Pastor Appreciation Day All Year Long

My husband John and I have the privilege of visiting pastors all over the world. It’s one of those “pinch myself” kind of honors we do not take lightly. When we’re abroad, we visit Americans and national pastors and in both cases, these men, these servants, work hard and serve their churches in every area, no matter what the job description says.

Recently my pastor called to make sure our Bible study class knew about a death in our church family. He went on to briefly mention food and the likely timetable of the funeral, etc. It was your basic heads-up . . . but it got me thinking, “What does my pastor deal with – maybe every day – that is outside his “job description” and that he might never mention to church members? It’s not like he’s keeping something from us. We can trust his judgment on certain matters, but I just wonder about his “caseload” if you will.

In many areas of the world, pastors are also construction workers and build their own churches. Some pastors make a living as fishermen, farmers, teachers, and translators. But what do they really deal with that is difficult and heartbreaking?

I know that pastors in Ukraine, the Middle East, and Myanmar deal with constant war and religious hostility. Those in wealthy countries like France, the United States, and Canada must handle the effects of complacency, progressivism, and gender issues. Pastors in Nepal, Thailand, and Papua New Guinea must undo a works-based belief system. And pastors in Central and South America labor against the poverty, corruption, substance abuse, and polygamy that destroys families.

You might say that these are extreme issues or not problems for pastors where you live, but I think that both worldwide and at home, pastors deal with some very real and difficult things we’ll never know about. Perhaps some of those issues are personal, painful, and private.

I guess what I’m trying to say is that pastors need our prayers, not our criticism; our understanding, not our complacency; our willingness, not our excuses.

I don’t know about your pastor, but mine works hard. He’s at church hours before most church members and hangs around long after the last person leaves. He shakes hundreds of hands and knows who’s new and who’s sick. He’s there for concerns, counseling, and crying. He knows when a new person steps through the door, and he knows who’s hurting.

And the same thing is true for our pastors around the world who have church under a tree, sitting cross-legged on a dirt floor, or while officials look for unlawful gatherings.

So tell me about your pastor, brag about him, let him know you are praying for him. And consider Pastor Appreciation Day all year long.