My Crew

October 31

My cuties through the years.

 

Don't Call Us - We'll Call You

Imagine interviewing someone for a professional position - any one - schoolteacher, doctor, nurse, lawyer, pastor, accountant, etc. At the end you ask if there is anything else you should know. 

 "Um, yes. I am currently under investigation by the FBI. I lied under oath several times. That's all." 

You immediately tell them thank you for their time - "Don't call us. We'll call you if we're interested." 

But not the Clinton Machine. The modern-day mafia is alive and well - and doing everything they can to get back into the White House. The difference this time is they have a lot of government agencies in their back pockets - and they owe big favors to several foreign governments.

Read about The Empress with No Clothes here.

Christians Must Speak Into Politics

The great preacher Adrian Rogers said, “It’s better to speak truth that hurts and then helps than falsehood that comforts and then kills.”

A misconception persists among Christians that we are to be ever the “nice guy” in the room.  The Mr. Rogers of the group.  The super-positive person who wants everyone to hold hands like Barnie the purple dinosaur and sing “I Love You.”

No doubt, the Lord calls His children to exemplify godly behavior, most often characterized by traits such as gentleness, kindness, joy, and patience.  However, it is also true that at times believers are to confront, challenge, and rebuke wrong patterns of thinking and behaving.

Read my entire article here.

God Knows

For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, in having ministered and in still ministering to the saints. (Hebrews 6:10).

I love those words, "God is not unjust so as to forget." When no one else notices, mark it down, God notices. When no one else remembers, God records it so it won't be forgotten.

Why God Will Lead You Unwanted Places

"God will lead you places you would never choose. Unwanted places. Because the Lord is much greater than you and I can imagine, it makes sense that He wants for us more than we ever dreamed.

God wants you to trust Him, 
and you’d like to do so. 
He wants you to glorify Him, 
to know Him, and so 

do you. But really, you often want to trust God only 
when you understand Him. Too often, that desire to 
know the Lord slices His list of attributes in half. 

When you and I settle for anything less than all of God, we also settle for less 
than all we can become."

Read the entire article by Wayne Stiles here.

Dirty Tricks: Then and Now

Students of the Watergate era (or those old enough to have lived through it) will recall the “dirty tricks” played by Richard Nixon’s henchmen, most notably Donald Segretti. Mr. Segretti, who was hired by Nixon’s deputy assistant, Dwight Chapin, was tasked with smearing Democrats, including 1972 presidential candidate Sen. Edmund Muskie of Maine. Among several “tricks,” Mr. Segretti composed a fake letter on Muskie’s letterhead falsely alleging that Sen. Henry “Scoop” Jackson, Washington Democrat, had fathered a child with a 17-year-old girl.

In 1974, Mr. Segretti pleaded guilty to three misdemeanor counts of distributing illegal, even forged, campaign literature and served four months of a six-month prison sentence.

I mention this sordid history because some Democrats are playing similar “dirty tricks” on Donald Trump.

Read the entire column by Cal Thomas here.

His New Bike

Here's a happy boy with his new bike.

 

Ain't it So

To The “Never Trumper”- A Biblical Case For Trump

Excellent article from the site Last Chance America . . .

It is my estimation that 90% of the people who clicked on this link did so to openly mock and ridicule the redneck, Biblically illiterate, idiot who would dare to put the words, “Bible” and “Trump” in the same sentence. If this is you, congratulations to me for getting you to read this article, and congratulations to you because I am neither an idiot nor a heretic. The following is not some poorly-patched together, theological treatise that attempts to warp the Word of God in order to justify my political sacrilege.

But since I’ve got you reading, let’s make a wager shall we? You read this article all the way through and as Cruz said, allow your “conscience” to be swayed, or not swayed, by what I believe to be Biblical wisdom. You have the right to judge for yourself.

I fit the classic profile of a “Never Trumper.” I am a highly educated, staunchly theologically and politically conservative pastor’s wife, who plans to one day homeschool her children. I even want to be a “Never Trumper.” I really do. It sounds so principled, so brave, to be a political nonconformist who refuses to buckle under the weight of societal temptation, or fall under the spell of the big mouthed billionaire with his lofty promises for a better future. I CANNOT, however, allow myself ignore the principles laid out in the Word of God for situations such as the political debacle Americans have unfortunately found themselves in.

Read the entire article here.

