorityfigures,areoftenthe
subjectofincessantcriticism.Ifthereisalegitimatematterthatconcernstheleader,itshouldbeaddressedtohim
personallybutcriticismbehindonesbackcertainlydoesnthelpthem,andwhendistributedaboutcancausealotof
harmtoaleadersreputationandcredibility.
12.SquelchGossipandBadMouthingDonotspeakagainstorlistentogossiporslanderaboutyourpastor.Ifyou
hearnegativecomments,respondwithapositiveone.Ifmisinformationisbeingspread,correctitwiththeaccurate
information.Or,ifpeoplearegossiping,justwalkaway.TheApostlePaulsaid,Donotreceiveanaccusationagainst
anelderexceptfromtwoorthreewitnesses.(1Tim5:19)
13.LookforopportunitiestoencouragehimTellhimwhenhehashelpedyou.Ephesians4:29teachesustosays
thingsthatedify,andyouministergracetoyourpastorwheneveryoutellhimhowhehashelpedyou.Hewillbea
moreeffective,dedicatedservantofGodifyougivehimsomefeedbackonhisministrytoyou(seeProv.3:27).Itwill
alsobeveryencouragingifyoutellyourSundaySchoolteacher,spouse,andyourchildrenhowtheyhavehelpedor
beenablessingtoyou.Praisedoesntcostbutitpaystremendousdividendsinthehome,inthechurch,inthe
schoolandonthejob.Andbesuretorecognizeyourpastorandhisspouseforbirthdays,anniversariesandChristmas.
Itisnotalwaysnecessarytogivegifts,buttoberememberedonthesespecialdaysisanexpressionofyourloveand
encouragement.
14.StayfocusedonthebigpictureThebigpictureisJESUS...tolove,forgiveandseektobringsoulsintothe
KingdomofGod.Dontgetweigheddownbychurchpolitics,nonsense,offensesorwhateverelsegoeson,butkeep
yourfocusonJesusandonwhatthechurchandthepastorarereallyallabout!
ThisarticleiscopyrightedbyDaleA.Robbins,2008,andisapublicationofVictoriousPublications,GrassValley,CA95949.Unlessotherwisestated,allscripture
referencesweretakenfromTheNewKingJamesBible,ThomasNelsonInc.,1982.Youmaydownloadthisarticleforpersonaluseaslongasyouretaincreditto
theauthor.Obtainpermissionbeforereproducingcopiesforanyreason,byfillingoutoursimplepermissionform.Thiswritingisalsoavailableasanattractivetrifold
pamphlet,whichcanbedownloadedforreproductionfromourOnlineCatalog.Formediareproductionrights,ortoobtainquantitiesofthistitleinotherformats,email
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