11/16/2015 WaystoEncourageYourPastor

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ByDr.DaleA.Robbins

Eph4:1116(NKJV)AndHeHimselfgavesometobeapostles,someprophets,some
evangelists,andsomepastorsandteachers,(12)fortheequippingofthesaintsfortheworkof
ministry,fortheedifyingofthebodyofChrist,(13)tillweallcometotheunityofthefaithand
oftheknowledgeoftheSonofGod,toaperfectman,tothemeasureofthestatureofthe
fullnessofChrist

APastorisoneofChristsfiveofficegiftstotheChurch.Yes,pastoringisagift...andapastor
happenstobeaGIFTthatGodgivestoachurch.Thetermpastorcomesfromshepherd,
onewhoguidesandcaresforaflock.

Servingasapastorisaremarkableandawesomeblessingandprivilege,butsometimes
pastorscanbethemostmisunderstoodpeopleinthechurch.Oftentheirhoursarelong,the
payminimal,thecriticismconsiderableandconstant.DespitethejoysofservingGod,feelings
ofdisappointmentanddiscouragementcanplaguethebestofthem.However,hereare14
waysGodcanuseyoutobecomeablessinginhislife,whichalsoenhanceyourabilityto
receivefromhisministry:

1.RollupyourSleevesandBecomeaPartoftheTeamAttendchurchfaithfullyand
showthatyoureeagertofollowhisleadership.Thiswillblessyourlifeandbeatremendous
encouragementtoyourpastor.Lookforopportunitiestouseyourgiftsandtalentsforthework
ofChrist.Andbecomeasoulwinner.Peopleallaroundusarelostinsin,dyingandgoingto
hell.DoallinyourpowertowinthemtoJesusChrist.TellthemwhatChristhasdoneforyou
andwhatHecandoforthem.Brethren,ifanyoneamongyouwandersfromthetruth,andsomeoneturnshimback,lethim
knowthathewhoturnsasinnerfromtheerrorofhiswaywillsaveasoulfromdeathandcoveramultitudeofsins.(James
5:1920)

2.BeOpenlyResponsiveNothingexcitesaspiritualleaderlikeseeingpeoplerespondtothepreachingandteaching.
Showhimthatyourelistening,andevensayAmenonceinawhile.Notonlywillitmakehisday,butitmaymakethe
serviceshorter...asitisaprovenfactthatpreachersoftenunconsciouslyrepeatthemselveswhentheyfeeltheyrenot
connectingwiththeirhearers.

3.SubmittotheLeadershipofyourPastorTheBibleplacesspecialemphasisonsubmissiontospiritualauthorities.The
writerofHebrewssays,Obeythosewhoruleoveryou,andbesubmissive,fortheywatchoutforyoursouls,asthosewho
mustgiveaccount.Letthemdosowithjoyandnotwithgrief,forthatwouldbeunprofitableforyou.(Heb13:17).Weare
alsoinstructedtofollowandimitatethosespiritualleadersastheyfollowChrist.FollowthemanofGodwhoisfollowingJesus
ChristassetforthintheWordofGod.Rememberthosewhoruleoveryou,whohavespokenthewordofGodtoyou,whose
faithfollow,consideringtheoutcomeoftheirconduct.(Heb13:7)

4.TreathimwithProperRespectTreathimwithasmuchormorerespectthatyouwouldanyoneelseinauthority.
Sometimesfolkstendtothinkofhimasanemployee,insteadoftheirspiritualleader.Apastor,however,isGodsappointed
man,tohelpguidethesoulofyouandyourfamily,andneedsourloveandrespect.Expressyourrespecttohisauthorityby
addressinghimaspastorratherthanbyhisfirstname,especiallywhileonthechurchpremises.Andweurgeyou,brethren,
torecognizethosewholaboramongyou,andareoveryouintheLordandadmonishyou,(13)andtoesteemthemvery
highlyinlovefortheirworkssake...(1Thes5:1213)

5.Pray,Pray,PrayforYourPastorYouknowhowmuchoppositionthatyoureceiveyourself...fromtheworld,theflesh,
andthedevil...andbeassured,yourpastorreceivesmuchmorethanyou.Prayforhimeveryday,andaskGodtoshower
yourpastorwithanabundanceoflove,hope,joy,faith,peace,power,wisdom,andcourage.Prayforyourspiritualleaders
maturityandgrowthinthefaith.WhileyoupraybemindfulofthiswiseadvicefromtheGermanwriter,JohannWolfgangvon
Goethe:Ifyoutreatapersonasheis,hewillstayasheisbutifyoutreathimasifhewerewhatheoughttobe,hewill
becomewhatheoughttobeandcouldbe.AsPaulwrote,Finally,brethren,prayforus,thatthewordoftheLordmayrun
swiftlyandbeglorified,justasitiswithyou,andthatwemaybedeliveredfromunreasonableandwickedmenfornotall
havefaith.(2Thes3:12)

6.CommittoStandwithHimThroughToughTimesBeaREALfriendnotjustafairweatherbuddy.Agenuinefriend
issomeonewhoremainssteadfastwithyouregardlessofwhatmaycome.Hestandswithyouintheadversecircumstances
oflife,doesnotforsakeyouwhenothersmayabandonyou,helpsguardyouwhenyouareoffguard,helpsholdyou
accountabletoyourvalues,forgivesandencouragesyouiforwhenyoufail.

