By Dr. Josh Braddy
The dawn of fall brings a lot to love: college football, hunting season, and cooler weather … at least we hope for the latter. October brings something worth loving just as much: Pastor Appreciation Month.
Here is the thing: Your church runs on more than one person. Worship leaders, youth and student pastors, ministry directors, and the volunteers who carry real weight on your church’s teams may never hear the word “pastor” attached to their name, but they are shepherding you all the same. So, as you look for ways to encourage your church leadership this month, here are five practical ways to show love to your whole team, not just the one in the pulpit.
- Pray for them and their family. Then tell them you did. A text, a call, or a note in the mail … however you choose, let them know they were on your mind.
- Get to know them beyond the title. Stop by just to say hello or ask a deeper question. What are they excited about right now? What keeps them up at night? What do they love most about ministry? Leaders are people too, and people love being known.
- Learn their love language, then speak it … without making it weird.
- Words of affirmation: Be specific. “Atta boy” and “atta girl” go a long way, especially when you name exactly how their ministry has shaped you.
- Acts of service: Offer your time and talent. Show them you are invested in the local church, not just a spectator of it.
- Receiving gifts: Skip the cash (it just pays bills) and grab a gift card instead. Learn their favorite spot, or introduce them to yours, and have fun with it.
- Quality time: Pick up a bag of coffee, sit down, and share a cup. No agenda, no pet project, nothing heavy. Just something better than Folgers. (No disrespect. I love Folgers.)
- Physical touch: We will leave this one to the spouse … though you could always send them on a date night.
- Remind them they are not alone. They are seen, they are heard, and they are loved.
- Jump into the ministries of your church, and do it with joy. Jesus said the harvest is plentiful and the workers are few. Nothing encourages a leader more than watching the people they love get excited about the same mission they are.
So do not let October slide by with a card and a “thanks for all you do,” aimed only at the person with the biggest title. Pick one of these five today, for the pastor and for someone on the team who never gets thanked by name. Actually do it. Then watch what it does for the people who spend every week pouring into you. None of them needs a parade. They need to know they are not carrying this alone … and that starts with you.
Dr. Josh Braddy is Lead Pastor of Broadmoor Baptist Church in Madison.
