relevantblog: Praise a Pastor: Here

Praise a Pastor: Here

Wednesday

After my last angst-ridden post, I wanted to spend some time balancing out the ministry equation. I know there are many pastors and ministers who selflessly serve Jesus and His body. They suffer hardship and continue on. They exemplify service, authentic love, sacrifice, and joy. They may not have an abundance of material possessions, but my inkling is that their treasure is piled in heaven--a great reward reserved for the future.

Sometimes those who minister in obscurity get little praise. Sometimes they have no idea their work has made a difference. Though I'm sure they've felt reward in God's smile, I know public praise and recognition would bless them. So let's spread the joy, shall we?

In the comments section, publicly praise a pastor, minister, or a missionary. Give specifics. Maybe link to a website. And then send that person an email, reiterating what you've wrote, or just send them a link to this post. I'd sure love to have fifty comments here, blessing those who serve Jesus even at great personal cost. Let's revel in what's good.

28 comments:

Jules Quincy Stephens said...: My current pastor, Pastor Tom Brown, and his wife Sylvia, who preach at Osbornville Protestant Church in Brick, NJ. They are lovely people who really have giving, loving hearts.; 1:03 PM
Jules Quincy Stephens said...: My former Pastor, Harry Schork, at Grace Fellowship in Tunkhannock, PA. His love of and scholarship in the Word really helped my grow intellectually and spiritually in the Bible. Harry also has a gentle, humble heart, which keeps him from being proud. Good qualities indeed.; 1:04 PM
Jules Quincy Stephens said...: The pastor whose church I grew up in, Rev. G. Richard Fisher at Laurelton Park Baptist Church in Brick, NJ, who knows the Bible inside and out, and who gave me the appreciation and showed me the importance of studying the Bible in its original languages. I also took much away from his many teachings on false religions.; 1:08 PM
Jules Quincy Stephens said...: And, lastly, for the work of Voice of the Martyrs. Let us never forget our persecuted brothers and sisters in Christ.; 1:10 PM
spwriter said...: About 15 years ago, my wife and son and I were living up in Loveland, Colorado. We'd been doing the church-search thing and landed in a Presbyterian church we liked a lot. Mostly because of the Sunday school class taught by assistant pastor Scot Douglass. He stirred up our world with this thought: "If you're not open to disruption, you're not open to the will of God."

He ended up leaving the church and we followed, forming a small, intimate congregation with a nomad soul and a shared heart for exploring the mystery of God's revelation. That lasted about a year - we couldn't support a pastor even part time with our meager offerings. But what a glorious year. This was what I thought the early church might have been like. Scot was brilliant, but humbly so. He has since gone on to teach at CU in the humanities dept.

His teaching so impacted us that we named our second son Scot in his honor. In fact, the very decision to have a second child was one of the ways we experienced what it meant to be open to the disruption of God. (There's a story in this I'll save for another time.)

I'm eternally thankful for Scot's wisdom and humility.; 5:47 PM
Tracy Ruckman said...: This is such a timely topic for me personally today. Our church called a new pastor, and voted him in this morning. This man, Brother Mike Stephens, is a true servant of God - we can all see Jesus on his face and in his actions.

He has served as Interim Pastor for over 18 months, without vacation, so part of the voting process today gave him a well-deserved two-week bonus vacation.

The Lord has truly blessed all of us at Catoma Baptist Church through Brother Mike.; 8:04 PM
relevantgirl said...: Nicole couldn't post this to the blog, so I'm posting it for her.

******

I wanted to say you were spot on in both "pastor" posts. We have had both
kinds. Our first pastor and his wife exemplified today's post. The other
two personified yesterday's. Many people 'love" Jesus and serve Him, but
they serve Him with limitations, and unfortunately those limitations are
triggered and accentuated by "idol worship" from their congregations.

Who really does want to sacrifice when it comes right down to it? I don't.
It goes against that human tendency to have all my needs and wants met
without having to give up something. And, if I'm not careful and things get
too easy, I'll expect everything to come that way without a lot of putting
aside things that don't really matter in order to attain more of what do.

