Why must you honour and appreciate your Pastor?

Recently, I came across some disturbing and staggering statistics about pastors provided by The Fuller Institute, Barna Research, Lifeway, Schaeffer Institute of Leadership Development, Christianity and Pastoral Care Inc. I sampled a few of them;

1,700 pastors leave the ministry each month, citing depression, burnout, or being overworked as the primary reasons. (2013).

As of March 2022, 42% of pastors are thinking of quitting the ministry, citing Stress, loneliness, the political divisions within the church, the effect of ministry on pastors’ families, not feeling respected by congregants etc. The research further revealed that even those pastors who have not contemplated quitting are experiencing similar stress-inducing challenges in their churches.

72% of the pastors report working between 55 to 75 hours per week.

70% of pastors continually battle depression.

Pastoring has one of the top three suicide rates of any profession.

65% of pastors feel they have not taken enough vacation time with their family over the last 5 years.

70% of pastors are grossly underpaid.

These statistics show the numerous and enormous challenges pastors face daily and how endangered they have become. Most of these stem from the enormous demands of their work coupled with difficult congregants. Pastors’ work is never fully done; most of them are on the phone 24/7 or replying to emails. Pastors carry burdens that they might hear in counselling sessions or important meetings that few people know. Knowing what so many people are dealing with can be unbelievably overwhelming. Most pastors have very few people that they can go to with the challenges that plague them and their families: finances, busy schedules, difficult relationships and more. Pastors frequently forego family vacations in order to lead services or go on visitations. The list can be unending.

These challenges have a way of draining pastors of their physical, emotional and spiritual vitality and this affects both the pastor and the congregants. Pastoral work is difficult and sacrificial, and it is a calling that comes along with the heavy responsibility of caring for the souls of the congregants. I believe the effects of these challenges can be drastically mitigated when pastors are well appreciated and honoured by the church and congregants. That’s why the Bible instructs us in the following scriptures:

“In the same way, the Lord commanded that those who preach the gospel should get their living from the gospel” (1 Corinthians 9:14, CEB).

“Dear brothers and sisters, honour those who are your leaders in the Lord’s work. They work hard among you and give you spiritual guidance. Show them great respect and wholehearted love because of their work. And live peacefully with each other” (1 Thessalonians 5:12-13, NLT).

“Pastors who do their work well should be paid well and should be highly appreciated, especially those who work hard at both preaching and teaching.” (1 Timothy 5:17, TLB)

“Obey your spiritual leaders and be willing to do what they say. For their work is to watch over your souls, and God will judge them on how well they do this. Give them reason to report joyfully about you to the Lord and not with sorrow, for then you will suffer for it too.” (Hebrews 13:17, TLB)

The final part of the last scripture made us understand that if we make pastors do their work in sorrow, we “will suffer for it too”. Some versions say “causing them to complain would not be to your advantage”. Meaning, it is in our interest as congregants to take proper care of our pastors. Your pastor is anointed by God’s Spirit to bring blessings to your life, so relating with him and honouring him with godly reverence is expedient for you. God honoured the faith of the wealthy Shunammite woman at 2 Kings 4:8-37 and changed her barren situation by bestowing a son on her when she recognized Elisha as a man of God, honoured him and took care of him.

No matter your condition or status, there is always something you can do to appreciate and honour your pastor. The widow at Zarephath had to offer the little she had to Elijah first before she received the blessings of God (1 Kings 17:7-16).

How do you appreciate and honour your pastor? To do so means;

The above list is not exhaustive; you can do more as you are led by the Lord. I believe the greatest of all these acts is to support him financially. One of the statistics I shared above established that 70% of pastors are grossly underpaid. This is not a hidden fact; most pastors are not well renumerated. A pastor who loves money more than his calling is dangerous because he cannot fulfil his calling of watching over God’s sheep, but it is of greater peril when a pastor lacks. Pastors take care of the needs of some congregants; they mostly pay school fees for other children, pay rent fees and give money out to some congregants. This is the reason he must constantly receive financial support so that there will be plenty in the storehouse.

Look out for opportunities to appreciate and honour your pastor because you honour God by doing so.