A Word of Encouragement to Clergy

Here's a word of encouragement from Dr. Craig Rikard to his follow clergy for Pastor Appreciation month:
 
I've heard some churches say we can just get someone to be our preacher.
 
It is funny how someone thinks being a pastor is simply preaching once or twice a week.
 
Below is an accurate list of what I and most preachers I know do and have done.

1. We don't just preach our opinion. We actually study the sacred text, seeking its original meaning and then find a way to build a bridge from that text to today.
2. Have responded to calls from people threatening to take their life. Have met people in the middle of the night whose spouse left them. I've met people at the emergency room as a loved one fights for their life. When that is lost we are called to hold them and let them grieve. A doctor once said to the family and me, "I'm sorry but we couldn't save them." (He then described the cause of death, and looked at me and back at the family). "Your pastor is here so I will leave you to him."
3. Rush to the home of someone who did take their life. Often this happens during the holiday season.
4. Answer police calls in domestic fights to calm things down. This can be very dangerous. A minister from South Ga. was shot through the door and prayerfully survived.
5. Serve, knowing in difficult times you will be expendable, or even a scapegoat. Yet, you don't quit because you are called. For the first time clergy are suffering PTS almost at the same rate as soldiers.
6. Take secrets to the grave because people trusted you with them. Without exaggeration I will take hundreds. All of us do so.
7. Try to calm our children who have overheard people verbally assault their pastor - mom or dad or both.
8. Always be on call. I've been called back from vacations twice, once to discover I was called back to read a single passage of scripture. We are rarely off. Even then, the concerns of the church remain in thought.
9. We counsel marriages which are shattered. We help people through divorces when both are members of our church.
10. In an age of rage we are called to self-control and love.
11. If we have 100 or a thousand members, each seeing the world through different eyes and each with different needs, we are asked to preach a single sermon that speaks to all.
12. We walk through our own family and health issues in private. We too experience hurt, brokenness, and illness. Yet, we are there almost every Sunday, preaching the hope we find in Jesus.
13. Many have multiple degrees at religious institutions that are high in cost because they cannot receive federal funding. Then most work for a low wage. We didn't get more degrees for more pay. We wanted to be the best possible in serving God.
14. We bear personal assaults because Jesus did. Also, many of us know the anger coming from another most likely emerges from a lot of pain from past experiences.
15. Every denomination is different, but many go where sent and took a vow to do so. Your spouse often leaves a job and your kids are uprooted. Yet we go and depend upon God's grace.
16. Yes, we are sinners. We fall, react to verbal attacks, and seek to flee temptation. There is no saint in the pulpit, especially not me. We are a forgiven person sincerely seeking to journey upward and higher in Christ.
17. And of course there are the meetings, boards, and visits to the sick and homebound. There are the funerals, which we take very seriously. We are asked to give the final public statement on a person's life, and above all offer hope in Jesus.

 
The most amazing thing is that we love our life and calling. The friends we make from so many places enrich us. A minister I respected and loved once said to me as a young minister, "Knowing what I now know, if God didn't call me to pastor, I would beg the Lord to do so."
 
Everyone has a job that involves more than anyone knows. They often feel undervalued and taken for granted. So ministers are not a select group of people with unique requirements.
 
However, this is pastor appreciation month. So I wanted to affirm and pray for my many brothers and sisters who pastor churches. I am thankful for you and what God has asked of you. Each of you could add to the above list. Yet, we continue to find joy, meaning, purpose and love. We would do nothing else. Even if we could, we don't. We have been called of God.
 
Remember, this is written by a guy who is just a preacher. And a contented one!

Dr. D. Craig Rikard is a South Georgia pastor. Email him at craigrikard169@yahoo.com.