Pastors preach, teach, evangelize, baptize, disciple, and officiate weddings and funerals—among many other things. In short, they lead. How has your pastor’s leadership enriched you?
The last two years have stretched most—if not all—pastors well beyond their training.
Seminary taught them a little about church conflict, but it didn’t teach them what to do when the whole world is at odds with itself.
Seminary taught them to be careful with politics, but it didn’t tell them everything would become political.
How could seminary prepare pastors for a time like this? It couldn’t.
Every pastor—young and old, new and seasoned, trained and untrained—has faced the intense and often overwhelming challenge of Christian leadership as best they could in these conflicted times.
If we appreciate nothing else about pastors—if you appreciate nothing else about your pastor—let us appreciate that.
To say pastors are in the midst of a storm is to play the violin too softly. For the headwinds, crosswinds, wind shears and downdrafts pastors are facing now, we need the full orchestra.
Strike up the band
This week, I asked members of our Baptist Standard Connected Facebook group to help me express appreciation for pastors. They sent the following:
Sign up for our weekly edition and get all our headlines in your inbox on Thursdays
“David Adams, pastor of First Baptist Church in Pearland, has walked beside our family through some tough times, and he has faithfully prayed for us, prayed with us and pointed us always toward Jesus. We appreciate his friendship, leadership and willingness to do whatever God calls him to do.”—Patty Tanner
“David Langston, pastor of First Baptist Church in Alton, Mo., and his wife Debbie have only been here since Sept. 19, but they have been a huge blessing for us. They are both prayer warriors, great listeners and counselors, and Brother David is an excellent biblical ‘teacher/preacher.’ The Lord definitely sent us the right ones.”—Janie Webb
“First Baptist Church in Rockport is so fortunate to have Scott Jones as pastor. He and his wife Kimberlie have loved our church family and community through so much, including Hurricane Harvey and COVID. They, along with Executive Pastor Jeff Lanningham, have worked tirelessly and continue to lead us to do the same.”—Kathryn Albin
“Steve McMeans, pastor of Indiana Avenue Baptist Church in Lubbock, is consistent and faithful in his teaching, and he is caring and thoughtful with his congregants. We are very fortunate to have such a great pastor!”—Justin Sizemore
“Ronny Marriott, lead pastor of First Baptist Church in Burleson, is an excellent preacher with consistently relevant and relatable messages.”—Danny Andrews
“I thank God for a pastor with a listening ear, words of wisdom and sound biblical principles. My pastor, Dr. Darrin Moore of Truevine Missionary Baptist Church in Spring, cares for our congregation with patience, understanding and a corrective word. I’m particularly grateful for the way he and Lady Arlean give so unselfishly to each member of our church and to the community as a whole.”—Astra Sparks
“I appreciate that my husband and pastor, Dr. Darrin Moore of Truevine Missionary Baptist Church in Spring, is consistent. I often share with people that he is the same guy at home that he is at church.”—Arlean Moore
“Pastor Lemuel Larrosa, First Evangelical Baptist Church of Montevideo, Uruguay, is undoubtedly a personal reference point, and also for Baptists in my country. He also is a co-founder and former historical director of Transworld Radio. He is a great preacher of healthy biblical doctrine.”—Aram Markarian
“Dr. Michael A. Evans Sr., has served more than 30 years as the senior pastor and has shown what it truly means to be a servant leader, not only for the Bethlehem Baptist Church, but also for the Mansfield community. We appreciate his love for the people, humble heart, and devotion to his family and God as he continues to lead us to become a better church for God’s kingdom.”—Marcus Wilson
My pastor, Craig Curry of First Baptist Church in Plano, has a deep and dogged love for people, and the courage to be himself everywhere he goes. He is serious about evangelism and missions, leading by example.
Thank you, Pastor.
Pastor, thank you for staying that Monday you wanted to quit. Thank you for being faithful to God’s call even when it put you in our crosshairs. Thank you for serving our church, knowing you could make more money and be more respected somewhere else.
Pastor, your love for God and for people pulls us back from giving in to desire and despair so many times. We know you wear many hats, only one of which is the fearsome task of representing God through your words on Sunday morning. Thank you for pointing us to God.
The rest of the week, you often wear yourself out being with us when we are hurting, afraid, lonely, confused and, yes, mean. You are courageous and must be stronger than you realize. Thank you for loving us.
And thank you for being who you are, quirks and all—even when we don’t understand or appreciate the person you are.
Pastor Appreciation Month
It’s not too late to express your appreciation for your pastor and others in your church who serve in a pastoral role with children, youth, college, singles, adults, senior adults, music, missions, among others.
Has a pastor enriched you through ministry and leadership? October is Pastor Appreciation Month, and in a season like we have experienced during the last two years, our pastors need a good word from us. They also need a break. Giving them some time to recharge will do them good and, by extension, will do you good.
What do you appreciate about your pastor?
We seek to connect God’s story and God’s people around the world. To learn more about God’s story, click here.
Send comments and feedback to Eric Black, our editor. For comments to be published, please specify “letter to the editor.” Maximum length for publication is 300 words.