How to Biblically Support the Pastor

The second Sunday of October is often recognized as Pastor Appreciation Day in many churches. Many people are coming up with creative ways to show their appreciation for their pastors.

While Pastor Appreciation Day is not in the Bible, the Bible does give many commands to support local pastors. Furthermore, several texts discuss how to support the pastors in their office. Here are five passages one should consider when discussing how to better support pastors.  

“Brothers, pray for us” (1 Thess. 5:25).

Repeatedly throughout the epistles, the apostle Paul calls for the believers to pray for their pastors. Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, calls for laymen to pray on his behalf. If Paul needed the prayers of believers back then, our pastors today need the prayers of their congregations as well.

They are regular men doing the work of God. There is a weightiness to their duty, and they still experience temptation and trials just as any other believer. They need prayer. Pray for them to have boldness. Pray for strength against temptation. Pray for them to have wisdom.

“So the twelve summoned the congregation of the disciples and said, ‘It is not pleasing to God for us to neglect the word of God in order to serve tables’” (Acts 6:2).

Contextually, this chapter of Acts recounts the first ordination of deacons. The reason for the ordination of these men was that the widows were disgruntled and were not receiving fair treatment. The Twelve were to be dedicated to praying and to the Word of God. It was not pleasing to God that they should be distracted from their ministry. The position of the deacons was to be that of a servant so that the Twelve could serve in their role more faithfully. Similarly today, the position of the deacons is to serve the physical needs of the church so that the pastors can serve the spiritual needs. 

Does this mean that every person should become a deacon to support his pastors? Absolutely not! In Acts 6, there were only seven men chosen out of seven thousand. But one does not need to be a deacon to serve his local assembly. Many times pastors have significant dreams for their churches, but they do not have the manpower or the time to see those dreams come to pass. They need volunteers. Remember, it is the duty of the pastors to equip the congregation to do the work of ministry (Eph. 4:12). A congregant should actively support his pastors by volunteering when people are needed, by asking the pastors what he can do around the church to help the ministry, and by doing what needs to be done without having to be asked.

“You shall not curse God, nor curse a ruler of your people” (Ex. 22:28). 

In the original context, Moses is passing down the commands of God to Israel that are built within the Mosaic Covenant. Israel was not to curse God, nor was Israel to curse her leaders, such as prophets, judges, and kings. In the New Covenant, this command still applies. God still appoints magistrates within the government of the land and religious leaders within the church (Rom. 13:1-7, Eph. 4:11-16).

No one likes to be talked badly about, and no one likes to hear that they made a poor choice in choosing leadership. People understand this on a human level, but they tend to forget this regarding God. In modern society, many curse God openly and revile His appointed leaders as well. Regardless of church polity, God put the pastors exactly where they are supposed to be, and for a congregation to openly speak ill of their pastors is to sin against God.

“For it is written in the Law of Moses, “You shall not muzzle the ox while it is threshing.” Is God merely concerned about oxen?” (1 Cor. 9:9).

In this context, Paul is using an Old Testament command to take care of livestock as a command for churches to take care of their pastors. The pastor is human, just like any other man. He needs to eat. He has to pay taxes. He has bills to pay. The members of a church must provide for their pastors. They put in the work for the benefit of the congregation, and the congregation should in turn provide for them. The pastors should not be worked to death while not receiving the fruits of their labor, and for a church not to provide for their pastors is sin by way of clear disobedience to the commandment of God. 

Give your tithes and offerings. Take your pastor out to eat. Make a meal for him. Fill up his gas tank. Gestures like this go a long way in the life of a pastor. He pours into his congregants weekly, and he should be provided for in return.

“Obey your leaders and submit to them—for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account—so that they will do this with joy and not with groaning, for this would be unprofitable for you” (Heb. 13:17).

This is usually the hardest way to support pastors. Many people will like them and support them in every other way until their sins are the topics preached on or until they are no longer getting their way. The ministry of the church is not about the congregants’ way or the pastors’ way, but about God’s Way: the Way, the Truth, and the Life. 

The author of Hebrews commands believers to obey their pastors because the pastors will be held accountable for the souls of the congregants under them. They keep watch over their souls, and disobedience to them causes heartache and headache. A congregation should want their pastor to serve with joy, not with groaning.

In conclusion, whether a church chooses to celebrate Pastor Appreciation Sunday is irrelevant to the duty of the congregation to support their pastors. All of the nice gift baskets and thank you cards are irrelevant if the congregation is not supporting their pastors how the Scriptures say to support their pastors. Regardless of the season, support the local pastors as the Scriptures have commanded.

DUSTIN JAMES
1689 Federalism | Post Millennialism | General Equity Theonomist
Dustin James graduated from Pensacola Christian College with a major in Pastoral Ministries and a minor in Biblical Language. He also studied at Faith Bible Institute, where he earned his Bible Diploma, and is currently continuing his education at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Dustin is an active member of the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention, Liberty Pastors, Lone Star Pastor Care Network, and several other associations. He was ordained into the Gospel ministry and serves in bivocational ministry under the elders of New Day Church in Houston, Texas.