Over the past couple weeks I have
been sharing the Top Ten Things Every Pastor Wished Their Congregation Knew,
but Was Afraid to Tell Them. So let’s end this blog series on a positive note.
I’ve shared with you ten things that your pastor wishes you understood, but was
afraid to tell you. Let me leave you with Three Ways to Best Encourage Your
Pastor
1.
Make God a priority in your life
In Mark 8.31-36 Jesus asked, “What
can a man give in return for his soul? In Galatians 4.12-20 Paul pleads with
the Galatian believers that the image of Christ would be formed in each believer.
As a pastor that is my prayer for you. Make God a priority in your life.
2.
Stop praying for health and start praying for souls
Matthew 28.18-20 is the Great
Commission, “Go therefore and make disciples.” In 2Corinthians 5.17-21 Paul
wrote, “We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.” One of the
frustrations pastors experience is that in a prayer meeting everyone wants to
pray for everyone and everything except salvation. We pray for Aunt Marge’s
bunions, Grandpa’s cataracts, and cousin Susie’s poodle, but we never pray for
the souls of our neighbors. You don’t have to stop praying for those things,
but let your pastor see your heart for souls. Let your prayer requests be less
about personal comfort, and more about eternal concerns.
3.
Don’t tell your pastor how great he is; tell him what God did in your
life as a result of his ministry
In 1 Corinthians 3:6-7 Paul wrote, “I
planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor
he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.” As a pastor it
is always hard to know what to say when someone compliments your sermon. Do you
say, “Thank you! I worked hard on that one,” or “Praise God! I didn’t know if
anyone was listening?” How do you respond? And every pastor has that one person
at some point in his ministry who comes up and says, “That was the best sermon
I’ve ever heard. You’re better than …” whoever the popular preacher of the day
is. We know it’s not true, but it’s hard to know how to respond. As a pastor I
would love to hear, “God really used that message to speak to me today,” rather
than, “You’re the best preacher in the world.”
Make God a priority in your life. Stop praying for health and start praying for souls. And don’t tell me how great I am. Tell me how God is using me in your life. My prayer is that you will use the thoughts in these blogs to be a blessing to your pastor.
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