Quotation of the Day

“When we long for life without difficulty, remind us that oaks grow strong under contrary winds and diamonds are made under pressure.”  ― Peter Marshall

Don't Tell Hillary

SC State Fair

The Dotted Line

Here we are for me to sign my contract with my new literary agent, Blythe Daniel, of Colorado Springs!

 

Evangelicals, We Need to Start Looking Beyond the Candidates

Well said and right on . . .

"For the past nine presidential elections – intentionally or unintentionally –  I have stuck with one clear principle when I go to the voting booth: I do not vote for candidates but for policies.

From our 39^th to our 44th commander in chief, I have not voted for men or, even, for parties – I have voted for issues. And in my life, I have never seen so many crucial issues, with such vast consequences, hanging in the balance as they are in the 2016 Presidential Election.

The issues, to anyone – especially a Christian – who has been following the course of our nation, should be fairly clear by now: the appointment of Supreme Court justices, the defense of religious liberty, the fight to protect the life of the unborn, our friendship with and support of Israel, the need for resolving racial tension, our national security, and the preservation of limited government and a free market."

Read the entire excellent article by Pastor Ronnie Floyd here.

Yes!

Trump, Republicans and the ‘Principles’ Question

"[W]e are at the most perilous tipping point of American history. 

It is true that the country was threatened with survival in the 1860s, and only a terrible civil war kept it whole. But with the colossal and awful exception of slavery, neither side challenged the founding principles of America.
That is not the case today. One side seeks to undo just about every founding principle that made America exceptional. Important examples include small and limited government; preservation of the power of the states to serve as political and social laboratories; a belief in individual responsibility; a society rooted in Judeo-Christian morality — one composed of people who nearly all affirmed in God and Bible-based moral teachings; and a deep sense of a unifying American identity and destiny.

The left is successfully undoing every one of those founding principles."

Read Dennis Prager's entire insightul article here.

Voter Guide

Access a pdf of a 2016 Values Voter Presidential Voter Guide here from the Family Research Council.

In Defense of Pro-Trump Christians

There are many good conservatives who are Never-Trumpers, and there are many good conservatives who will vote for Donald Trump. Eight months ago, I warned that conservatives must resist gratuitous hatred or they will destroy themselves more effectively than the left ever could on its own.

I used the term “gratuitous hatred” because it is the term Jews and Judaism use to describe the reason for one of the greatest calamities of Jewish history: the destruction of the Second Temple and the second Jewish state. It wasn’t the Romans who Jewish tradition blames; it was the Jews themselves — for hating one another for no good reason.

When I read the Boston Globe column “How the Religious Right Embraced Donald Trump and Lost its Moral Authority” by Jeff Jacoby, a man whose work I have long respected, gratuitous hatred came to mind. Just as there are pro-Trump people who have expressed contempt for anti-Trump people since the very beginning — as an early anti-Trumper I can personally attest to this (even though I wrote repeatedly that if Trump wins the nomination, I would vote for him) — some Never-Trump people now dismiss the decency and moral credibility of conservatives voting for Trump.

Read the entire article by Dennis Prager here.

If You Don’t Like Either Candidate, Then Vote for Trump’s Policies

Good for Wayne Grudem! . . .

"After I saw the shocking 2005 video with Trump talking about his sexual aggression against women, I wrote, 'There is no morally good presidential candidate in this election.' I condemned Trump’s immoral conduct and said I did not know how I would vote. I asked Townhall.com to remove my earlier article, 'Why Voting for Donald Trump Is a Morally Good Choice.' I urged Trump to withdraw, hoping we could get a better candidate. 

The liberal media loved this. 'Evangelical theologian calls on Trump to withdraw.' I suddenly had more requests for interviews from mainstream news organizations than ever in my lifetime. I turned them all down.

And Trump did not withdraw."

Read the entire article by theologian Wayne Grudem here.

Wayne Grudem Again Throws Support to Trump, Prefers His Policies to Clinton's

In my opinion, Wayne Grudem overreacted a few days ago by temporarily removing his support from Donald Trump.  Today, Grudem again throws his support to Trump. . . .

"Evangelical theologian Wayne Grudem has again thrown his support to Republican nominee Donald Trump, stating that he supports the candidate's policies rather than the man himself.

Grudem recently garnered headlines twice. First, for claiming that Trump was a 'morally good choice' (here and here), and second, for his decision to withdraw his support over the nominee's behavior and comments towards women.

In a column published Wednesday on the conservative site Townhall.com, Grudem took a third stab at explaining his presidential vote choice, writing that he believed the election came down to only two viable options, voting for Trump or allowing Democrat nominee Hillary Clinton to win."

