Pastor Appreciation Month
 

This is Pastor appreciation month. And I am aware that there are some on AFF that do not like us Pastors. The way some have posted, the following scripture should read like this ..... Eph 4:11 "And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, ......Oops ....... and teachers;"

But, may I say that I appreciate all of the Pastors who have been a part of my life. Some I have disagreed with over the years, but I still appreciate what they did give to me.

I am a Pastor, and sincerely love and appreciate my place in the Gospel work and the opportunity to love and serve some of God's children. And to all of the other Pastors on AFF, "thanks for your dedication and sacrifice in serving a congregation as their Pastor."

To all of us, can we take a moment and appreciate the Pastors that are serving each of us, and even if you feel like your "stuck with him" at least appreciate him for those times that he did please you and did in some way help you!

Could we put as much effort in appreciating the Pastors as we have, too often, in putting them down?

Thanks for hearing me out. May God bless all of our Pastors tomorrow as they labor for the Kingdom.

Been Thinkin

Re: Pastor Appreciation Month
 

Amen BT! I thank God for my Pastor!
May He bless each one!

Re: Pastor Appreciation Month
 

I hope that I have never given the appearance that I dislike pastors simply for their vocation. I believe that being a pastor can be an honorable calling. I dislike anyone who creates power for themselves and like even less those who then misuse or abuse that power... and lastly I have a very special place of extreme dislike for anyone who does the above in the name of God.

That being said, those who are true shepherds and love people deeply and sacrificially deserve appreciation... Now a whole month is a little weird... but whatever... :)

Re: Pastor Appreciation Month
 

Over my time in Pentecost I have had the following pastors:

1. Lester Thompson was pastor of Bethel Tabernacle UPC in Racine, Wisconsin where I attended from around December 1955 until I left for Bible School in St. Paul, MN in September 1956. Bro. Thompson was a good man and has since gone on to his reward.

2. S.G. Norris was pastor of Midway Pentecostal Church in St. Paul, MN and president of Apostolic Bible Institiute so he was may pastor for the one year that I went to ABI --from September 1956 till June 1957. He was a good man but I just could not agree with some of the stuff he taught.

3. from June 1957 until 1963 or 1964 I attended First Apostolic Church in Cincinnati. Frank Curts was the pastor and was Dist. Supt. of the Ohio District. Norman and Mary Alice Paslay were the assistant pastors. Bro. Curts was a Bible teacher and I learned a lot from him but do not agree with everything he taught. Bro. Curts and Bro. and Sis. Paslay were good people.

4. In 1963 or 1964 we left First Apostolic and started attending Carthage Apostolic Church. Bro. Sizemore was a good man. He belonged to the ALJC and I had an ALJC license and was district youth leader for several years. I resigned in December 1977 when I turned 40 years old and did not renew my license.

5. In 1978 we left the Carthage Apostolic Church because of a couple things. I could not agree with the "standards" (which were "loose" compared to some) and I could not agree with the "three-step" plan of salvation.

6. I went for several years not belonging to nor attending any church. I was part of a couple Bible Study groups which met at General Electric where I worked.

7. In 1992 I started attending The Vineyard Community Church. I remained there until the spring of 2006. While at the Vineyard I served as a small group leader, part of a couple prayer teams, and as a POC (Pastor on Call). We had good pastors at the Vineyard.

8. Since 2006 I have been part of The Hamilton Dream Center in Hamilton, OH. We do not have official elders but I am an elder and considered part of the pastoral team. Our pastor is Wendell Coning. He is a good man. I am an ordained minister in The Churches of Jesus Christ International. Their web site is http://thecojcint.net/Home.php It is a splinter group off of The Church of Jesus Christ which was chartered in 1927. I am also ordained in our local church. Our web site is http://www.hamiltondreamcenter.org/ So I am probably the only person in AFF who is ordained in both a oneness and trinity organization.

I have had good pastors all my life that I have been serving the Lord.

Re: Pastor Appreciation Month
 

Brother Been Thin King, I am perhaps not as eloquent as many here are. I will say this ...that is on my mind. There are many pastors I do like as Christian brothers in the Lord. These are the ones who recognize that they are not any more or any less loved by God than their fellow brother and sister.

It's the ones who glare at you because you disagree with some of his decrees from the pulpit. These types preach from the pulpit the sin of gossip, yet they will burn up the telephone lines fully with the intent to hurt you. And they will say things that are not exactly true.

I don't even know you Brother Been and I have a Christ-like love for you as my brother in Christ. You happen to be a pastor. I don't hold that against you. :)
I will say that I have a healthy respect for some pastors, however;

Respect and appreciation doesn't automatically come to a pastor (from me) just be cause he holds the title. Respect, admiration and appreciation comes to a pastor as a result of mutual reciprocation of these emotions.

I appreciate a pastor's fruits of the Spirit. I do not appreciate bullies.

Re: Pastor Appreciation Month
 

We are told to judge a tree by its fruit. The way to tell the real from the fake is to see if they walk in love. Jesus said that the world will know whether we are real or not by whether we have love for one another or not.

