Many times, he was not recognized for his work or seen for the emotion he put into his job… into his God-given calling.
For thirty years, my father was the embodiment of love and he modeled a life of serving others. It was the clearest calling that he had in his life – to be a fisher of men, and a giver of hope. And while no pastor goes into ministry with the intention of being praised or recognized, the church has often forgotten that they are still human.
That they still bleed. That they still have burdens. That they still have their own valleys and their own shadows.
They have forgotten that no one, not even the pastor, is immune to pain, and a need for hope to be extended to them. When tragedy strikes and no one knows who to call for help, usually the first suggestion is, “Do you have a pastor you can call?” No one ever thinks about who the pastor can call when it’s them in the midst of crisis.
There was yet another young pastor who lost his life to suicide last week after struggling with depression and anxiety. I am so broken over it. Church, if this is not a wake-up call to invest in our pastors and their families, I don’t know what is. Things like this don’t just happen overnight. Mental illness is a real thing among Christian leaders and the weight of trauma in ministry is even more real.
Church, if not us then who?
October is Pastor Appreciation Month. Friends, we shouldn’t have to need a month that tells us to check in on the shepherd of our flocks. We shouldn’t be confined to just one month to pray for the leaders of our churches. Can you please not sit on this a day longer? Reach out to your pastor. Pray for your pastor. The weight that’s on their heart is so much more than just Sunday mornings behind the pulpit. Come back to your pastor years after they met you in your brokenness and remind them that they aren’t alone in theirs, either.
So who do you need to call today? Check on your strong pastor friend. Your phone call just might be the one they need.
