AGROS MINISTRIES

YOUR PASTOR NEEDS HELP!

Faster than a speeding bullet! More powerful than a locomotive! Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound! Could it be the Man of Steel whizzing by your house on his way to rescue Lois Lane and further foil the forces of evil!

No, not this time. In this case it is y6ur pastor, God's appointed servant for your church, faithfully pulling his tired and crippled station wagon into the church parking ion Strange as it seems, many believe that the pastor is the one and only Superman. One pastor told me of a lady who remarked to him one Sunday morning, "It sure must be nice to be a pastor You don't ever have any problems!"

The fact is that even Superman had problems! And so does your pastor. He does have hard days. He does face dilemmas and trials in his family. He even occasionally wants to give up and quit Though he does

I am convinced that the average church member does not fully comprehend what a pastor's life is all about

love you and is anxious to be your savant' his ministry is filled with unique difficulties that you may not even imagine

Though I am now a full time traveling evangelist, I served for 12 years as pastor of a church A good number of my church members seemed to really understand the ministry of the pastor. But after being with hundreds of churches and pastors in evangelism, I am convinced that to avenge church member does not fully comprehend what a pastor's life is all about

This is not a rebuke. It is simply a fact it is tough to imagine what a pastor faces. Unless you live under his roof, it is hard to understand the pressures and tensions that arc unique to his calling.

Here are some facts that we tend to over look. The truth is that your pastor:

• has a high and holy calling in a great age to serve God!
• will be given grace to do whatever God calls him to do.
• is under constant public scrutiny, just like a politi-cian.
• is on call 24 hours a day.
• is "under the gun" to produce several sermons each week that must minister to the needs of everyone from children to adults, from new believers to mature saints.
• is the chief executive officer responsible for thousands of dollars of freewill contributions per year.
• is the recipient of direct attacks from Satan's most powerful demons.
• may be an object of gossip designed to discredit his character and authority.
• is called on to spend hours refereeing - counseling family problems (many people will pay $70 an hour to a professional counselor for such assistance).
• works with multiple personalities and temperaments, aiming to see them function in constant harmony!
• may not enjoy the holiday season like you do. tic has the pressure of many -1 programs and events, and may have little time with his family.
• is just as human and subject to discouragement, temptations, and hard times as anyone else in the church.
• cannot share everything about everybody with his wife, lest he prejudice her toward someone who personally attacks him.
• may have a great day in church with many in attendance and wonderful response to his preaching.... yet Still have a heavy heart over someone who failed to come to church.
• is tempted to compare his ministry with the super-star across town and thus feel like a failure.

I realize that these may sound like pretty hard facts, but they need not discourage anyone from the highest calling of full-time Christian service. This needy time in America is a glorious time to serve God on the front line & God is faithful to supply wisdom and power to do anything he calls a Christian to do. The rewards of any full-time ministry far surpass the hardships!

Sure, there are trials and opposition, but every Christian must he willing to suffer (II Peter 2:21). Any man called of God to pastor will tell you that he is happy to have the preceding list as his job description. He is called by the King to lead the troops into spiritual battle! God will provide all the strength and wisdom he needs to do the will of the Muter a Thessalonians 5:24).

However, there is still much you can do to encourage your pastor Rather than sit on the sidelines and corn-plain and criticize, why not decide to have a ministry of of your own that helps to encourage and build your pastor? Let me offer a few ideas to aid you in becoming a blessing to your spiritual leader.

After all, if you train up a pastor in the way he ought to go, when he is old he most likely will not depart from you!

1. PROTECT YOUR PASTOR.

Biblical love, according to I Corinthians 13,... thinks no evil, rejoices not in iniquity, and bears all things. Thus the Christian is to believe the best about all others unless the worst is proven. (you really love your Pastor, you will be slow to condemn him and quick to defend when the loose-tongued gossip seeks to dump dirt in your mind about your pastor, get mad! Proverbs 25:23 says, The north wind driveth away rain, so doth an angry countenance a backbiting tongue.

Even if your preacher should be in the wrong, you are responsible to get the' accuser to follow proper Biblical channels to confront the accused (Matthew 18:15-17). Refuse to take up a bad report! Common sense and the Holy Spirit will tell you if the accuser is sincerely concerned Or simply a Satanic tool to bring division in the church

Your pastor is laboring to protect you and your family from the consequences of sin. He wants to protect your teens from drugs, promiscuity, rebellions and the world His ministry is designed to protect you from the evil one. Let God use you to protect him from verbal attacks.