7.TossouttheCookieCutterDontexpectyourpastortodoeverythingthesamewaythelastpastordid.TrustGodto
useyourspiritualleadertobringaboutrelevantandeffectiveministrytothepresentneed...anddontstereotypehimeither
withthestrengthsorshortcomingsofotherspiritualleadersyouveknown.Letyourpastorbehimself.Yourpastorisan
imperfecthumanbeing,andisuniquewithhisowndistinctpersonality,giftsandtalents.Notallpastorsarethesame,sodont
puthiminaboxandexpecthimtobeaduplicateofothersyouveknown.
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11/16/2015 WaystoEncourageYourPastor

8.BePatientandUnderstandingwithyourpastor,hismate,andhischildren.Donotexpectyourpastororhisfamilytobe
perfect,theyarehumantoo.AmanofGodhasthesamehumantendenciesthatweallface,andsodoeshisfamily.Letyour
pastorsspousebeherself,anddontplaceunspokenexpectationsonhertoperformparticularministriesorbelikeformer
pastorsspouses.Justlovetheminfindingtheirplace.

9.Supporthimfinanciallysohecankeephismindontheworkoftheministry.Ifamancannotproperlycareforhisfamily,
hewillbedistractedfromtheministry.Itcostsyourpastorjustasmuchtoliveasitdoesyou,andinsomecasesmuchmore
becauseofaddedexpensessuchasbooks,transportationorthewayheisexpectedtodress.Lettheelderswhorulewell
becountedworthyofdoublehonor,especiallythosewholaborinthewordanddoctrine.FortheScripturesays,Youshall
notmuzzleanoxwhileittreadsoutthegrain,and,Thelaborerisworthyofhiswages.(1Tim5:1718)

10.GiveHimtheBenefitoftheDoubtSupportyourpastorevenwhenhecantpubliclyexplainwhycertaindecisionsor
actionshavebeenmade.Oftentimes,toprotecttheprivacyofothers,pastorsandleadersfrequentlycannotdisclose
everythingpublicly...andprofessionalethicssometimesdemandsilenceoverissuesthatareverysensitive.Ifatoughdecision
takesplace,supportyourpastorandavoidthecriticismthatusuallycomesalongwithsuchsituations.

11.KnockoffBehindHisBackCriticismMinisters,aswellasvirtuallyallpublicauthorityfigures,areoftenthesubjectof
incessantcriticism.Ifthereisalegitimatematterthatconcernstheleader,itshouldbeaddressedtohimpersonallybut
criticismbehindonesbackcertainlydoesnthelpthem,andwhendistributedaboutcancausealotofharmtoaleaders
reputationandcredibility.

12.SquelchGossipandBadMouthingDonotspeakagainstorlistentogossiporslanderaboutyourpastor.Ifyouhear
negativecomments,respondwithapositiveone.Ifmisinformationisbeingspread,correctitwiththeaccurateinformation.Or,
ifpeoplearegossiping,justwalkaway.TheApostlePaulsaid,Donotreceiveanaccusationagainstanelderexceptfrom
twoorthreewitnesses.(1Tim5:19)

13.LookforopportunitiestoencouragehimTellhimwhenhehashelpedyou.Ephesians4:29teachesustosays
thingsthatedify,andyouministergracetoyourpastorwheneveryoutellhimhowhehashelpedyou.Hewillbeamore
effective,dedicatedservantofGodifyougivehimsomefeedbackonhisministrytoyou(seeProv.3:27).Itwillalsobevery
encouragingifyoutellyourSundaySchoolteacher,spouse,andyourchildrenhowtheyhavehelpedorbeenablessingto
you.Praisedoesntcostbutitpaystremendousdividendsinthehome,inthechurch,intheschoolandonthejob.Andbe
suretorecognizeyourpastorandhisspouseforbirthdays,anniversariesandChristmas.Itisnotalwaysnecessarytogive
gifts,buttoberememberedonthesespecialdaysisanexpressionofyourloveandencouragement.

14.StayfocusedonthebigpictureThebigpictureisJESUS...tolove,forgiveandseektobringsoulsintotheKingdom
ofGod.Dontgetweigheddownbychurchpolitics,nonsense,offensesorwhateverelsegoeson,butkeepyourfocuson
Jesusandonwhatthechurchandthepastorarereallyallabout!

This article (VL175) is copyrighted by Dr. Dale A. Robbins, 19902015 and is a publication of Victorious Publications, Grass Valley, CA
Nashville,TN.Unlessotherwisestated,allscripturereferencesweretakenfromTheNewKingJamesBible,ThomasNelsonInc.,1982.Youmay
downloadthisarticleforpersonaluseaslongasyouretaincredittotheauthor.Obtainpermissionbeforereproducingcopiesforanyreason,by
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