{"id":1280,"date":"2009-10-02T08:00:03","date_gmt":"2009-10-02T12:00:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mintools.com\/blog\/?p=1280"},"modified":"2025-05-28T09:51:13","modified_gmt":"2025-05-28T13:51:13","slug":"pastor-appreciation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mintools.com\/blog\/pastor-appreciation.htm","title":{"rendered":"What Do You Think About Your Pastor?"},"content":{"rendered":"

October is National Clergy Appreciation Month in the U.S.\u00a0with the second Sunday of the month being Clergy Appreciation Day<\/a> (perhaps also known as Pastor Appreciation Day or Ministry Appreciation Day).<\/p>\n

\"Pastor<\/a>
Gifts for Pastor Appreciation at One of Our Affiliate Stores<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

If we were to take a poll asking people what they think about their pastors, we’d probably get a mixed review . . .<\/p>\n

from quite happy to very disgruntled with the pastor.<\/p>\n

The reasons behind those responses would vary, even if people marked the same level of satisfaction.\u00a0 Some would be reporting objectively while others subjectively.\u00a0 Hence, some could be based on reality and some on false perceptions.\u00a0 Personal preferences and biases can enter in.<\/p>\n

How God Encourages Us to Respond in Terms of Pastor Appreciation<\/h2>\n

We need to acknowledge how we think and feel. But, even more importantly, we need to determine how God wants us to respond no matter where we fall on the spectrum of “quite happy to very disgruntled” with the pastor.<\/p>\n

A verse often used for Pastor Appreciation Day is 1 Thessalonians 5:12<\/span> —<\/p>\n

Now we ask you, brothers, to respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

But, where does that leave those of you on the more disgruntled side … especially those who are basing your perception on reality because the pastor truly\u00a0isn’t doing a good job or\u00a0has made a series of poor choices?\u00a0 Let’s keep going in 1 Thessalonians\u00a05\u00a0to verses 13 – 18.<\/p>\n

\n
    \n
  1. Live in peace with each other.<\/li>\n
  2. … warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone.<\/li>\n
  3. Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else.<\/li>\n
  4. Be joyful always.<\/li>\n
  5. Pray continually.<\/li>\n
  6. Give thanks in all circumstances.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    … for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    October is National Clergy Appreciation Month in the U.S. . . . If we were to take a poll asking people what they think about their pastors, we’d probably get a mixed review from . . . Continue reading What Do You Think About Your Pastor?<\/span>→<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[65],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1280","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-misc-church-life"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\n\t\t