Our first pastor is now out of the ministry due to a long and painful
"rebuilding" agony. He and his wife did everything for the small church.
Both of them even worked part time to meet their bills and raise their
family. They lived in very old houses in the community where one year the
toilet froze in their bathroom because the wood stove they had for heat
couldn't quite reach that far--and this was with two children. They knew
sacrifice. They knew hardship. They knew Jesus. Their home always had an
open door. We learned more from them than the following two pastors
combined in our lives.

The next two were selfish and grew to expect the praises and provisions of
their congregations. It wasn't apparent in their first couple of years in
ministry, but soon it was a given for them to be the object of the people's
affections. They enjoyed it, and it became harmful both to them and the
congregation. After some time, we had to leave as slowly the doctrine of
truly serving Jesus became confused with serving the culture. We left the
third church wounded, but not too much later, that pastor left the ministry
which was a good thing.

Pastors are people. Nothing more, nothing less. Fallible. Needy in their
spirits. The call to serve is upon us all in different forms. However,
when you're placed in a position of leadership and visibility, something
more is required of you--and it isn't to receive gifts, accolades, and
praises from man.

You can use this if you want, Mary. I saw no judgment in your first post,
only truth. Same with the second post on this subject.

Nicole; 10:28 PM
Tami Boesiger said...: Mary,
I fear I have caused you more pain than you have already experienced in the last few months. I am very sorry. It was never my intention to hurt you. I am married to a Creative Arts pastor. Our family has sacrificed to fulfill this calling, so anything resembling criticism of pastors gets my dander up and I react. I realize there are people who go into ministry to gain "glory" for themselves and they are just as frustrating to those of us who give it our all. Forgive me for making a judgement call on you. Please accept my humble apology.

And please don't let this discourage you in your writing. You do have a distinctive, fresh, authentic voice I appreciate. Press on, girl.; 9:54 AM
Heather said...: My father is a pastor. Second career. Gave up a lucrative first career and settled into a small church in an area my parents didn't particularly like at first (although they do now), makes very little money, doesn't get noticed for the incredible Bible teaching he does a couple times a week or the counseling or the discipling. My mom is the church's secretary, janitor, and women's minister. For both of them, it's all guts and no glory (at least until we meet our Creator).; 11:39 AM
Miz Melly said...: I would like to honour Peter Anderson and his wife Helen who lead Holy Trinity chaplaincy in Cannes. He is a great teacher and is a man with a huge heart. He and Helen endured 7 years in a tiny church in Ireland, where every Sunday a parishioner would mutter "Sermon was a bit too long, Vicar", until they moved to France. They were a blessing to us both in the time we were there. I'm only sorry we didn't get to enjoy your and Patrick's leadership, Mary. I honour your work there too.
Blessings,
M; 6:06 PM
relevantgirl said...: I nominate a good friend of ours, Matt Allen, who was my campus pastor when I lived in Washington. He labored well at Puget Sound Christian Center for many, many years, recently returning to secular employment as he plants emerging churches and communities. He loves Jesus. And he's passionate about serving Him.; 8:40 PM
relevantgirl said...: Lance Ward of Rowlett Bible Fellowship is one of the most gifted teachers I've had the privilege of hearing. He and his wife Jeni love Jesus and labor well among their community.; 8:41 PM
relevantgirl said...: JR and Ginger Vassar, along with newest recruit Kenny Marchetti, are serving and loving and challenging believers and unbelievers in NY, the upper East Side of Manhattan. They've persevered through the hassles of church planting, counting the cost, and following hard after Jesus. I love JR's call to others to know their theology and to follow Christ sacrificially. Wow. Thanks.; 8:42 PM
relevantgirl said...: Elizabeth Musser serves Jesus in France (Lyon) and has been there a very long time. Having just been chewed up and spit out, I have so much admiration for Elizabeth's tenacity, her genuine love for the French people, and her heart to see many come to Jesus. Elizabeth, you're my hero.; 8:44 PM
relevantgirl said...: Kevin and Barbara McNish are currently in the US after a couple of years in Florence, Italy. They poured their hearts and souls into that place, spending themselves even amid chaos, bureaucrazy (yep, I meant to spell it that way), and uncertainty. Well done, good and faithful servants.; 8:45 PM
relevantgirl said...: Steve and Marsha Stroope blessed us with a visit to France our first year on the field. They loved us, listened to us, taught us, and sacrificed time to teach our first-ever marriage conference. Steve and Marsha, you were and are blessings to us.; 8:46 PM
relevantgirl said...: Rod Vestal is our missions pastor, but far more than that, he is our dear friend. He visited us in France, listened to us as we processed, and has been there for us as we've landed back in the states. He and his wife Mary are dear, dear souls who love Jesus and love to see His name proclaimed all over the globe.; 8:47 PM
relevantgirl said...: My husband Patrick is a man of principle who loves Jesus and, despite many odds against Him, served Him well in France. An ordinary man would've given up in the first year, but he doggedly kept going, loving his community, teaching, strategizing, laying down his agenda for the sake of others. He spent himself. He really did. He paid a high price to follow Jesus to France and back. And he continues to pay it.; 8:49 PM
relevantgirl said...: Troy and Heather Cady are some of the best people you'd ever meet. They love Jesus. They love each other. They love their family. They sacrifice for their blooming church in Madrid, Spain. Troy is a man of impeccable integrity. He's weathered all sorts of stuff with uncanny grace. Heather is beautiful. She loves others. She loves me. She's been a great friend.; 8:54 PM
relevantgirl said...: Wes and Lesley Hamilton have blessed Patrick and I so much over the past several months. Patrick met Wes on a trip to Egypt and they've been friends ever since. They both love Jesus and serve Him joyfully. They both sacrifice for the sake of the Gospel.; 8:55 PM
relevantgirl said...: Linus Morris has exemplified selfless service as he's headed up Christian Associates International. He is honest, tireless, passionate, and humble. He listens. He emanates Jesus. He makes difficult decisions. He blesses people. He offers grace. He loves his family well.; 8:59 PM
relevantgirl said...: Tami,

