A Pastor is one of Christ’s five office gifts to the Church. Yes, pastoring is a gift... and a pastor happens to be a GIFT that God gives to a church. The term pastor comes from “shepherd,” one who guides and cares for a flock. (Eph 4:11-16)
Serving as a pastor is a remarkable and awesome blessing and privilege, but sometimes pastors can be the most misunderstood people in the church. Often their hours are long, the pay minimal, the criticism considerable and constant. Despite the joys of serving God, feelings of disappointment and discouragement can plague the best of them. However, here are 14 ways God can use you to become a blessing in his life, which also enhance your ability to receive from his ministry:
1. Roll up your Sleeves and Become a Part of the Team – Attend church faithfully and show that you’re eager to follow his leadership. This will bless your life and be a tremendous encouragement to your pastor. (James 5:19-20)
2. Be Openly Responsive - Nothing excites a spiritual leader like seeing people respond to the preaching and teaching. Show him that you’re listening, and even say “Amen” once in a while. Not only will it make his day, but it may make the service shorter... as it is a proven fact that preachers often unconsciously repeat themselves when they feel they’re not connecting with their hearers.
3. Submit to the Leadership of your Pastor - The Bible places special emphasis on submission to spiritual authorities. (Heb 13:17) (Heb 13:7)
4. Treat him with Proper Respect - Treat him with as much or more respect that you would anyone else in authority. Sometimes folks tend to think of him as an employee, instead of their spiritual leader. (1 Thes 5:12-13)
5. Pray, Pray, Pray for Your Pastor - You know how much opposition that you receive yourself... from the world, the flesh, and the devil... and be assured, your pastor receives much more than you. Pray for him every day, and ask God to shower your pastor with an abundance of love, hope, joy, faith, peace, power, wisdom, and courage. (2 Thes 3:1-2)
6. Commit to Stand with Him Through Tough Times - Be a REAL friend… not just a fair-weather buddy. A genuine friend is someone who remains steadfast with you regardless of what may come. He stands with you in the adverse circumstances of life, does not forsake you when others may abandon you, helps guard you when you are off guard, helps hold you accountable to your values, forgives and encourages you if or when you fail.
7. Toss out the Cookie Cutter - Don’t expect your pastor to do everything the same way the last pastor did. Trust God to use your spiritual leader to bring about relevant and effective ministry to the present need... and don’t stereotype him either with the strengths or short-comings of other spiritual leaders you’ve known. Let your pastor be himself. Your pastor is an imperfect human being, and is unique with his own distinct personality, gifts and talents. Not all pastors are the same, so don’t put him in a box and expect him to be a duplicate of others you’ve known.
8. Be Patient and Understanding - with your pastor, his mate, and his children. Do not expect your pastor or his family to be perfect, they are human too. A man of God has the same human tendencies that we all face, and so does his family. Let your pastor’s spouse be herself, and don’t place unspoken expectations on her to perform particular ministries or be like former pastor’s spouses. Just love them in finding their place.
9. Support him financially - so he can keep his mind on the work of the ministry. If a man cannot properly care for his family, he will be distracted from the ministry. It costs your pastor just as much to live as it does you, and in some cases much more because of added expenses …such as books, transportation or the way he is expected to dress.
(1 Tim 5:17-18)
10. Give Him the Benefit of the Doubt - Support your pastor even when he can’t publicly explain why certain decisions or actions have been made. Oftentimes, to protect the privacy of others, pastors and leaders frequently cannot disclose everything publicly... and professional ethics sometimes demand silence over issues that are very sensitive. If a tough decision takes place, support your pastor and avoid the criticism that usually comes along with such situations.
11. Knock off Behind-His-Back Criticism - Ministers, as well as virtually all public authority figures, are often the subject of incessant criticism. If there is a legitimate matter that concerns the leader, it should be addressed to him personally… but criticism behind one’s back certainly doesn’t help them, and when distributed about can cause a lot of harm to a leader’s reputation and credibility.
12. Squelch Gossip and Bad Mouthing - Do not speak against or listen to gossip or slander about your pastor. If you hear negative comments, respond with a positive one. If misinformation is being spread, correct it with the accurate information. Or, if people are gossiping, just walk away. (1 Tim 5:19)
13. Look for opportunities to encourage him - Tell him when he has helped you. Ephesians 4:29 teaches us to says things that edify, and you minister grace to your pastor whenever you tell him how he has helped you. He will be a more effective, dedicated servant of God if you give him some feedback on his ministry to you (see Prov. 3:27). It will also be very encouraging if you tell your Sunday School teacher, spouse, and your children how they have helped or been a blessing to you.
14. Stay focused on the big picture - The big picture is JESUS... to love, forgive and seek to bring souls into the Kingdom of God. Don’t get weighed down by church politics, nonsense, offenses or whatever else goes on, but keep your focus on Jesus and on what the church and the pastor are really all about!
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