Read the entire article here at CP Politics. 

Ha!

The News Industry's Most Far-Reaching Scandal

Regardless of who is your chosen – or least favorite – presidential candidate, independent minds should be concerned about the latest revelations in the news media’s unseemly relationships with government and political actors. While there are many responsible journalists working today, inside documents and leaks have exposed serious lapses constituting the most far-reaching scandal our industry has known. It’s our very own Newsgate.  - Sharyl Attkisson

Read her entire story, Newsgate 2016, here.

Quote of the Day

"So if God is changing the times, and God has promised to provide daily manna for you regardless of the times, then you can sleep at night. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He does not change. The times may change, but He does not. I can relax because God can change the times. A man who considers these things can sleep. Go to sleep and know that He will be up all night." - Steve Farrar

Chosen by God: The Man Who Ate Honey, but Pulled Down Pillars

For six months, I have compared Donald Trump to the biblical judge Samson.  This article explains that very insightfully . . .

"He doesn’t drink wine, he has a tendency to lie, he has a weakness for women and his hair is sort of a big deal. No, I’m not talking about Donald Trump.

I’m referring to Samson, God’s appointed judge over Israel.

The biblical book of Judges chronicles a 300-year period of the nation of Israel’s history. In this book, we are introduced to a man named Samson."

Read the entire article here at Grandstand.

Yes - Evangelicals and Donald Trump

"A lot of people are slamming evangelicals for supposedly giving Donald J. Trump a pass. That’s simply not true. No one is giving him a pass. I’m certainly not, and I’ve not met an evangelical yet who condones his language or inexcusable behavior from over a decade ago. However, he has apologized to his wife, his family, and to the American people for this. He has taken full responsibility. This election isn’t about Donald Trump’s behavior from 11 years ago or Hillary Clinton’s recent missing emails, lies, and false statements. This election is about the Supreme Court and the justices that the next president will nominate. Evangelicals are going to have to decide which candidate they trust to nominate men and women to the court who will defend the constitution and support religious freedoms. My prayer is that Christians will not be deceived by the liberal media about what is at stake for future generations."

- Franklin Graham

All-Encompassing Dishonesty

“Clintonism is a way of governance based on a dishonesty so pervasive and all-encompassing . . . that you cannot believe they expect you to believe the bizarre story they just peddled because no one would lie like that.” One of the most disturbing things about Hillary is “the disconnect between the reality of Hillary, the image of Hillary, and the ruthlessness with which she will go to any length to protect that image.”- Peggy Noonan

Noonan writes this in her book The Case Against Hillary Clinton.  Read my review of the book here.

Should Christians Vote for Trump?

Because of Donald Trump's sometimes odious behavior, many Christians struggle with voting for him.  I agree wholeheartedly with Eric Metaxas' essay on how to wrestle with this ethical concern . . .

"This question should hardly require an essay, but let’s face it: We’re living in strange times. America is in trouble.

Over this past year many of Donald Trump’s comments have made me almost literally hopping mad. The hot-mic comments from 2005 are especially horrifying. Can there be any question we should denounce them with flailing arms and screeching volume? I must not hang out in the right locker rooms, because if anyone I know said such things I might assault him physically (and repent later). So yes, many see these comments as a deal breaker. 

But we have a very knotty and larger problem. What if the other candidate also has deal breakers? Even a whole deplorable basketful? Suddenly things become horribly awkward. Would God want me simply not to vote? Is that a serious option?"

Read the entire article by Eric Metaxas here.

Huckabee on the Clinton Cartel

They [The Clinton Machine] will do whatever they have to do to find something, and if they can’t find it, they will fabricate it, and the press is often a willing co-conspirator in protecting them.  The press is a mindless mob at this point doing the bidding  of Hillary.  It’s all about obtaining and using power for your own benefit.  This stuff is so scandalous.  They will always seek to not just defelct from their enemies but to destroy them.

There will be two sets of rules for America – one for H and her pals, and one for the rest of us who will go to jail for doing what they would be done.

This is Not an election between a couple of Sunday School teachers and one likes your version of the Bible better.  This is about two different people who will take the courts, the country, the economy, national security and the borders in 180 degrees opposite directions Whether they like the person personally, whether they think they are a wonderful human being, or whether they think they are full of all kind of challenges ethically, they know the difference in the way they are going to lead the country is stark and dramatic.

