Yes, Hallmark
Every year since 1992, October has been recognized as Pastor Appreciation Month. Pastor Appreciation Month was actually started by Hallmark, you know, the company that makes the inspiring cards and the corny movies? This is what they say on their website about the why they started this yearly appreciation month, “The celebration was established in 1992 with a mission of uplifting and encouraging pastors, missionaries and religious workers.”

Now, I know that no one is actually thinking this, but let’s just ask a question. Should we observe a month like this just because Hallmark tells us to? The answer is obviously no. However, the heart behind a focused month of appreciation such as this one does have biblical backing. That is what I want to prove to you below and then tell you how you can apply it as a church member.

The Church and their Pastors
In Paul’s first letter to Timothy (1 Timothy), Paul instructed Timothy in how to rightly order the church. At one point he even said this in chapter 3, “I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these things to you so that, if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth." Did you catch that? This letter was written so that the church knows how to behave! One of the things that includes is how a church treats their pastors. Paul says this in chapter 5, “Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching.” Did you see that? Let the elders (or pastors) who rule well be considered worthy of double honor! There isn’t enough time in a MDWK to explain all that this entails, so let me be simple and straight forward: Paul called on the church to respect their pastors and to honor them with some sort of wage as they labor on their behalf through the oversight of the church, work of the Word, and care for their souls.

Bringing it Home
This article isn’t being written because we think that the church does a bad job at honoring those in leadership here. Far from it. At the same time, a reminder that it is a
good thing to honor those in leadership and what that may look like practically doesn’t hurt, either. For the purpose of this article, I want to make my application very pointed. When I consider our Lead Pastor, Pastor Tyler, it is apparent to me that he fits the bill of 1 Timothy 5:17. He shepherds our church well and pours his heart into laboring in their Word so that the church will be fed. What is a tangible way that Fellowship can honor Pastor Tyler this month?

Simple! Go to this website: https://www.mbts.edu/pastors/ and enter Pastor Tyler and his family into a giveaway. All you have to do is fill out your information and click the bubble that says “Refer my pastor”. This will prompt you to fill out his name and his email (tylerprater.fbc@gmail.com), and the option to leave him a kind note that will be sent directly to his email.

Church, I hope you’ll take the time today to show your appreciation to Pastor Tyler by entering him into this giveaway for pastors and writing him a note that expresses your appreciation for being our pastor and his work in laboring in the Word for the good of our souls.