Clergy Appreciation Month

(Don't fight it. If it happens, let it happen.)

The Apostle Paul wrote to the church in Ephesus from a prison cell in Rome. He wrote to a church that was located in and around the temple of Diana. It was a pagan city devoted to idolatry. It must have been a very difficult assignment for the elders of the fledgling church — not so unlike what many of you have been called to. Paul reminds his friends that there must be balance between what we believe and how we act out our faith.

Warren Wiersbe speaks to our call: "The danger on the battlefield is that we do not take the enemy seriously and therefore fail to put on all the armor. Never underestimate the strategy and strength of the devil."

As Clergy Appreciation Month begins, we at Focus on the Family salute you. We are proud of you. We pray for you every week and we are constantly attempting to find new ways to engage you.

We know many of you reject the Clergy Appreciation Month concept, but we believe it is very important for your congregation to celebrate with you — your calling, your assignment and your wonderful family. It becomes a win-win for all. So if it happens, just let it happen.

NOTE: On October 3 and 4, I have been given the opportunity of honoring you on the Focus on the Family daily radio program. Please check our website for times and stations in your area. You and your family really do matter to us.

Here is what we say on the clergyappreciation.org Web site to laymen who inquire on how they can best recognize your contribution to their lives and community:

"God has entrusted to pastors and their families one of the most precious of assignments — the spiritual well being of the flock. That's why God has instructed us to recognize His servants."

The Bible says, "Give a bonus to leaders who do a good job, especially the ones who work hard at preaching and teaching" (1 Tim. 5:17, The Message).

Paul's last words to the church at Ephesus were, "I am sending him (Tychicus) to you ... that he may encourage you" (Eph. 6:22). Let us encourage you, my colleague. Let your people encourage you. Encourage one another.

We appreciate you! Be blessed and be a blessing.

Up Front and Down Home

"What would it hurt if every now and again a minister sat with his family on a Sunday morning?"

Nearly every Sunday for more than three decades, I went to church with my wife and two sons.  But I usually didn't worship with them — not really. You see, I was the senior pastor. 

When my older son, Brad, was a child, one day he asked me, "Dad, how come you never sit with us in church like all the other dads do?"

My answer seems hollow now: "Because I'm the pastor and I have to lead the worship service."

I'm sure it was okay to him, but as I reflect on my years of ministry, I see that I missed sharing some meaningful times of worship with my family. How about you?

Oh, I know what you might say: "Come on, H.B., we're up-front people. Our job is to lead, to make it happen."

Is it? Or, perhaps, we allow expectations — "the system" — to take us away from the privilege of worshiping with those we love. I hope not. Would it hurt if every now and again you sat with your family on a Sunday morning? It would be wonderful for your family and would send a powerful signal to those in your congregation who look to you for leadership. 

Leading or just "being in charge" can be a far cry from actual worship. I remember often being in my appointed place on the platform, watching ushers talk as visitors searched for a place to sit. And then there were those empty pews that were ordinarily filled with happy faces. Where were the Joneses today? I'd wonder. Is someone sick? Have they goneto another church? Or, as I looked over the bulletin, I'd see that a certain person was going to sing. He had never hit the high note in his life. Why should I expect him to hit it that day?

Do you get the picture? That wasn't worship! I was consumed with what was happening around me rather than with what God was doing in me. So, I started occasionally to sit in the front row with my back to the congregation. Then I could concentrate on worship. When it was time to deliver the sermon, I did so with a clear mind — because I had not been distracted, but had truly participated in worship. And, just as important, I had worshiped with my family.

Please don't think I've lost my senses, but I encourage you to just sit with your family some weekend. Become one of those who is lost in the wonder of genuine worship. While you're at it, take a look at the family beside you. What's that smile you see? It's only a happy bunch of people enjoying the company of one they love very much — you!

"Enter His gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise" (Ps. 100:4) and, on an occasional Sunday, do it with your family.

What Happens to You Matters to Us

I am a "pastor to pastors." I have worn this title since November 1991, when I joined the staff of Focus on the Family. I had been a pastor for 31 years when, after conversation and prayer with Dr. and Mrs. James Dobson, I was given the privilege of making a career change.

You may wonder what a pastor to pastors does. I don't mean to be trite, but my assignment is to serve you and your family in a manner similar to how you serve your constituents.

I regularly speak to ministers, their spouses and their children in person and on the phone. I answer their letters. I pray with them. I hurt with them in failure and rejoice with them in success. Sometimes I walk with them in their brokenness when carelessness and sin have caused them to fall.

There are times I put down the telephone, having talked to a struggling spouse, and I cry because I can't take away the loneliness or wipe away the tears. Often when a pastor calls, I can tell by the sound of my colleague's voice that he or she has lost a battle — and a ministry.

During my many years with Focus on the Family, I have seen and heard it all where the minister's family is concerned. But that is why I am in love with the work I do. The need is so real.

I am not being presumptuous when I say I want to be your pastor. I want you to understand that I am available to you, as are other members of the Focus on the Family's Pastoral Ministries team. We are sincere when we say that what happens to you matters to us.

Please get in touch with us. To give your reaction to this blog, simply click the "comments" link below. If you have a crisis, contact our toll-free Pastoral Care Line at 866-233-4455. For other inquiries or business needs, phone us at 719-531-3360. Or you can e-mail us at pastors@family.org, or write us at Pastoral Ministries, Focus on the Family, Colorado Springs, CO 80995-7001. Be sure to visit our Web site, The Parsonage.

Thank you for allowing us to join you in this exciting new venture. I look forward to sharing a long and meaningful relationship with you.