Danger Ahead

Franklin Graham: The Church Must Rise Up ‘For Such a Time as This’

Dear Friend,

The upcoming election is the most important in our lifetime. The presidential race isn’t about personalities—both candidates are flawed. What it really comes down to is the appointment of Supreme Court justices. The Supreme Court is the most powerful body of decision makers in our nation, and they serve life terms. Their beliefs matter. Many of the things they rule on are important to God—including issues like abortion, the definition of marriage, and religious freedoms. The next president of the United States will immediately appoint one Supreme Court justice and may appoint up to a total of five while in office. The justices who are appointed will impact the direction of our country for the next hundred years. I urge everyone to research who the candidates say they will nominate for the highest court in the land.

I am sure you would agree that our nation is in serious trouble. But I firmly believe that if Christians will fervently pray and get involved in the political process, God can use us to make a difference. It is critical that God’s people vote and let the Christian voice be heard in America. Our only hope is Almighty God.

I am reminded of when Esther, in the Bible, had to take action at a critical time in her nation’s history. If she had stayed silent, it would have been the end for God’s people—but she had an opportunity to speak up. Esther’s relative Mordecai told her, “If you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14, ESV).

Read the entire letter from Franklin Graham here.

Top 10 Clinton scandals exposed by WikiLeaks

The ongoing WikiLeaks dump of Hillary Clinton’s campaign chairman John Podesta’s emails has exposed the corruption and cronyism of her campaign and time in office. Everyday there are more revelations of wrongdoing, so much so, it’s hard to keep up
with. So here’s the top 10 double-dealing, dishonest discoveries uncovered thus far.

1. Mrs. Clinton had cozy and improper relationship with the mainstream media.

CNN contributor and then adviser of the Democratic National Committee Donna Brazile gave the Clinton campaign advanced notice of a CNN town hall question that she thought may give Mrs. Clinton pause. Mrs. Clinton’s campaign lauded a New York Times reporter for “teeing up” stories for them, and ABC’s George Stephanopoulos for hammering home their talking points. The Boston Globe helped Mrs. Clinton’s team maximize her presence in New England during the primaries and CNBC’s John Harwood bragged to them about dogging Donald Trump during a Republican primary debate he moderated.

Read the entire article by Kelly Riddle at The Washington Times here.

Quote of the Day

We cannot read the history of our rise and development as a nation without reckoning with the place the Bible has occupied in shaping the advances of the Republic. Where we have been the truest and most consistent in obeying its precepts, we have attained the greatest measure of contentment and prosperity. 
  – Franklin D. Roosevelt

Why Honor Your Pastor - Pastor Appreciation Month

I wrote the following post several years ago but always re-post it in October. It has been one of my most-viewed blog articles through the years. . . .

Dick Lincoln once said, "Church at its best is as good as it gets, and church at its worst is as bad as it gets."  No one understands this reality more than pastors and their families.

Every October I consider writing a post about Pastor Appreciation Month.  However, being a pastor, it seems awkward.  John MacArthur said it well when teaching his church about honoring pastor-elders, "I feel a little bit awkward up here telling you that you need to honor elders of which I am one. Obviously I could be accused of a conflict of interests and I could also be accused of having a self-serving motive. So I want to put in an immediate disclaimer on any of those things. I'm trying to teach you the Word of God."

I will bite the bullet this year and write a post with the hope of eventually providing encouragement to some man of God out there serving his church.  Hopefully, persons from other congregations will read it and the article will spur them on toward love and good deeds toward their pastors.

Worthy of Double Honor

Through the years we have tried to teach our children to honor certain people.  We have explained that to honor someone means "to treat them special."  The Webster Dictionary defines honor as "high estimation, respect, consideration."

One of those persons I believe deserving honor are pastors of congregations.  Michael Miller shares great insights in his article The Importance of Honoring Your Minister.

Jesus said in John 13:20, "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who receives [or welcomes] whomever I send receives Me; and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.” 

There is some correlation between the way we treat those who represent the gospel and the Word of God with their daily jobs and the way that we treat Jesus.  They handle the Word of God and teach it to your family weekly.  They pray for you regularly, talking to Jesus on your behalf.  Treat them with honor.  In some way, if you love your pastor you are loving Jesus.  If you beat up your pastor, you are beating up Jesus.

The Bible says that the pastor-elders are worthy of double honor (1 Timothy 5:17).  John MacArthur explains from this verse, "Paul here is saying then that you are to make sure that one who is over you in the Lord, who feeds you and leads you, is honored. An elder is to receive honor, that is respect and remuneration as fitting and necessary. That forms a true estimate of his worth in a tangible way." 