Please don't worry about it. I just worried I didn't come across as I should. Thanks for your grace.

Mary; 9:03 PM
Deena said...: My pastor is also my husband, which makes life complicated for him. Sometimes he ministers to me as a spouse, and some times as my pastor. He is compassionate and passionate about his flock, and does his best to let them see the real man under the pastor title. Others are drawn to him because of his transparency, and I adore him for it.

His messages are heartfelt and applicable. Whenever correcting or rebuking the church, exhorting or encouraging the flock---he always begins with himself. He has a unique sense of humor and a style for illustrations that is all his own.

Our church is incredibly blessed to have Pastor Dave Peterson as her pastor, and I am doubly blessed to have him as my husband and pastor.

Check out his blog at
http://pastordave1957.blogspot.com and tell him Deena sent you!

Deena Peterson
http://wholly-devoted.blogspot.com; 10:09 PM
spwriter said...: Here's another - Ron Clarkson. He has a heart for the lost unlike any other I've known and is dedicated to the relentless pursuit of God's will for the church he continues to pastor here in Colorado.; 11:15 PM
Ron Benson said...: I thank God for big people in little places:

I'm thankful for Dennis, for his generosity and faithfulness.

I'm thankful for Mike, whose ponytail represents his willingness to serve alongside, not one-up.

I'm thankful for Len, who in spite of himself has not been disqualified from God's call.

I'm thankful for Robert, although I will never understand why he stays.

I'm thankful for you, Mary. You have depth of insight and a gift of keen discernment. I've had people tell me they didn't want to tell their pastor about how he has blessed them because they didn't want him to get a big head. I've also encountered some shrunken heads.

This kind of discussion is good and healthy. Don't pull away from it.; 8:09 AM
Suzan Robertson said...: My two bible study teachers:

Patrick O'Connell, our bible study teacher and good friend, for the last 7 years. He's soon to graduate from RTS (Reformed Theological Seminary) along with piloting 767's. His teaching has blessed us in many ways. He taught us how to study and understand the bible.

Jim Reimann, our bible study teacher and good friend. His deep bible studies and insight have enabled us to know Christ better.; 11:08 AM
Meg said...: My current pastor, John Duke of Covenant Life Church in Suwanee, GA. He digs into the Bible every Sunday, caring not one whit for current fads or even for the calendar. He's famous (or infamous?) for preaching on the wrath of God on one Mother's Day. :); 12:35 PM
Madison Richards said...: Tom Zawacki, Three Rivers Bridge Christian Fellowship, www.emancipationofthefreed.blogspot.com

long time friend.

I have more respect for this man than any pastor I have ever known. On every level he is a man of character, integrity and the Father Heart of God.; 12:37 PM