Ways to Show Appreciation to Your Pastor or Small Group Leader

Yes! It is not yet too late to show your pastor or small group leader how grateful you are for what they do. October is Ministry Appreciation Month -- a great way to honor people who take the time to lead us in our faith in Jesus.

Pastor Steve Murrell of Every Nation

Here are some tangible ways we can show our appreciation for them.

• Write a heartfelt thank you card. Our spiritual leaders need a lot of encouragement!
• Give a gift card (restaurant, movies, spa, or coffee shop) to your pastor so that he and his wife can go out on a date.
• Make a special dish that they can have for dinner. A night of not having to cook is a blessing!
• Offer to babysit their children.
• Honor them publicly through a blog post.
• Gather the members of the church or small group to chip in for a thoughtful, meaningful gift.

And this is the most important thing we can do for all of our spiritual leaders.

Pray for them!

Covering our pastors and small group leaders must always be a priority to every member of the church. We should not overlook this and take it for granted. They need prayers so that their marriages stay healthy, their children are unharmed, their bodies are always in excellent condition, that they are always financially secure, and that any kind of temptation or addiction will never take over their minds.

If we can make a difference in these people's lives, it is constantly interceding from them.

Let us look in Thessalonians 5:12-13:
"And now, friends, we ask you to honor those leaders who work so hard for you, who have been given the responsibility of urging and guiding you along in your obedience. Overwhelm them with appreciation and love" (The Message).