Double Honor

October is Pastor Appreciation Month and faithful people in congregations across the country will be blessing their pastors with gifts and acts of thanksgiving and kindness. From greeting cards to gift cards and from free cups of coffee to all-expense paid vacations, these gestures communicate to pastors that they are loved and appreciated.

Paul writes in 1 Timothy 5:17-18, The elders who are good leaders are to be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching... “The worker is worthy of his wages." Double honor, understood biblically, refers to demonstrating respect in addition to providing ample compensation for pastors as their livelihood.

If you spend any significant time talking to a pastor about their work, you are likely to learn about the ways that ministry is a joy and what they love about their calling. But if go a little deeper and the pastor speaks freely, you will also discover some of what is not so great and the weight of responsibility that many pastors carry.

Pastors report some of the highest rates of job-related stress. Just dealing with the pastoral care needs of a congregation can be a significant burden: visiting the sick and shut-ins, comforting those mourning, helping families and marriages in trouble, nurturing the faith of those struggling, dealing with crises that come at all hours. Never mind the fact that the pastor has a sermon, a Bible study, and a confirmation class to prepare; worship services that need planning; staff that needs guidance and supervision; committees or ministry teams that need input; and a disgruntled church member that demands attention and things to go their way! All the while the pastor wonders whether they are neglecting their own family’s needs or their own self-care.

Shepherding a congregation is difficult work and faithful pastors often silently bear these burdens instead of burdening the people they are called to lead, love, and serve. So how might your congregation double honor your pastor not just in October, but all year long? Here are three practical steps you can take to care for your pastor.

First, speak well of your pastor. Do this both directly to your pastor as well as in conversations when they are not around. In 1 Thessalonians 5:13, Paul says to regard pastors very highly in love because of their work. A specific, heartfelt word of encouragement can be a way God uses you to help fill your pastor’s tank. Be specific about how they have been a blessing and be sure to tell others, too, both in your church and in your community.

Second, guard your pastor’s rest. When the pressures of ministry mount, the first thing to go for a pastor typically is their own sabbath rest. Protect their day off, encourage them to take their vacation time as well as to attend retreats and conferences that refresh their soul and renew their minds. Adopt a sabbatical policy to provide for extended leave (Contact me for a sample sabbatical policy). A rested, encouraged pastor is a gift to the whole church.

Third, provide for your pastor generously. The primary reason good pastors consider new calls is insufficient compensation. Fair and faithful compensation is biblical. And remember, there likely is another church searching for a pastor that's offering a much more generous compensation package. Reviewing your pastor’s salary and benefits each year with honesty and generosity is the most concrete way a congregation shows double honor. When a church cares well for the one who labors among them as their spiritual leader, they free their pastor to serve fully in the ministry of the gospel.

Caring for our pastors is not a distraction from our mission; it is essential to it. Honored, well-supported pastors are leaders God is using to carry the mission of God forward in and through our congregations for this generation to the next. So this October, do more than sign your name to a card. Offer the shepherd God has given you the double honor that Scripture calls for.

Pastor Bryce Formwait is the Director of Mission Growth for LCMC Texas District and Program Director of Harvest Workers, an online ministry training program (learn more at www.harvestworkers.net). Residing in Georgetown, Pastor Bryce is available to coach congregations on mission. Please contact him with any questions or comments: 512-942-7776 or bryce@lcmctexas.org.