Baptist Press
By Hance Dilbeck, posted October 9, 2024 in Churches and Ministry
When I graduated from high school, I received a gift from a family in our church with the following note. “Hope you can use this throughout your whole life.” I have. Over 40 years later, I still use that gift almost weekly. The gift? The Random House College Dictionary. (I know, I’m a luddite, still using a real, hard-cover dictionary.)
I am thinking about my dictionary because I looked up a word this morning: Appreciate. Here is the definition:
- To be grateful for
- To value highly; place a high estimate on
- To be fully aware of
Of course, I am thinking about the word Appreciate because October is Pastor Appreciation Month. Appreciating your pastor means taking some time to consider who he is and what he does, being fully aware of his work, and understanding the pressures and challenges of his calling. It also means expressing thankfulness for him in your conversations with others, family and friends at church and expressing thankfulness to him with words of gratitude. These two go together. Our expressions of gratitude are more powerful when they show a true understanding of the pastor’s service – and a thoughtfulness about his work.
Our English word appreciate comes from Latin; it speaks to value or price. Thus, the second definition above. To appreciate is to value, to value highly. In this way, our English word appreciate is similar to the Greek word for honor. In the language of the New Testament, to honor is to esteem and to put a high price on something. Honor is about value.
Paul uses the word Honor in an important text about your pastor.
The elders who are good leaders are to be considered worthy of double honor, 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 CSB)
A footnote in the Christian Standard Bible explains “double honor” as both respect and remuneration. I agree. When Paul thinks about showing appreciation or honor to a pastor, he thinks about showing that you value him, partly by how you compensate him.
During Pastor Appreciation Month, we need to consider how we pay our pastors. A solid raise might be the best way for your church to make your pastor and his family feel valued. More Here
