"I appreciate you.”

Those are words all pastors love to hear—especially from those we find ourselves exhausting our energy, time, and resources in an effort to care for. We enjoy this kind of recognition from those we’ve invested love and service towards.

Bring on the Starbucks cards, homemade baked goods, thank you notes, getaways to an Airbnb, and date nights to fancy restaurants (masks included of course). I’m not sure what it’s like for vocational ministers in other parts of the world or even where this holiday came from, but October in the United States is known throughout many church circles as “Pastor Appreciation Month.”

It’s a full month to tell your pastor how much you love them. Thirty-one days where many pastors are showered with gifts, offered free date nights with their spouse, and given gift cards like Willy Wonka hands out chocolate bars. Although there are probably more pastors who do not experience this phenomenon, it’s becoming more commonplace in our church culture.

 The Value of Thanksgiving

I’m not bashing the idea; I am actually for it. I believe a lot of pastors are overworked, under-appreciated, and more often handed heavy burdens of “performance expectation” than they are gift cards. Pastors want to be appreciated and know they are loved by those they are caring for.

I looked up the definition of “appreciation" the other day. I actually use that word a lot personally. Instead of saying “thank you” to people, I more often say, “I appreciate you.”

According to one definition, “to appreciate” means “to recognized the full worth of.” Wow! That’s way more than just a “thank you.” Appreciation goes deeper. It speaks to identity and worth. The Merriam-Webster definition confirms this by defining appreciation as “grasping the nature, worth, quality, or significance of.”

To tell someone you appreciate them is to recognize their full worth, to grasp the full quality of their nature and full significance of the role they have played in your life in a particular situation, circumstance, or season. That’s pretty powerful!

I truly “appreciate” pastors. I appreciate those who are giving their lives in service to Jesus and gospel ministry. I appreciate those who, as Paul says in Acts 20:24, don’t consider their lives as of any value but are seeking to fulfill the ministry of gospel proclamation God has called them to. There is a lot of value in that task—a lot of worth. There is some true significance at hand for the kingdom of God and the good of people.

There’s definitely some appreciation to be had.

 Giving Thanks to Our Good Shepherd

But then, I started thinking about the Great Shepherd. The Ultimate Pastor. The One who truly gave his life for the whole world—Jesus. Do we appreciate Him? Do we recognize His full worth?

I don’t. I mean, I do at times, but I definitely don’t continually. He’s deserving of so much more of my appreciation than I find myself giving at times. And then, I have those moments where, by His grace, I am able to grasp His nature and the significance the gospel has played in my life. Wow! What joy fills my soul. What gratitude envelopes my heart.

To appreciate Jesus,—to fully recognize HIs worth by grasping the quality of His nature and the full significance of His life, death, and resurrection—would require so much more than a month! In fact, we would need all of our lives. Even more so, we would need eternity.

 As the church celebrates and appreciates pastors this month, I hope many are encouraged in their call, strengthened in their faith, and propelled on to continue fighting the good fight before them. Moreover, I hope pastors do not put all their trust in what others think of them by banking on those gift cards and nights out with their spouse. I hope ministers everywhere find a rest and strength in their Heavenly Pastor. I hope they turn their focus and attention to appreciating Jesus and recognizing His full worth.

And for church members, I encourage you the same. The greatest appreciation you can show a pastor is by appreciating Jesus. A pastor experiences their greatest joy in knowing you are living your life for the glory of God in the truth and gospel of Jesus.

John says it this way in 3 John 1:4, “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.”

Paul also tells the Thessalonians in 1 Thess. 3:8-9, “For now we live, if you are standing fast in the Lord. For what thanksgiving can we return to God for you, for all the joy that we feel for your sake before our God.”

As we look back on appreciating pastors this month, let’s ensure we’re appreciating Jesus for eternity.

Jeremy McQuown is the executive director of BetterDays, a ministry that provides counseling and spiritual care for pastors and ministry leaders. He has worked with BetterDays for the past 9 years and has served as a missionary, pastor, and counselor for almost 20 years. He is a husband to his wife Sarah and a grateful dad to 3 beautiful children. 

Photo by Tony Eight Media on Unsplash