Because Pastor Appreciation Month is coming in October, as it has for many years, I have been asked to speak both a word to encourage churches to appreciate their pastors, and to answer the question on the lips of many, “Why should we show extra appreciation to our pastor, we pay him to be our pastor?”
To begin with, the things I share are a very few things from my own experiences as pastor for 43 three years. Before I delve into some negative aspects, I want you to know that I love my calling by the LORD, and I have no regrets. I have pastored three wonderful churches, and I have many wonderful friends from each one. I will be sharing a few memories of difficult situations I have incurred as a pastor, but these are not complaints because God has been with me through them all.
In the summer of 1992, my mother was diagnosed with small cell lung cancer in the month of June and was told that there was nothing that could be done and given six months to live at the most. It was a shock to all of us. I was with her when she was told the news while in the hospital. Mom was placed in hospice care immediately. The following week at church was Vacation Bible School and it was always a big deal at the church I pastored at that time, and I was heavily involved. As busy as I was in ministry, I took time to travel a couple hundred miles twice during her illness. I had the hope that God would heal her, and I took some comfort that she might have six months of life anyway.
On a Sunday morning in July, a mere 30 days after being told she had about six months, while I was in prayer before any church service had begun, as I was beginning to pray again for mom to be healed the LORD lovingly interrupted me in midsentence. He simply said, “Jerry, let your mother go. Place her fully in My strong arms.” So, I did just that. Within 20 minutes I received a call telling me mom had just passed. There was nothing I could do, she was gone. I finished the morning Worship service then left for dad’s home immediately after.
I was grateful that mom had already insisted that I did not preach her service because she knew it would be hard for me. I was glad I did not argue the point.
I had no idea how grief-stricken I became in that service. The next day after the service for mom I hesitantly went back to my church. I was really hit hard. That very next week in my own church field, I had to minister and officiate the funerals of three mothers of church members and community members. These were very difficult as I had to place my own grief on hold to help others deal with their losses. It was over two years before my grieving process began anew; it hit hard.
Most church members do not understand how hard it is to conduct funerals. Many times, the one who passed is one of our church members and friends. We grieve as we minister to those who are grieving. I personally have performed 119 funerals and memorials. They do not get any easier. And beloved, no amount of salary or gift compensates for the emotions we go through. We are not paid to do these services; we are called to be servants; so, we serve.
In 1989, I read a manifesto called the Gay Agenda. I was shocked at the content of written resolutions behind the rise of the homosexual movement in the US, and I was even in disbelief. During that same time, I became aware of Satanic and witchcraft activities throughout our city and in the surrounding mountains. The LORD guided me to take a hardline biblical stand against these things that threatened families and targeted the youth of our community.
Also, during that same year, I began to bring to light known cult groups. I brought in a profession ministry whose purpose was to help persons identify false religions. I hosted a weeklong conference to this end and invited the whole community. Each of these ministry agenda items I mentioned was to first protect my church members and their families, plus as many others as I could draw in to learn the truth of God’s Word against all these divisive and destructive world movements.
Keep in mind, these ministry objectives were spread throughout that 12-month period. The result: some church members were angry because the truths brought conviction to parts of their families who were involved in some or all of the above situations. I began to receive life threats over the phone. We had to change our phone number multiple times. On two occasions bricks were thrown through our windows, one time a brick just missed my head as I was lying on the couch. On another occasion, immediately following our Worship service, I received a phone call at church as people were leaving. The caller asked for me by name. The caller was a local gay witch that was angry at hearing of my teachings. He was very volatile at the beginning of our conversation, however at the end of our conversation three hours later, he stated that he truly believed that I genuinely loved him and was only standing against his lifestyle and yet he did not believe as I did. This witch/satanist had had my picture in his altar to the devil in his bedroom.
There are so many things I could write about concerning the daily challenges of being a pastor over these many years, but my purpose is not to degrade a call to ministry, but to enlighten the average church member or attender of the struggles your pastor gladly endures for God’s sake, for the Kingdom’s sake, and beloved, for your sake. A large degree of your walk with the LORD has to do with your relationship with the man God has called and placed in our church. Pray for your pastor always, but on occasion show him how much you appreciate his being your pastor. Do something extra nice for him, individually and as a church. God bless you as you bless God’s pastor