Supporting and Honoring Your Pastors

HomeSupporting and Honoring Your Pastors

KEYS OF HOW TO RELATE TO YOUR PASTORS

RECEIVE YOUR PASTORS AS GIFTS. (Ephesians 4:8)

Gifts have to be received! Gifts are to be valued and appreciated. Honor and esteem and respect are always appropriate. You must recognized your Pastors as gifted of the Lord to speak, minister in your live and feed you the good Word of God. Not “hey you”…
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” – James 1:17
THE PASTORS GIFT ARE A GOOD GIFT AND FROM GOD!
The point is, until you settle down in a local church and receive your pastors as a ministry gift, you are hurting and robbing yourself.
If you are one who will submit to and relate to us as pastors spiritually, you will reap
from the ministry spiritual things. If you are one who will submit to and relate to your
pastors only in a natural or religious way, you will probably reap mostly natural things.
- HOW TO RECEIVE YOUR PASTOR AS THE GIFT OF GOD IN YOUR LIFE:
  - (1) Tell the Lord Jesus you receive this gift.
  - (2) Tell the pastors you receive them.
  - (3) Tell your family and friends you receive them.
  - (4) In your heart, receive them.
  - (5) Thank the Lord daily that you have good Pastors who care for you and believe in you.
  - (6) Accept their leadership and teaching.
  - (7) Quit looking for a way out of the flock, and quit wondering if they are your Pastors. It’s time to make up your mind!

KNOW YOUR PASTORS.

“And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labor among
you, and are over you in the Lord and admonish you…” – 1 Thessalonians 5:12; “Obey them that
have rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give
account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.” –
Hebrews 13:17
- SUGGESTIONS TO HELP YOU KNOW YOUR PASTORS BETTER:
  - (1) Watch their lifestyle and how they deal with things
  - (2) Watch their spiritual life and how they relate to God
  - (3) Watch their spiritual life practices.
  - (4) Watch how they pray and what they say
  - (5) Watch how they study the Bible
  - (6) Attend church with them
  - (7) Participate in prayer times with them
  - (8) Offer to go where they go, when the go
  - (9) Read their materials, and listen to their messages.
  - (10) Ask them questions whenever possible

ESTEEM YOUR PASTORS HIGHLY IN LOVE.

“And to esteem them very highly in love for their
work’s sake. And be at peace among yourselves.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:13
- Esteem here does not mean to exalt. We exalt Jesus; we esteem and honor our
  leadership. You esteem us very highly in love because Jesus made us your Pastors.
  Friends, God will bless you and honor you as you walk in integrity and love, even if
  others don’t.
- PEACE LEAVES WHEN ESTEEM LEAVES!
  - WAYS TO ESTEEM YOUR PASTORS IN LOVE:
    - (1) Purpose to be grateful for them.
    - (2) Purpose to always think the best of them.
    - (3) Purpose to stand with them, no matter what.
    - (4) Purpose to get along with them and their family.
    - (5) Purpose to honor them during special times and occasions.
    - (6) Bless them with financial gifts and goodies.
    - (7) Say good things to and about them.
    - (8) Encourage them by being the most faithful Christian you can be.

PRAY FOR YOUR PASTORS.

“Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may
have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you….” – 2 Thessalonians 3:1
- PRAY FOR YOUR PASTORS LIST:
  - (1) Pray that the Word of the Lord will be received.
  - (2) Pray for their health.
  - (3) Pray for their safety.
  - (4) Pray for their prosperity.
  - (5) Pray that the Lord will allow them to stay with you.
  - (6) Pray that they feel joyful and peaceful about pastoring you.
  - (7) Pray that they will have boldness to deal with you.
  - (8) Pray that they are delivered from wicked and unreasonable people.
  - (9) Pray that they will always know the vision of God for the Church.
  - (10) Pray that they have the anointing to make you into a great disciple.

COMMUNICATE TO YOUR PASTORS.

– Read Galatians 6:6 Amp; 2 Corinthians 12:13
- CHECKLIST FOR HONORING YOUR PASTOR:
  - (1) Be respectful and courteous.
  - (2) Honor and sow seed to them on their birthday.
  - (3) Honor and sow seed to them on their wedding anniversary.
  - (4) Honor and sow seed to them at Christmastime.
  - (5) Sow to them sometimes just because it’s fun.
  - (6) Send them on vacation at least once a year.
    - THIS IS A KEY TO YOUR PROSPERITY! Choose not the let our Church become inferior.
      Find ways to not only show your gratitude to your pastor, but inspire others to do the
      same. Don’t muzzle the ox that treads out the corn!

FOLLOW YOUR PASTORS.

Hebrews 6:12 – “That ye be not slothful, but followers of them
who through faith and patience inherit the promises.”
Hebrews 6:12 Amplified – “In order that you may not grow disinterested and become
[spiritual] sluggards, but imitators, behaving as do those who through faith (by their
leaning of the entire personality on God in Christ in absolute trust and confidence in His
power, wisdom, and goodness) and by practice of patient endurance and waiting are
[now] inheriting the promises.”
Philippians 4:9 Amplified – “Practice what you have learned and received and heard and
seen in me, and model your way of living on it, and the God of peace (of untroubled,
undisturbed well-being) will be with you.”
- FOLLOW MY PASTORS LIST:
  - (1) Be with them – attend Church.
  - (2) Be with them – attend prayer.
  - (3) Be with them – do ministry with them.
  - (4) Listen to what they are really saying.
  - (5) Carefully choose those to whom you are listening.
  - (6) Live the lifestyle of Christ as they live it.
  - (7) Pick up their study habits and love for the Word of God.

OBEY YOUR PASTOR’S TEACHINGS.

1 Corinthians 11:1 – 2 – “Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ. Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you.”
- This will establish you and change your life. This will allow you to see your pastors in a
  new way you may have never seen them before. YOU MUST BE CONVINCED THAT YOUR
- PASTORS ARE YOUR PASTORS! You can’t just go to church. You have to be convinced. You have to look at them and say, “He is my Pastor! She is my Pastor! They are from God. They are anointed! They are my gift from the Lord.”
  Friends, if you don’t take heed to do what your Pastors teach, you could be in real
  trouble.
- Keep the ordinances – not as you desire, not as your opinions say, and no, not
  according to your preference. Keep the ordinances as your Pastor delivered them.
- HOW TO OBEY YOUR PASTORS:
  - (1) Remind yourself that Jesus put him in your life to help you.
  - (2) Make up your mind that they are your Pastors.
  - (3) Obey their teachings from the Word.
  - (4) Listen to their advice.
  - (5) Submit to Jesus and the Word.
  - (6) Do what you are asked to do without grumbling and complaining.
  - (7) Submission cannot be tested in agreement. It’s when you disagree and still submit that proves your level of humility and your level of obedience.