Pastor Appreciation

“And God gave… pastors…” Eph 4.11

I was thinking about the job description for pastoral ministry and how much it has changed over the years. Some of the changes have come about because of changes in technology. Some of the changes have come about because of the societal drift away from the standard of the Living God. Some of the changes come with the growth of the ministry. And somethings never change in ministry.

The most recent statistic I have hear about ministers leaving their churches shows about 1500 each month. Ministry is often not very lucrative and it can be frustrating. But it is a tremendous privilege (and challenge) to give direction to a body of believers. As we head into October and toward pastor appreciation Sunday (Oct 23rd at CLC) I asked the staff pastors to explain to me their big ticket items on their to do lists each week. You will find below what they told me and maybe it will help you pray for them.

Prepare sermons
Oversee small groups
Lead worship and worship practices
Lead the team spiritually
Website -
Create and develop
Develop promotional material
Make and prepare Podcasts
Manage the Stage/Platform
Media computers, sound system, projection software
Praying at altar over congregational members
Connection/ follow up with individuals
Counseling and mentoring
Disciple young and new believers
General administration
Plan events
Develop leadership
Plan outreach event
Plan fundraisers
Prayer over team

Schedule leaders for ministries
Manage operations of nurseries, preK and elementary rooms
Prepare children’s message and series
Prepare outreach events for neighborhood
Reach out to hurting parents, missing parents
Model worship and lead worship for kids
Do fundraisers for kids
Christmas outreach
Summer camp
Summer outreach
Sport camp
Planning events (ie picnic)
Social media
Maintain children’s area
Family/parenting Seminars- setting up
Pray for Kids in transitions, and hurting kids

Computer repairs
Social media updates
Representing the church before the city
Connecting with local schools
Administrating
Planning outreaches and fundraisers
Sermon prep
Counseling
Telephone counseling
Prayer for the congregation members
Hospital visitation
Social engagement with other ministries
Maintenance (everything from digging holes to changing toilets to rewiring light fixtures)
Fill in for musicians on vacation
Meet with staff to administrate weekly
Meet with the council to report on the general fiscal and spiritual health of the church
Encourage the broken hearted
Snow removal, mowing grass
Work days-
Prayer meetings-
Leadership development
Meet with denominational officials
Accountability partners
Meet with missionaries
Plan marriage retreats and seminars
Develop security plans and safety plans for church

Teach young people about Jesus
Plan game nights, sleep overs, activities
Lead worship
Counsel hurting teens
Telephone counseling of former teens late at night
Develop leadership team for youth events
Computer and media development
Purchase of computer equip for church

I hope that you will lift up your pastors as they seek to live for Jesus and serve him. We need your prayers!