Honor Your Pastor.

1 Timothy 5:17 “Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.”

We now live in a time when “Pastors” are in great demand and are very short of plentiful. We live in a time when churches are shrinking every year, or it seems like it. We live in a time that Satan truly has a great grip on this world and he is seeking to destroy everything and everyone that he can. The Lord’s churches are the only stability on the earth, everything else has been lost to heathenism. Churches are at the point financially that it is harder to support their Pastor as they should. However, with this being said no Pastor “worth their salt” will ever ask a church for more, financially speaking. Your Pastor knows their churches financial stability, therefore he knows churches struggle just to pay them what they can, and some cannot pay anything. We live in sad times, the churches are struggling, new memberships are almost unheard of anymore, and the current memberships are dying off. Churches have few young people, and the young people they do have leave as soon as they are of age too. If you look at the churches of today, there is also an ageing Pastor population. Every year our guest speakers are getting older and we simply cannot find any young Ministers to invite. This part of the church age is looking poor and seems to be on life support. I thank God that He is in control, He and He alone knows what is down the road in 5, 10, 15, or etc. years. The shortage of Pastors is concerning, because churches are on life support that are without. Pastors are a vital part of a church, so vital that the health of a church suffers without one. Now, please understand that I am not complaining, I am not worried, because all of this is in God’s hands, and functioning by his blessed ordained will. Please trust me, churches that have Pastors needs to consider how blessed they are. If you have not thought about it, please contact a church that is without a Pastor. Now here on I am going to be bold, and I pray not too bold. If your church has a Pastor, you are truly very blessed of God. I would like for you to ask yourself this question, what would you do if God was to remove your Pastor? With such a shortage, where world you get another? As Pastors we truly understand the sending of God, and the chances your Pastor will resign is slim. However, as I said your Pastor is getting older and God will take them home someday. It is easy to say “we will trust the Lord” and that is a correct thought, but what about the reality of it. Why if God chose not to send you another Pastor to replace yours? Churches that have Pastors rarely think about such things. To be a Pastor of truth, a Pastor that stands on solid truth, takes a lot of effort. It’s is not easy being Pastors because not only is the world against you, some true churches and Christian are also fighting you. It seems like people just look for a kink in their armor, and I have no idea why. We are here to serve God, to glorify Jesus Christ, and some people just look for a way to withdraw fellowship, like they are perfect in everything. Please let me say this as a Pastor, the life of a Pastor is very hard. I would have quite many years ago if the Lord would have allowed it, but He did not. However, on that thought, it is and will be the most rewarding of all services. Those who sacrifice the most will reap the most rewards. When Paul spoke of “double honour” he was not only talking about money. There are many ways to reward your Pastor outside of money. Find a way to reward him, he does work very hard to fill the pulpit and deliver truth every week. He is there when you need him, and he will do about anything you ask. Most younger Pastors work outside jobs just to keep the church from having to spend so much on him. Honor your Pastor, and the more truth he teaches, give him more honor. Sometimes a simple “thank you” or a simple word of encouragement to him is great. Stand with him as he works so hard to stand for you. Honor him, it does not matter how, any honor is worth much more than no honor. Please pray for the Pastors, we need all the prayer we can get. Pastors, THANK YOU for your service to the churches and Jesus Christ her head.