The month of October is Pastor Appreciation Month. I don’t know who determines these special promotions, but this one is a good idea. Since I’m no longer a local pastor I can promote it and not be self-serving. The Bible tells us to honor those to whom honor is due and to respect those who teach us God’s Word

Many church members do a good job of encouraging their pastor and staff year-round. But if it’s been a while since you’ve expressed appreciation for your minister I’d suggest you find a tangible way to do so sometime this month.

Most ministers will readily admit there’s much about ministry we love. It’s a privilege to preach the unsearchable riches of Christ every week. It’s rewarding to shepherd God’s people through dark valleys and rejoice with them in times of celebration. Many church members are often incredibly kind and supportive. So like Jesus we love the church and like the Apostle Paul we say, ‘Woe is me if I don’t preach the gospel”.

The ministry is a high and holy calling. But it’s also a hard job. The minister is expected to wear so many different hats: preacher, teacher, counselor, coach, comforter, administrator, writer, editor, mediator, social director, youth sponsor, bus driver, church builder and budget-manager.

The minister is on call 24 hours a day. He’s never off-duty. And he’s always “on stage”. I remember as a young minister severely spraining my ankle in a church pickup basketball game. As I writhed in pain one of the guys stood over me and snarled, ‘Go ahead and say it, preacher. You’ve got to be thinking it!” People watch constantly to see if the minister walks his talk.

The preacher lives with the incredible stress of preparing a weekly sermon – which is like having a term-paper due every week. As soon as he walks out of the pulpit on Sunday the clock starts ticking and by Friday the pressure is almost overwhelming. If you don’t believe that’s real, ask almost any pastor’s wife, she senses the mounting tension too.

The moral standards of ministry are higher than any other calling. A pilot can get drunk when not flying, A professional athlete can bet on sports not his own, a business owner can get angry and curse, a teacher’s child can get arrested for dealing drugs and those people keep their jobs. But any one of those flaws in the life of a minister could be grounds for dismissal.

The ministry is hard and getting harder. I recently participated in a panel discussion for preachers entitled, “Ethics In Evangelism” at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. The panel consisted of two Seminary professors and me. The first question was, “How should a preacher respond if a transgendered person wants to become a member of the church?”

The two professors had done considerable study on the subject and had written papers on what should be the Biblical and loving response. So both of them discussed the subject at length, dealing with a variety of scenarios. When it came my time to speak, I quipped, “You know what I think? I think I retired just on time!” Indeed, just ten years ago we didn’t have to deal with that extremely complex issue.

The ministry is changing rapidly. The truth of God’s Word doesn’t change but our culture is changing so fast. Methods to accomplish evangelism and discipleship are changing. People’s attitudes toward Biblical truth and spiritual authority are changing. It’s nearly impossible for a preacher to keep up with all that’s going on.

The ministry is also difficult because most ministers feel inadequate. We know we don’t measure up spiritually to what we need to be. We know we aren’t as good a preacher and leader as we need to be. We know God’s Word has the solution for our people’s problems but we feel frustrated with the fact that we so often fail to make it practical and understandable. So ministers are plagued with feelings of ineptness and insecurity.

Satan’s primary weapon against ministers is not lust or greed but discouragement. The ministry can be disheartening at times. We weep with those who experience severe pain. We get frustrated with those who go astray. We endure people’s apathy, criticism and sometimes downright nastiness… and it’s draining. Like the prophet Elijah hiding in the cave or Moses nursing his wounds in the wilderness, we’re tempted to feel alone and whine, “Lord, I’ve had enough! That’s it…I quit!

I once heard Dr. David Jeremiah relate a story during a radio sermon about a couple who struggled with their daughter through the terrible twos. I can’t recall the story verbatim but it seemed to the parents that they were on their little girl’s case all the time. She was really cute but strong willed and not easy to handle.

Still struggling with her a year later, the father decided he’d try a new approach. For her fourth birthday, he took his daughter out to eat by himself. He intentionally used the occasion to praise her for all her good attributes. “Honey, we want you to know that your mother and I love you very much. We think you are so special, and we are really glad you are our daughter. We love your sense of humor and the way you think for yourself. You are very gifted, and we know God is going to use you in a wonderful way. We’re eager to see what you’re going to become. We are very proud of you!”

After he’d said every positive thing he could think of the father stopped and reached to pick up his napkin from the table. At that moment his little girl reached out and grabbed the back of her daddy’s hand and pleaded, “More, Daddy. More!” Somehow most of us can’t get enough encouragement.

Most ministers get plenty of criticism and suggestions about how to do ministry better. Sometimes it’s deserved. But we need a few people in our lives who will encourage us and boost us up. We can always use a little more of that.

Therefore encourage on another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing”. (1 Thessalonians 5:11)