3 Freebies for Pastor Appreciation Month—Why and How
[This post is designed to 1) offer a little insight on the underbelly of what every pastor must learn to negotiate, 2) explore seven biblical ways YOU can encourage your pastor(s), and, 3) a short podcast on how to be life-giving friend to your pastor(s). Happy Pastor Appreciation Month.] I was twenty-two years old and in my last year of Bible college when I got a phone call from a senior pastor telling me that the vote to hire me as a church youth pastor was 35 to 5. I liked the 35 part—but was more than a little concerned about the 5 people who voted against the idea of me taking the position. When I told the senior pastor that I was a little worried about the 5 no votes, he said, “You have less no votes than I had when I accepted the call to be the senior pastor of this church!” So, with some apprehension and assurance from my senior pastor, I accepted the position. During the very first week I served in that church as youth pastor, each of the people who voted against my coming to