Pastor Appriciation

October is Pastor appreciation month. We should be ever so appreciative of the pastor's that are leading our flocks during this most difficult time in recent memory. They have been criticized on every side. Challenged in every way possible. Virtually outlawed in some states.

So we want to say thanks. If you have never led the flock of God, then you have no idea the load that they carry everyday. It is an awesome privilege but also a tremendous pressure to Pastor a church. In ages gone by the pastor really didn't have to compete with anything in the community. All the businesses were shut down and the people knew that they needed to attend services for their spiritual health. Now Pastor have to compete with thousands of TV channels, the internet and all of its forms and video games, as well as a 24/7 business cycle, and a busy lifestyle of us Americans that is quite honestly staggering.

     They have to preach with the sensitivity of a Max Lucado, the illustrations of a Chuck Swindoll, The Passion of a Billy Sunday, the Evangelistic fervor of a Billy Graham, and the eruditeness of an Alistair Begg. They have to prepare multiple, biblical, relevant, fresh lessons each week, week after week often for decades. 

    Add to that The Descent of the culture into an anti-god mentality and now you have pastors marginalized and demonized in almost every way. In an earlier era Pastor would have been looked on with high regard they would have even been honored but now they're chastised criticized and as I said before even demonized.

So we want to say thank you.

Thanks for the many hours of study that you put in to preach biblically relevant passionate sermons week after week.

Thanks for the Emergency counseling that you have given to us when you had to step away from your family to help fix our family.

Thanks for going and picking up people that have no other way to get to church or that's on a bus route a church van or your own personal car. Thanks for picking up senior citizens and taking them to the store and to the doctor when nobody else will.

Thanks for the thousands of things you do around the church that nobody sees. Thanks for mowing the church lawn when nobody else would, thanks for cleaning the sanctuary when the sign up sheet was empty.  Thanks for setting up the meetings and then tearing down afterward so the next event could take place.

Thanks for your dedicated example of what a real Christian looks like in the real world.  We understand you have feet of clay but we so appriciate how you stans strong against the shifting tide of culture and strive to live out your faith in your family and often in a secular job.

A special thanks to Ministry mates those that have married into Ministry thank you for your grace that you show your mate as they exercise their God-given call. We know it takes so much of their time from you and heaven will one day reward the sacrifices that you've made because heaven alone knows the sacrifices you've made, may God bless you richly today.

So to those who are reading this and are not in ministry here is a Word from the Lord for you.

"Hebrews 13:17 - Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that [is] unprofitable for you"

For those Ministry couples out there here is a Word from the Lord For you. 

Galatians 6:9, KJV: "And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

And finally.

Numbers 6:24-26

King James Version

24 The Lord bless thee, and keep thee:

25 The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:

26 The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace

Do Something great for your pastor!!!!!