October is Pastor Appreciation month, I encourage you this month to take time to pray over your pastor(s). Not only to continue to lead the church in accordance with God’s will, but for strength, emotional wellness, family life, for direction and boldness. Invite them out for coffee or dinner with the family, encourage them by sharing how God is working through your life, or ask if you can help them in some way.
Being a pastor is no simple task. Their duties involve more than preaching on Sunday mornings (some also preaching on Wednesdays and Saturdays). Pastors counsel members of the congregation, oversee church administration, perform wedding and funeral services, baby dedications, and provide pastoral care, just to name a few. Pastors are also sacrificial, often giving up the majority of their weekends with family, to preach the gospel to the community. God gave us pastors to bring us the Word of God, encourage us in our walk, and teach us how to become disciples.
Ephesians Chapter 4 talks about the unity in the Body of Christ. It begins by speaking about how we should walk in the manner in which we have been called to in Christ. Verses 11-12 states” And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds[a] and teachers,[b] 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,”. By gifting us these shepherds, we gain knowledge of the scriptures so that we will know the Truth and not be deceived by other doctrines.
If we join together to pray, for not only individual pastors, but every pastor that God has given the gift of ministry, can you imagine the impact that could have on the world?
Katherine Stewart
