ENCOURAGE YOUR PASTORS

ENCOURAGE YOUR PASTORS

I am very concerned with what I am seeing happening in the church today.
During a recent conference at America's KESWICK, I had the opportunity
to meet over 250 pastors and wives -- men and women who are sold out for
Christ and serving on the front lines of the battle.

What we discovered is how many of these soldiers of the cross are
discouraged and on the edge of throwing in the towel. It was very
alarming to me to see these precious folks wounded and weary.

I am personally working with a number of godly men who faithfully
proclaim and teach the Word of God but who are being worn down because
they are expected not to be the shepherd of the flock as God has
intended them to be, but are being asked to be the "CEO" of a "church
business." One dear brother in Christ was recently told that while he
was one of the godliest men that they knew, and that he handled the
Scriptures faithfully, was a good husband and father, he was lacking the
leadership skills to be the CEO of the church.

The expectations of our Pastors today are out-of-control. I am afraid
that if many of our employers placed on us the number of expectations
that we place on our shepherds, we would have buckled in and quit a long
time ago.

On this Lord' day, I want to encourage you to encourage YOUR pastor.
Martin Luther said that encouragement is oxygen to the soul. Paul urged
the members of the church at Thessalonica with these words: "Now we ask
you, brothers, to give recognition to those who labor among you and lead
you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly IN LOVE
because of their work . . . " (1 Thessalonians 5:12-13)

Sometime during the week, write a note to your pastor and his staff and
encourage them. Pick of the phone and tell the Pastor how his ministry
has impacted yours. Thank him for serving the Lord at your church.

Many years ago I attended a Bill Gothard seminar and we were encouraged
to write thank you notes to people who had impacted our lives. I wrote
to the Pastor who led me to Christ at age 3 and thanked him for pushing
a little kid aside. This dear servant of the Lord had led hundreds of
people to Christ during is 35 years of ministry, but he wrote back to me
saying that I was the first one to ever say thanks. He died several
months later.

Well, sorry for meddling this morning . . . well not really. Thanks for
doing the right thing this morning!