MacArthur shares more from God's Word on the subject of honor as he explains 1 Timothy 5:17 in his sermon The Sheep's Responsibility:

"So, there's kind of a flow here. Elders are worthy of honor. Elders are worthy of honor with remuneration...hard working excellent elders are worthy of double honor. Hard working and excellent elders who major in preaching and teaching are particularly worthy of respect and remuneration. So every faithful shepherd is to be appreciated, respected, admired, honored and supported.

The first thing that the congregation is to give to the leaders, the elders, pastors, is respect that incorporates care in remuneration...to support them, to double honor them, being generous, not just a bare minimum so they have to scrape by, but showing great generosity and respect and admiration to them knowing they will be good stewards of what you give them.

What is the congregation's responsibility? Respect, admiration, honor, appreciation. Secondly, and this builds right on that, esteem your shepherds, esteem them. He says down in verse 13, "And that you esteem them very highly in love because of their work."

Paul exhorted believers to show family affection to one another with brotherly love. Outdo one another in showing honor (Romans 12:10).

A godly pastor with good character who teaches the Word of God and leads the church is worthy of your honor.


Pastors are Struggling

Much has been said and written in recent years about the current negative state of affairs for many pastors.  The statistics are staggering:

1,500 pastors leave the ministry each month due to moral failure, spiritual burnout, or contention in their churches.

• 80% of pastors believe their ministry negatively affects their families. 
• 90% feel they are not qualified to deal with ministry demands 
• 45.5% of pastors have experienced burnout/depression and had to take a break from ministry. 
• 1 out of 3 pastors will be fired or feel pressured to resign during their career.

In August of 2010, the New York Times ran an article about pastors.  Included in the article was the following: "Members of the clergy now suffer from obesity, hypertension and depression at rates higher than most Americans. In the last decade, their use of antidepressants has risen, while their life expectancy has fallen. Many would change jobs if they could."

In my own denomination's state convention, leaders have become alarmed by the suicide rate of pastors in our state. 

Pastors leaving the ministry share that their top two reasons for leaving are (1) they are tired of dealing with unrealistic expectations of people, and (2) it is difficult for them to provide financially for their families. 

I have heard through the years of more than one CEO of companies who became pastors.  When asked which was harder, they always say pastoring.  And the reason given is the same.  In a business you have employees.  In a church, you work with volunteers and have to deal with their emotional expectations.

Bo Lane, author of the book Why Pastors Quit, shares on his blog Expastors, "Although there were many aspects of serving in full-time ministry that I appreciated, there were more things that happened along the way that made a negative impact on both myself and my family. It took many years of forgiving myself and others and getting plugged in to a healthy church before I really began to heal from the hurt." 

I once heard Pastor Jack Hayford say to a group of pastors, There's not a pastor in America who doesn't wake up at least one Monday a month and say to himself, "I've got to find something else to do with my life."  No, his statement should not be taken literally, but it does raise the point that most pastors struggle periodically to stay on the altar.  They became pastors because of a sense of calling, and they have to keep that sense of calling before them.

My first year of full-time ministry, I met a salesman for Olan Mills.  He shared with me that he was an ex-pastor and that his family got tired of living in what pastors call "the fish bowl."  I remember thinking, "How sad," and not understanding what he meant.  A decade and a half later I understand. 

My mother, a pastor's daughter, told me years ago, I don't think anyone really understands what pastors and their families go through unless you have been one or been the child of one. 

Because of these realities, pastors need your encouragement.

Pastors and their Families Need Encouragement 

The word "encourage" simply means to fill with courage.  When you encourage someone, you do or speak something into their life that fills them with courage.

Your pastor needs your encouragement.  He may not admit it.  He may not ask for it.  But he needs the encouragement you can give him.

He has received the anonymous letter that scalded him.  His wife has been criticized for any number of things.  He has heard "why didn't you visit me?" - a title of a chapter in one of Thom Rainer's early books on church growth.  He has been rejected by those who told him that he did not meet their expectations.  And he has looked at his wife and children and thought, "I am sorry to put you through this.  I should have been a banker."  Yes, he needs your encouragement.

I grew up in a church that regularly honored and recognized their staff members.  I recall various Sundays each year when staff members would be called up on the platform, recognized for a specific number of years of service, and given gifts of appreciation.  I grew up hearing the story of how the young church plant that became Edwards Road Baptist Church, my home church, took up a love offering for their first pastor.  When they called him to come be their pastor, they wanted to give money to him and his family to help make a down payment on a house in Greenville.  That small congregation in the 1960's gave him $10,000.  They had a great spirit of honoring the man of God.

