Soiled Saints

Each October, someone, (I think Focus on the Family) has set aside October as “Pastor Appreciation Month.” It’s then that churches are supposed to shine a light on their pastoral staff, who as trends have observed are often over-worked, under-paid with sub-standard resources. (This is a general observation, not one made with myself in mind)

Mandy and I have been privileged to see both ends of the spectrum. In some churches, we’ve seen it actually become “Pastor Depreciation” month, and in others, we’ve been overwhelmed to the point of tears at people’s display of generosity and love.

See, it’s different when you are “associate staff.” You don’t expect to be “appreciated” as much. But how do you as the lead pastor instruct people to show appreciation without drawing attention to yourself?

Seriously. “Hey guys, it’s pastor appreciation month, so APPRECIATE ME!!”

I decided to focus on Larry. He’s been the one constant at SCC during the last three years, and I decided to “use” him as a guinea pig to test a theory I’ve been musing on.

There is a deeper question that times such as Pastor Appreciation Month surfaces. It is this:

How does one help foster, encourage, and support a culture of generosity? If it’s true that we are to worship with all of life (romans 12:1-2) and some of the outworkings of that worship is to love and outdo one another with honor (romans 12:9-11), how does one take a church which previously had done little-to-nothing with Pastor Appreciation and turn the ship?

Here’s what I’m learning. While people’s pocketbooks may vary in size, amount, and stature, we all are equal with one thing.

Our words.

People who are poor in spirit can be rich with words. And vice versa.

But words are the equalizer. We can speak them, quote them, write them, show them. Words are God’s great equalizer for appreciation.

Do I do ministry for the ego-stroke? If I am to be honest I must say…………….partially. But not a lot.

I am motivated by encouraging words. Affirmations are very key to driving me. More and more, not in a bad or ungodly way. But one “Atta-boy” can really spark me.

So, I believe that if one is to start/create/foster/maintain a culture of generosity, one is to start with the point leader.

For Southway, that’s me. I am trying to be “Godly” generous with words, showing in genuine, biblical, ultimately-God-honoring ways generosity, hospitality, and kindness.

If I don’t intentionally do it…it won’t happen. And if it’s true that people are “caught” rather than “Taught” then I hope they catch this, and not h1n1.

By the way…..Larry got appreciated in ways I had not foreseen.

God wins again!

Jason