The Top Ten Things I Want to Tell My Pastor

You are my pastor. How I appreciate the blessing of having a pastor! I am aware of churches today that are without a pastor at this time. Thank you for being my pastor. I have not told you these things often enough. So today I wanted to sit down and write to you, my pastor, and share the following things with you.

  1. I cannot imagine how many discouragements you come across in a typical week. I am praying that the Lord will encourage you in the same way that David was encouraged (1 Samuel 30:6). As David’s encouragement came from the Lord Himself, so I pray that you will be encouraged.

 2. I know that you love the Lord. What a great blessing it is to me to know that my pastor has a great heart for the Lord (Matthew 22:37-38).

 3. I rejoice that you are committed to your marriage. It is such a joy to see the love that you have for your wife. You are truly a “one-woman kind of man” (1Timothy 3:2).

 4. I pray for your children and ask the Lord to keep them from bitterness or resentment for the many hours you serve each week. They are such a blessing to our church family. I am glad that you understand that the term teknon refers to “little born ones.” We are watching how you raise your children. We aren’t watching to be critical; we need to follow your example of child training and church family guiding (1Timothy 3:4-5).

 5. I so appreciate your fine example of being a Godly man who controls his mouth, submits his mind, and displays his manners in such a way as to set a great example before us (1 Timothy 3:2b-3).

 6. I am grateful that our awesome, sovereign God placed His calling upon your life. You truly manifest that great desire of the call of God. I know that you are not perfect, but I am so glad that your calling and conviction are easily seen (1 Timothy 3:1).

 7. I know it puts pressure on you, but thank you so very much, my pastor, for ruling well in my life and the lives our church family. The writer of Hebrews tells me that I must “obey you” and “submit to your teaching.” As you are true to the Word of God, it will be easy for me to follow you and submit to the teaching of the Scriptures (Hebrews 13:17).

 8. I am so happy that my pastor is not in the ministry for the money. I wish we could pay you much more than your present salary. I will do my best to keep your salary situation before our spiritual leaders. But for today, thank you so much for keeping yourself from the “filthy lucre” entrapments that some pastors have stepped into (1 Timothy 3:3).

 9. I am so blessed to know that you tend the flock of God with a willing spirit. You take the oversight of the ministry of the local church from the nursery to the pulpit. You do this willingly and with a gracious spirit (1 Peter 5:2).

10. I want to express to you that I do not take you for granted, Pastor. You are an example to the church family of one who serves not as the dictator, but as the shepherd. You love us when we have been unlovely. You care for us when we have not appreciated it. You told us the truth when we did not necessarily want to hear it. You are our pastor. I believe with all my heart that when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the Crown of Glory that will not fade away (1 Peter 5:4).

These are the things I want to tell you. Not just in October when it is Pastoral Appreciation Month; these are the things for which I am thankful all year long. I just wanted to share with you these ten things.

Thank you for being my pastor.

www.michaelpeck.org