2. PRAISE YOUR PASTOR.

There is great power in sincere praise. Phony flattery is a tool of the woman who speaks sweetly to soften you for the kill. Sincere praise can be a tool of God to encourage and build one another. Proverbs 3:27 says, Withhold not praise from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it

Most pastors go day after day without receiving one sincere compliment. Your pastor does not know you appreciate him just because you come to the services. He needs to hear some words of praise spoken from a grateful heart if you find yourself saying over and over, "I enjoyed the message", then you are either seriously backslidden and hardened of heart, or you need to pray for some harder messages.

Here are some verbal bouquets you might deliver to your pastor as you walk out of church after the service:

• Thank you Pastor, I really needed that" God really spoke to me today. I should have been at the altar." (Next time, don't just talk about the altar. go there.)
• I wouldn't mind hearing that message again!"
• We sure are thankful for the time you put into your messages." (1He'll probably study harder for next week)
• 'Thank you for preaching it just like we need to hear it.
• "Thanks, Pastor. That message met a specific need in my life." (Clearly tell him the specific need that was met) if you find yourself saying over and over, I enjoyed the message", then you are either seriously backslidden and hardened of heart, or you need to pray for some harder messages.

Successful child-rearing focuses much on praising our children. Successful marriages include praising each other for Biblical behavior and love. Successful church members who want successful pastors will work at praising the preacher whenever the opportunity there.

When I was a pastor, I cherished and was encouraged by notes of appreciation from adults and children alike. often those notes would come just when I needed them most and I still have them in my files. Praise your pastor!

3. PAMPER YOUR PASTOR,

When we big, strong husbands are afflicted with the dreaded flu or cold virus, we love to be pampered by our wives. Hot tea with lemon, chicken soup, Dr. Pepper, chocolate covered peanuts and words of sympathy not only make us feel better but also tell us we are special and loved. why not pamper your pastor? Not only will You show your love to him, but he will probably respond by giving his best in service to you.

Here are some ideas to ponder in pampering the preacher:

• Mail him a personal birthday card every year. Include a thank you for his faithfulness.
• Surprise your pastor and wife with a dinner gift certificate on their anniversary. Provide a baby-sitter for the occasion
• Bake him his favorite goodies for no other reason than to say, We appreciate you"
• Urge him to take enough vacation time so he will not have to prepare sermons for a few weeks. Request some rerun sermons.
• Provide some kind of salary increase every year. Many pastors are underpaid Establish a college fund (for a Christian college) for your pastor's children when they are small.
• Take up a secret collection and send pastor and wife on a two-night escape to a local motel. Take care of their children and don't begrudge one minute of their getaway.
• Don't let him spend hours repairing his car or house if you have qualified men who can do it for him-
• Don't call him at home unless it is a valid emergency.
• Keep the missionaries and special speakers at your house, not at his.
• Encourage him to take a full day off each week Do not call him on that day.
• Don't approach him with a serious problem or complaint just before he preached. Save it for Tuesday. The pastor faces unique pressures and temptations and needs to be pampered and loved in an extraordinary way by his people.

None of the above suggestions are extravagant! Al! of these ideas will help lift some of his burdens 'and encourage him to renew his efforts against the devil.

Do all these things whether you feel like it or not. Do all these things whether you like your pastor or not Do all these things according to biblical love, which expects nothing in return! Do all these things from a heart of love and you may find that your pastor responds by working harder at being a quality shepherd Pamper your pastor!

4. PRAY FOR YOUR PASTOR

Nothing supernatural is accomplished outside of prayer. Pastoring a church is a supernatural calling that demands supernatural power

when you pray for someone on a regular basis several things happen:

• You summon God's power to produce specific results such as souls saved, needs met, or better sermons (James 4:2).
• You tend to do something to help that prayer be answered-
• You become more sensitive to the needs of the One you pray for.
• If you are praying for an enemy, your heart may be tenderized as you sympathize with him in prayer (Matthew 5:44).

Pray for your pastor daily in your personal prayer time. Pray for your pastor daily in your family prayer time. Pray for power and love and wisdom for your pastor

As his station wagon chugs to a stop in the parking lot, your pastor emerges once more' anxious to serve you and the lord he loves. He does not bound into the church like a powerful locomotive or a speeding bullet He may hop the untrimmed hedge in the church yard with an, "Uh, oh, there goes my back again" But he surely can't leap tall buildings, rescue maidens in distress or halt the crime in Metropolis. No, he is not Superman. He is a human like you. He gets tired often and discouraged on occasion. He is not perfect, but neither are you. Do you have anything against him right now? Get h right with God and him before the sun goes down Ephesians 5:26).

Your pastor needs you as a part of the body of Christ to help him do the will of God. Determine now to be a helper rather than a hindrance.

Protect him, praise him, pamper him and pray for hm. God will bless you and your church for your efforts of love!

Evangelist Dave Barba 333 75th Street Downers Grove IL 60516 (708) 9645363

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