There are lots of "pastors" who have large churches, large homes, large cars, large expense accounts and large egos. Some have inherited this like a family business. There are others who live in obscurity and carry on their hearts a small portion of God's flock over which they have been placed as under shepherds. Some of these pastors plus their wives (or husband) have to work full time just to keep clothes on their backs and food on their tables and to pay the utilities and rent or mortgage payment on the church.

I just want to say that I really really appreciate the fact that I don't have a pastor!!! ;)

Re: Pastor Appreciation Month
 

I agree. That is where it should take all the members of the body of Christ to form a local body. (equal responsibility) No two people should hold all the responsibility of the church building. Gathering for a meeting together takes the hands and the feet, as well as the brain and the heart and soul of a meeting. I agree that there are many God-fearing people-loving pastors out there....I just have not seen any that are Jesus Name in my area as of late.

And...I don't have a problem going to a trinitarian church if the people all love one another. That is where Christ is.

It's just that as a saint, who sometimes has been treated like the excrement from the body to be flushed, I do not appreciate being told that I must conform to a look or style that I object to, then be told I must pay them 10% of my household budget to order me around when it comes to the "pentecostal' look and then disguise that 10% as being given to God, when I know that in some churches, it goes straight into the pastor's pocket.

Oh how I wish that I could find a little church who wants all of the body to labor together for the cause of Christ.

Re: Pastor Appreciation Month
 

I am aligned with such an assembly... :nod

Re: Pastor Appreciation Month
 

So, Houston, do you feel like Paul got it wrong? Eph 4:11 "And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;" Should he have left out pastors? Just askin'

Been Thinkin

Re: Pastor Appreciation Month
 

Wish I could tell you where ours is. And I don't know if you are aware of this or not, but there's times we Pastors wish and plead for folks to be more a part, jump in and do their part, help make the church a place that people love and appreciate; not a place that you dread to go to. I've noticed many pictures taken during church and especially during the altar appeal and many of those individuals involved have a horrible look of their face. Looks of agony, crying and wailing and seeming to be in great pain! Why? In my earlier days I went to church and then felt worse after being there than when I arrived. That's not the will of God, in my estimation.

I wish I could share more of my past with you. I am where I am today, partially because I withstood much of what you and others have posted. When you challenge the politics and challenge the "Big Preacher," (and too often his big money), and please believe me I don't mean that to be mean....just a fact, you find real quick that "that wasn't the best thing to do to be popular." Yet, I don't want to linger on this because when I do those with whom I am angry are in control of my emotions and my actions. I can be mad at them all day, angry and frustrated, and they will never know it, but I sure will!

Been Thinkin

Re: Pastor Appreciation Month
 

Ezekiel 34 is a chapter all those who call themselves shepherds/pastors should read.

I have one GREAT shepherd and his name is Christ. Ezekiel 34:30-31 "Thus shall they know that I the Lord their God am with them, and that they, even the house of Israel are my people, saith the Lord God. And ye my flock, the flock of my pasture, are men, and I am your God, saith the Lord."

We are his flock, his sheep, and Jesus Christ is our true shepherd. He is the head and we are the body. All of us are ministers.... we are all called with gifts, and callings... not just "preachers" or "pastors" ....

Romans 12:4-8

4For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:

5So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.

6Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;

7Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching;

8Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.

You see... there are more gifts mentioned here than the "favorite" scripture in Ephesians 4:11

1. Prophecy
2. Ministry
3. Teaching
4. Exhortation
5. Giving
6. Ruling
7. Mercy.

Each spirit filled believer has a ministry, and a calling... and I forever will not understand why we have to lift "one man, one pastor, one preacher" up for a whole month.... when we are all supposed to be about the business of spreading the gospel, and working in the body of Christ together.

Of course, I know that there has to be leadership, and that we are to respect the leadership in the church. But the leadership mentioned by Paul was always in the plural, and never in the singular.

Re: Pastor Appreciation Month
 

And for the record, Been Thinking... from reading your posts here... I believe you post in the heart of a true shepherd. I don't know you from Adam, have never visited your church, but your heart shows through in your posts. I believe you truly care for those in your care. Yet.... I believe you know too of what I post... the flip side of the coin. I respect your position, and your concern for your flock, and you will be blessed of the Lord for that.

Re: Pastor Appreciation Month
 

Thanks KeptByTheWord. I appreciate your comments. I'll shut up about me. I am who I am and that's that....good or bad. It's been a good journey and I'm looking forward to growing old in the work of the Kingdom. ...... Oh, by the way, at what age do you grow old? :foottap :heeheehee

Been Thinkin

Re: Pastor Appreciation Month
 

Brother Been, you hit the nail on the head with the emboldened quotes. Why is it that when we first come to Christ, we only have our eyes on Christ. Services were exciting and I anticipated each and every service wondering what Christ would have for me that day.

