It’s fair to say that most of my readers are senior pastors or ministers in some role on church staff. If that’s you, feel free to send this article to a member of someone else’s church and then send me your chairman of deacon’s email address. I’ve got your back. 

This month is Pastor Appreciation Month! Having been in more staff roles than senior roles, I’m always quick to point out that this month is for celebrating all the ministers at your church. At one of our churches this past Sunday, they gave a gift to the senior pastor who starts on December 1. Now, that’s a culture of generosity! 

For those of you who have never had the blessing of being a pastor—and maybe you even wonder why pastor appreciation month exists—allow me to provide some clarity.

Just Another Day in the Office

Many people take their job seriously, embody their role when not at work, and stay up late thinking about their job. However, not many people stress about causing others to question their faith in God or organized religion when they have a bad day at the office–or a bad day in line at the grocery store.

Not many people work in jobs that are judged by the conduct of their children in meetings or how enthusiastically their spouse volunteers for myriad assignments that they neither enjoy nor asked for.

Not a lot of people are expected to be “on” every moment of every day or night, regardless of circumstances.

Just this week, I had lunch with a pastor who was asked for pastoral advice two hours after preaching his own daughter’s funeral!

Most people would not even contemplate having to lead others while simultaneously going through the toughest moments in their lives.

These are but a few reasons why there are simply not a lot of pastors, and we should appreciate the ones we have. 

So, how can we celebrate our pastors well? I’m glad you asked! This Baptist Press article has a lot of really creative (dare I say, some may be too creative) ideas for showing your appreciation. Here are my own suggestions for showing your pastor appreciation.

Three life-giving Pastor Appreciation gifts

1. Small tokens are great. 

Not all churches are the same, and statistics say that the vast majority of pastors serve in churches with less than 100 people—which means their budgets are limited. Don’t let that be an excuse not to show appreciation. 

Gift cards to restaurants are great, but if the pastor has small children and babysitting is an issue, a gift card for food delivery may be just the ticket. 

Pro tip: Ask about favorite restaurants and allergies beforehand. Remember, the gift is for them, and you want them to use and enjoy it!

2. Review your pastor’s compensation and time-away policy every year.

If your pastor is paid so poorly that every gift card you give him is going right to the electric bill or groceries, that’s not a good sign. If you attend a church where the pastor has to be in the pulpit 50 times a year, that pastor is going to burn out or leave soon. 

If you’d like to improve your policies, UBA can help your church with this process! We love helping your congregation know how to best care for your pastor. We can also connect you to pulpit supply, making it easier for your pastor to take a week off. 

Pro tip: Combine your compensation review with a token of appreciation. Don’t skip suggestion #1 in favor of platitudes and empty promises for next year’s budget. 

3. Consider giving your pastor a sabbatical. 

The first reaction I get to this suggestion is usually: “I don’t get one of those at my job!” For that, I’m sorry, but I won’t apologize for advocating on behalf of ministers who need sabbaticals.

As I previously mentioned, being a minister is different than most jobs. And if you want your pastor at his best, you’ll consider giving him an extended period of time away from his normal duties. 

I hope he uses that time to replenish himself spiritually, mentally, and physically. He may also devote his time to learning a skill, taking a class, or visiting other ministries that will enhance your church. A good friend of mine once said, “Leaders need time to think and work on the organization instead of the daily grind of working for the organization.”

Pastors especially need time to pray and read scripture when it’s not needed for next week’s sermon. 

Pro tip: UBA has a packet of resources explaining what a sabbatical is, how to plan for one, and even how UBA can support your church while the pastor is away. I’ve also linked an article explaining how I planned for my last sabbatical to help you understand how to make the most of time away.

Some days, being a pastor is great. You get to perform a baptism, hear someone’s profession of faith, see God provide miraculously, and be front-and-center as God does what he does right in front of you. 

On other days, however…  lightning strikes the electrical box of your small church, and the church budget can’t cover it. So you pay for repairs out of your own pocket. There are days when, no matter what you say, one church member with a perpetual scowl will not stop shaking her head in disagreement. 

Show your appreciation to your pastors on these October days—and all the other days too. 

#BetterTogether

Josh Ellis is Executive Director of Union Baptist Association. He has a PhD in Leadership Studies and has served on the UBA staff since 2005. With both practical and scholarly knowledge, he leads the association into innovative collaboration for the sake of strategic gospel advancement.

Photo by Thiago Barletta on Unsplash