Scripture is clear about showing honor to pastors. Unfortunately, pastors often have the awkward job of equipping their members to do so.
By Mark Dance
Although most of you already know October is Pastor Appreciation Month, how many of your church members really know or care? I’m hoping God will use this post to change that both for your benefit and theirs.
Scripture is clear about the importance of showing honor to our pastors. Unfortunately, pastors often have the awkward job of equipping their members to do so.
I want to suggest four ways churches can honor our pastors and encourage you to forward this post to your leaders.
1. WE HONOR OUR PASTORS BY SUPPORTING THEM
The elders who are good leaders should be considered worthy of an ample honorarium, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching. For the Scripture says: Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain, and, the worker is worthy of his wages (1 Timothy 5:17-18).
“Ample honorarium” (aka: double honor) is a term that Paul only used here and reserved it for those who served the church as pastors/elders/overseers.
God’s people should pay their pastors generously, although no specific amount is given. Of course it’s not God’s plan for pastors to fleece their sheep or for churches to neglect their pastors.
The personnel committee at our church benchmarks staff salaries using national surveys, including The Southern Baptist Convention Compensation Tool from Guidestone Financial Resources and Lifeway.
All pastors are to be honored, but two kinds of pastors are worthy of “double honor” (v.17):
- “The elders who are good leaders.”
- “Those who work hard at preaching and teaching.”
Pastors aren’t more important than the other members of God’s household; however, they are the human leaders of it. The pastor’s job is to take care of his church, and it’s the church’s job to take care of their pastors.
Those who proclaim the gospel should make their living by the gospel (1 Corinthians 9:14).
The one who is taught the message must share all his good things with the teacher (Galatians 6:6).
2. WE HONOR OUR PASTORS BY DEFENDING THEM
A non-negotiable qualification for an elder is that he must have a good reputation with outsiders (1 Timothy 3:7).
Apparently, several church leaders attacked the apostle Paul’s reputation, and my stomach turns when I read his final written words:
Alexander the coppersmith did great harm to me. The Lord will repay him according to his works. Watch out for him yourself because he strongly opposed our words. At my first defense, no one stood by me, but everyone deserted me. May it not be counted against them. But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that the proclamation might be fully made through me and all the Gentiles might hear (2 Timothy 4:14–17).
It’s the church member’s job to not only provide for his or her pastors, but to also protect them from the Alexanders in the church and community. Joseph, Moses, David, Jeremiah, and Nehemiah were also criticized publicly.
It’s not enough to defend our pastors privately. It’s each of our job to make sure our pastors aren’t treated like a floor-mat or punching bag.
Hell’s hit list has thousands of pastors on it. Join me in defending our pastors against accusers—whether human or demonic.
3. WE HONOR OUR PASTORS BY RECOGNIZING THEM
Now we ask you, brothers, to give recognition to those who labor among you and lead you in the Lord and admonish you (1 Thessalonians 5:12).
I’ve told pastors for years that if you do the best you can, the church will do the best they can to take care of you. Honestly, that has been the case most, but not all of the time.
Sometimes the pastors didn’t do the best they could, while the church did. Other times, the pastors did the best they could and the church didn’t step up.
Why is that? Because we’re a family—and families make mistakes.
It seems to take less effort to point out someone’s weaknesses than their strengths. Join me in recognizing our spiritual leaders this month in a public way.
4. WE HONOR OUR PASTORS BY LOVING THEM
His job is to “keep watch over you” (Hebrews 13:17), but sometimes he needs you to watch over him as well.
Whether they’re leading successfully or failing miserably, in season and out of season, they all need the respect and love of their church families.
Regard them very highly in love because of their work (1 Thessalonians 5:13).
Make sure your pastor knows that he’s a beloved member of your church family, and not just an employee who will eventually go somewhere else. Join me in pouring into our pastors who’ve so generously poured into us.
It is right for me to think this way about all of you, because I have you in my heart, and you are all partners with me in grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and establishment of the gospel. For God is my witness, how deeply I miss all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus (Philippians 1:7–8).
Mark Dance
After serving as a pastor for 27 years, Mark Dance is now the director of pastoral wellness for GuideStone Financial Resources and is the author of Start to Finish.