It was only after I married and we went to my husband's church was when I started leaving services feeling worse than when I arrived. I decided then that this was not God's will. I felt like I was in the middle of Stepford wives there in that church. I could not let other people's critical attitudes and critical roving eyes looking for something to whisper around the church destroy me. I had to leave. I feel sure all of this started when the "pastor" perceived that I challenged his authority as to how he put together the Sunday School program, at that time, 35 years ago. So yeah...I got a big dose of what happens to another if they are perceived as challenging something a pastor declared to be "law" within his four walls. One dares not express any ideas that might help others or even one's own spiritual walk.

So....how can the people participate when they are under a pastor who has an authoritarian complex that won't give the saints the freedom to do something for God within the four walls of that church system? [long run in sentence...I know :)] The answer is that they cannot if there is no liberty for one to work for the Lord as they feel led by the Holy Spirit.

Re: Pastor Appreciation Month
 

He gave some pastors, but not all.

Re: Pastor Appreciation Month
 

I love this. And really why would any healthy person want to take on the challenge of being the be all end all person for hundreds of people?

Re: Pastor Appreciation Month
 

In the first place we are supposed to be honoring God. In the second place, our reward is in heaven. In the third place, we honor each other daily, not just once a year. And that goes for our Pastor's, saints, etc.

Re: Pastor Appreciation Month
 

:thumbsup :thumbsup

Re: Pastor Appreciation Month
 

I like this. Coming out of the Catholic Church, it was never desirable for me to have to kiss another ring or hand in the way we were taught.

Re: Pastor Appreciation Month
 

Heh. Good explanation. Is that what happened to me when I left the RCC? :)

Re: Pastor Appreciation Month
 

LOL! The thing is, people don't have a clue how we feel about that. It does effect your view when joining another organization. I haven't met many pastors that didn't have some degree of an entitlement mentality. Have to exclude BT, as he seems to be a genuinely nice and pleasant person.

I have also met saints in leadership with an entitlement mentality.

I've been watching some WW2 documentaries of late, and have read a lot about WW2 in the past. It always brings to mind that an unimportant man/woman take on a lot of self-importance when given a leadership position. Much like satan, power is a delightful thing to obtain.

One documentary talked about one of the Nazi women, who came from a farm, was uneducated, put in charge of the women's camp and was completely sadistic. She loved it because it gave her a sense of power and importance.

I also believe our demanding, materialistic culture to produce also drives a person to succeed at whatever the cost.

Re: Pastor Appreciation Month
 

The church system as a whole is what is wrong. Not the men. I've seen wonderful, humble, sweet men take a position in the church, and the system begin to corrupt them so that a few years later, you wouldn't recognize the man. It is the system of elevating one man above his peers that is wrong, I believe.

Paul always spoke of the ministry in the plural, never singular. Whenever you give power to one man.... absolute power corrupts... even the best of men.

So, I am not railing against the men who are a part of the system necessarily... but the system of church government worldwide in most denominations... is corrupt. That, I believe, is still the RCC way of operating with the pope/superintendant at the top, and various positions following, with the lone pastor at the bottom, unless of course you have the independent churches whose only government is the pastor... even worse.

To really get back to the way the early church was set up... really we must set aside the church government as it is now... and go back to the way it was in the early churches, which was holding meetings in various houses and homes, having groups of traveling elders, bishops, teachers, prophets etc., visiting the congregations in the homes. This is a system that was set up in the early church, but quickly changed as early as the second century AD, because man loves idolatry, and needs hero worship...

The last two verses in the book of Acts demonstrate how Paul operated his ministry... which example he left for us to follow... sadly it was forgotten shortly after his death...

Acts 28:30-31 "And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came in unto him, preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him."

Re: Pastor Appreciation Month
 

This is something I have posted on facebook:


October is traditionally designated as Clergy Appreciation Month. It is a time when we can honor the ministers and leaders of our congregations.

Since the spring of 2006, Pat and I have been attending the Hamilton Dream Center in Hamilton, Ohio. We are proud to be part of that local congregation. It is a great church with a great bunch of people.

Our pastor is Wendell Coning. He and his wife, Kim, are great people. I am proud to have them as pastors and leaders. The word pastor is the same as shepherd. Wendell Coning is a sincere man of God and a good shepherd. He takes that calling seriously. The word minister means servant. Wendell has a servant’s heart. It is so refreshing to see a man in an office like his who is not puffed up, arrogant, and out of touch. Wendell is very down to earth and anyone who comes in contact with him can see how “real” he is and can sense God’s love which exudes from him.

I thank God for my pastor, Wendell Coning, and for his wife Kim. It is a privilege to have them as ministers and leaders of our church.

Re: Pastor Appreciation Month
 

Thanks Bro. Sam for sharing with us. Your honor of your Pastor is excellent. May God bless him, his wife and you and your wife. I know he's glad to have you on his side.

Been Thinkin

Re: Pastor Appreciation Month
 

That is wonderful Sam! May God continue to bless and encourage this pastor and his congregation!

Re: Pastor Appreciation Month
 

I used to not appreciate the pastor as much as I do now. Then I realized what a pastor is Eph 4:8 Therefore it says, “When He ascended on high, He led captive a host of captives, And He gave gifts to men.”

Who am I to turn down a gift from God, unless I'm ignorant or not born again?