The first church my wife and I served full-time worked at recognizing us in the fall.  Every year they secretly took up love offerings for my family for Pastor Appreciation Month and again in December.  Each year between the two offerings, they gave us between $4000-$5000.  For a young, newly-married couple, that was a great tangible blessing.  I remember our paying a car off with one of those love offerings.

I still have letters of thanksgiving and appreciation in my filing cabinet given to me years ago by church members.  The current church we serve has honored us with special meals in recent years.  Some church members gifted artistically have given me pieces of original art they drew for me, which brings me joy.  A few church members through the years faithfully sent my family gift cards to restaurants each year during PAM.

One year during October a church member realized that the windows in our house were all old and cracking.  She called around to members of the church, asking for pledges to purchase windows.  They soon surprised us and hired a man to replace every window in the house with new insulated windows.  We felt loved by their tangible gift, and we remembered that gift many times as we looked out our new windows.

One church we served, though a good church in many ways, did a poor job of honoring their pastor publicly.  I served as the associate pastor and did not expect recognition.  However, it saddened me each year when October rolled around and the church did nothing to honor the senior pastor.  He loved the church and worked hard to serve them.  All of the years I worked for that church, the church recognized him publicly three times - and I initiated each of those recognitions for him.

The first time I asked the chairman of the finance team to meet me for lunch.  I knew that the pastor wanted to take a cruise to Alaska, and I challenged the man to have the church take up an offering to make that happen, which they did.  The second time was when the pastor was about to have his 25th anniversary at the church.  The business administrator and I discussed the matter and knew that if we did not make it happen, no one was going to do anything publicly to honor him.  So, we got the staff together and threw him a church-wide anniversary party that we planned from top to bottom.  My wife drove to Haywood Mall to pick up the anniversary present that we picked out for the church to give him.  And thirdly, on his 60th birthday, I emailed the leaders of the Personnel Team and Leadership Team and told them, The church needs to do something special for him this week. 

Why did I initiate those three things?  Because he deserved to be honored - and to be honored tangibly.  Because it pleases the Lord to honor the pastor.  Because it is good to show gratitude to the man responsible for leading the church - even if you don't agree with him all of the time.  Because it encourages the pastor, and he needs encouragement.

Jesus' Gifts

Why don't some people think of honoring their pastor(s)?  I think for some it is simply a casual attitude that takes the pastor for granted.  They may not see the pastor as a gift that Jesus has given that local church (Eph. 4:7-12).  How do we treat the gifts that Jesus gives us?  Many people are ignorant of the stress and sacrifices that go along with the call into vocational ministry.  They have the attitude, "He chose to do this for his life.  Why should I help him out when no one helped me out?"  Other people do not view the office of pastor as a professional position deserving respect, one that he spent years of schooling and money preparing to do.  Instead, they see it as a work-for-hire one.  I have sat in the local restaurant and heard it said, "We hired him, and we can fire him." 

The apostle Paul, on the other hand, wrote about pastors, Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor [should be respected and paid well - New Living; should be considered worthy of an ample honorarium - Holman Christian Standard] , especially those who labor in the word and doctrine. ¹⁸ For the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain,”^[a] and, “The laborer is worthy of his wages.” (New King James Version)

One pastoral counselor recently wrote that pastors are going through a dry season in our country.  Instead of working in opposition, church leaders, congregants, and pastors need to build bridges toward each other in love, respect, and unity.



What Can I Do?

Consider writing or emailing your pastor an encouraging note.  Remember that hand-written ones tend to show more thought than emails.  Pray for your pastor and his family regularly.  One year on my birthday, a good friend told me that he decided to fast and pray the entire day in honor of my birthday, interceding on my behalf.  Ask God to show you a specific, tangible way to show love to a pastor or church staff member in your life.

Years ago, Focus on the Family began encouraging churches to recognize their pastors in special ways during the month of October.  Focus on the Family's website for pastors offers some great helps in planning ways to appreciate your pastor(s) during the month of October.  Check it out here.  They also offer a Guide to Clergy Appreciation Month.

And now, friends, we ask you to honor those leaders who work so hard for you, who have been given the responsibility of urging and guiding you along in your obedience. Overwhelm them with appreciation and love!  (1 Thessalonians 5:12-13)