Sermon Tone Analysis

Eight Ways to Encourage Your Pastor \\ \\ by Victor Parachin \\ \\ \\ Sometimes pastors are the loneliest people in \\ the church.

Often their hours are long, the pay \\ minimal, the criticism considerable and constant.

\\ Feelings of disappointment, discouragement, and \\ defeat may begin to plague the best of them.

\\ \\ Paul's admonition to "serve one another in love" \\ (Gal.

5:13 ) should encourage us to remember \\ our shepherds.

Here are eight ways to make \\ their lives better.

\\ \\ 1. Cut the criticism \\ \\ Presbyterian minister Fred Rogers, creator \\ and host of television's "Mr.

Roger's Neighborhood," \\ once gave an address describing the time he \\ was a student at Pittsburgh Theological \\ Seminary and attended a different church \\ each Sunday in order to hear a variety of preachers.

\\ \\ One Sunday he was treated to "the most \\ poorly crafted sermon (he) had ever heard."

\\ But when he turned to the friend who had \\ accompanied him, he found her in tears.

\\ \\ "It was exactly what I needed to hear," she \\ told Rogers.

\\ \\ "That's when I realized," he told his audience, \\ "that the space between someone doing the \\ best he or she can and someone in need is \\ holy ground.

The Holy Spirit had transformed \\ that feeble sermon for her--and as it turned \\ out, for me too."

\\ \\ Unlike most workers who are evaluated once \\ or twice a year, clergy are often critiqued \\ weekly after each worship service.

It's not \\ unusual to hear people say "the music was \\ poor," "the hymn selection was awful," or \\ "the sermon was boring."

We would do well \\ to remember that most spiritual leaders work \\ hard to make worship a unique celebration \\ each week.

\\ \\ 2. Pray regularly \\ \\ Ask God to shower your pastor with an \\ abundance of love, hope, joy, faith, peace, \\ power, wisdom, and courage.

Pray for your \\ spiritual leader's maturity and growth in the \\ faith.

As you pray keep in mind this wisdom \\ from German writer Johann Wolfgang von \\ Goethe: "If you treat a person as he is, \\ he will stay as he is; but if you treat him \\ as if he were what he ought to be, he will \\ become what he ought to be and could be."

\\ \\ 3. Express appreciation in writing \\ \\ A spoken compliment is always welcome, \\ but a written one can be read over and over \\ again for years.

So, when you hear or see \\ something you like from your minister, \\ write an appreciative note.

\\ \\ 4. Use your skills to bless \\ \\ Are you proficient with computers?

Help your \\ pastor master the church's new computer.

Are \\ you a mechanic?

Offer to service the car free \\ of charge or at a reduced fee.

\\ \\ One pastor I know recalls: "I was pastoring \\ my first church -- a small congregation with \\ limited resources.

While there, I developed \\ a series of dental problems and could not \\ afford treatment.

What a joy it was when \\ a dentist in the church offered to treat me \\ for free.

Correcting my dental problem involved \\ nearly a dozen visits.

He treated me carefully \\ and cheerfully each time.

I have thought of \\ that dentist many times since then and the \\ memories of his kindness continue to \\ bless my life."

\\ \\ 5. Squelch gossip \\ \\ If you hear a negative comment, respond \\ with a positive one.

If misinformation is being \\ spread, correct it with the accurate information.

\\ Or, if people are gossiping, just walk away.

\\ Remember the Bible soundly condemns \\ gossip and careless speech.

James 1:26 \\ says, "If anyone considers himself religious \\ and yet does not keep a tight rein on his \\ tongue, he deceives himself and his religion \\ is worthless."

And Psalm 34:13 reads, "Keep \\ your tongue from evil and your lips from \\ speaking lies."

\\ \\ 6. Offer to meet a need \\ \\ Some people make their spiritual leaders \\ defensive and angry by saying, "You \\ need to _" That approach is seldom \\ welcome and almost always counterproductive.

\\ If you see a need, approach your spiritual \\ leader by saying, "I'd like to help by _" If \\ you see an area that can be improved, take \\ responsibility for working on it.

\\ \\ Be an active participant in your church.

Get \\ involved by teaching a class, leading a workshop, \\ singing in the choir, feeding the hungry.

Ask \\ your spiritual leader where and how you can \\ employ your gifts.

\\ \\ 7. Be openly responsive \\ \\ Nothing so animates and excites a spiritual \\ leader as seeing people respond to the preaching \\ and teaching.

Imagine the surprise and delight \\ of a pastor in Virginia Beach, Virginia, who, \\ when greeting a visitor to his church, found \\ she came because of the kindness of a church \\ member who was her neighbor.

\\ \\ "I'm recently divorced, a single parent and new \\ to this community," she told the pastor.

"To \\ keep up with rent and provide for my three \\ children, I must work two jobs.

That leaves \\ me very little time for yard work.

I was relieved \\ when the weeds didn't overrun my yard as I \\ had feared they might.

However, when I made \\ an unscheduled trip home in the middle \\ of my workday, I discovered the reason why \\ the weeds had not taken over my yard.

\\ \\ "My 86-year-old neighbor -- a member of your \\ church -- was on his hands and knees pulling \\ my weeds.

I barely knew this man and he was \\ embarrassed to be caught in this anonymous \\ act of kindness.

He explained that he heard you \\ preach a sermon on the importance of living a \\ life of compassion and kindness and decided \\ to put that sermon into practice by weeding \\ my lawn."

\\ \\ One pastor's heart filled with joy when a group \\ of women in Washington, D.C., responded \\ to a sermon preached from the words of \\ Jesus--"Do not judge, or you too will \\ be judged" (Matt.

7:1).

After hearing \\ the sermon, the women decided to give \\ a baby shower for the young woman who \\ provided childcare while they met for \\ Bible study.

She was unmarried, close \\ to going on welfare, and without support \\ from her family or the father-to-be.

The \\ young woman was moved to tears by \\ the surprise baby shower.

\\ \\ Later, the women explained to the pastor, \\ "Your sermon taught us that it's possible \\ to reach out to someone in need -- in this \\ case, an unwed mother -- without judging \\ or condoning the situation."

\\ \\ 8. Throw away the measuring stick \\ \\ Don't expect that your present spiritual \\ leaders will do things the same way their \\ predecessors did.

Lay aside personal \\ agendas and preferences.

Instead, focus \\ on how your leader is being used by God \\ to do effective ministry now.

By serving \\ your shepherds, you will ensure that they \\ will not only be encouraged but will feel \\ appreciated and continue to minister with \\ enthusiasm and energy.

\\ \\ Copyright 1999 by Victor Parchin and \\ Christianity Today.

Used by Permission