WHAT PASTORS WANT

Standing in line at the supermarket checkout counter, you're likely to see magazines featuring stories such as, "What Women Want", or "What Men Want", or "What Women REALLY Want", and beyond that it gets so graphic that I'd probably be sinning just by writing it down!  Well, this posting is "What Pastors Want".  Maybe I should call it, "What Pastors REALLY Want"!

Tomorrow, Sunday, October 8 is "National Clergy Appreciation Day".  National Clergy Appreciation Day was the brainchild of right-wing psychologist, author, and speaker Dr. James Dobson.  Dobson grew up in a Nazarene Pastor's home.  Like most children of ministers, he saw his Dad used and abused and underpaid and mistreated.  About ten years ago, Dobson, and his minister cousin H.B. London came up with October being "Clergy Appreciation Month" and the second Sunday of October being "Clergy Appreciation Day".

In the Assemblies of God, we had traditionally made the third Sunday of September "Pastor Appreciation Day".  I used to like that because it always fell either on my birthday or within four days of my birthday.  By 2000, the Assemblies of God had "bought into" Dobson's new holiday.  I will say that behind the scenes, ministers that I know have very mixed feelings about "Pastor Appreciation Day".  One pastor (who lives in a church owned residence as I do) had asked the church for French Doors to be installed at the entrance to the dining room.  His board flatly refused, considering his request extravagant and ridiculous.  They gave him some "token" gift for Pastor Appreciation Day. He flatly told them he didn't want the "token" gift, and that if they REALLY appreciated him, they'd install the French Doors.  You know what, THEY DID!  (Yeah, this was expensive, but it added value to the house THEY own!)

Sometimes pastors will get something like a pen and pencil set and a sappy card signed by everyone for Pastor Appreciation Day.  Some may be given a cake.  SOME may be given a gift certificate to a nice restaurant.   And, probably at least twenty-five percent of American ministers will be given nothing per se, as their church doesn't recognize "Clergy Appreciation Day".
I'll tell you what I would like, and in my experience, this is what most pastors would like for Pastor Appreciation Day:  I'd like a large (even record-breaking attendance) and a large offering FOR THE CHURCH.

In a small church it's SO depressing to work hard preparing and walk out to a very small attendance.  A pastor friend of mine recently told me of walking out on a Sunday morning and there weren't even ten people present.  He tried not to let it affect him, but it caused him to be very down.  I have experienced that, and it is a HORRIBLE feeling. This group of people hires you, gives you a big job description, doesn't really pay you all that much, and then they can't even bother to consistently attend. THAT hurts!  So first and foremost, pastors want their church people to be in attendance.  It's really great for people to arrive EARLY and to be ENTHUSIASTIC.  It's great to have people offer to help with this or that.  Today, in almost any church, the offering records look like a profile of the Rocky Mountains- one week a BIG offering, one week a tiny offering, and so on.  This reflects the fact that almost no one is paid weekly anymore.  But the church has a WEEKLY budget, and believe it or not, I'm paid weekly.  I think most pastors would rather have someone throw in something every week, rather than give one or two larger checks a month.  Pastors want their people to have a sense of "ownership" in their church. Ministers come and go, but the bottom line is, it's THEIR church, not the pastor's.

At our church, it amazes me that people often don't listen.  If I say something like, "Please pick up one of those missions brochures at the back table on your way out," NO one will!  Well, actually Claire Grimes, my volunteer secretary will, and maybe some visitor will.  No one else.  "Please sign up for the pot luck so we know how many are coming."  No one.  "Please pick up any papers and litter in the sanctuary"...well, Bill Lincoln one of my Deacons will.

Don't get me wrong.  I don't hate the people at the church I pastor.  And I've gone over most of this stuff with them time and time again, but it just keeps happening.  When I meet with other pastors, I usually hear stories MUCH WORSE than my own about THEIR own church people.  One time I went to a service at a church here in Framingham.  I happened to lean against a "post & rail" fence, and it fell down!  The pastor said, "Don't worry about it! I've been after my Deacons to fix that for years.  They just keep saying it will get done and it never does!"

So I think you get the point.  A large attendance of enthusiastic people- a large offering for the church, and people really listening and doing what they're supposed to do.  More than anything else, that's what I want for "Pastor Appreciation Day".

"Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.  For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn.  And, the labourer is worthy of his reward."  (I Timothy 5:17-18).