If you want to be an obedient Christian, you have one of two choices: be the pastor of a Bible-preaching, Bible-practicing church or help someone who is the pastor of a Bible-preaching, Bible-practicing church. According to the Word of God, you need your pastor and he needs you! Here are some ways that you can be a tremendous help and blessing to your pastor.
1. Pray for Him and His Family
…The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. (James 5:16)
Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:16)
Praying for your pastor daily will help him, and it will keep you tender toward his leadership.
2. Show up for the Preaching of God’s Word
The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; (1Peter 5:1-2)
Pastors are commanded to feed the flock. However, they are not commanded to make “home delivery” of the feed. Your pastor cannot feed you if you do not show up for the meal.
Dr. Lee Roberson often said, “Every Christian needs three to thrive: Sunday morning, Sunday night, and Wednesday night.”
3. Pick a Ministry (a Job) and Be Faithful
Then beware lest thou forget the LORD, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage. Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God, and serve him . . . (Deuteronomy 6:12-13)
Only fear the LORD, and serve him in truth with all your heart: for consider how great things he hath done for you. (1Samuel 12:24)
If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour. (John 12:26)
Jesus taught that the primary attribute for His followers was faithfulness. Rare is the church member today who can always be counted on for serving faithfully.
4. Obey the Lord in Your Stewardship
But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. (2 Corinthians 9:6-7)
The church needs your offerings for the Lord’s work. More importantly, you need to be obedient to the Lord and give it. If every church member were obedient about giving, churches would be looking for more good ways to use the Lord’s money. Missionaries would go to the field in weeks instead of years.
5. Teach Your Children to Respect Their Pastor
Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation. Obey them that have the 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 13:7, 17)
Honor, respect, and obey your pastor whomever he happens to be. He may not be your “ideal pastor.” He certainly will not be perfect, but God has placed him in the office of pastor and that office is worthy of respect and honor.
6. Envision a Great Future for Your Church
Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he. (Proverbs 29:18)
Focus on the wonderful opportunity you have to see people saved, baptized, growing in the Lord, and serving in the church. Get excited about the events, outreach efforts, and special meetings of the church.
7. Take an Active Part in Making That Vision a Reality
But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. (James 1: 22-25)
8. Increase Your Love for Your Church Family
Jesus taught that the world would recognize us as His followers by the love that we have for each other.
Be faithful in prayer for one another.
Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. (James 5:16)
Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; (Ephesians 6:18)
Be aware of those who are struggling and look for ways to help.
Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. (Hebrews 3:12-13)
Extend personal care to each other—function as the body of Christ.
Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. (Galatians 6:2)
9. Share Christ and Your Church With Others
And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. (Luke 14:23)
Andrew brought Peter to Jesus. This is the first step in becoming a soulwinner. Bringing people to church with you is the “entry level” of soulwinning. Anyone and everyone can do it.
10. Keep a Positive Spirit
Determine to focus on the good things in life and the good things about your church. Anybody can criticize. Critics are a dime a dozen.
Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God: (Psalm 146:5)
For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. (1John 5:4)
Encourage your pastor by sharing his vision for your church.