This month has been deemed Pastor’s Appreciation Month, a time designated to show your pastor that you appreciate him or her.
I don’t know about other pastors, but I’m proud to be a pastor. I think that the pastoral ministry is one of the best vocations one can be called into. I consider it a privilege and an honor to be called by God to lead his people.  
Over the years, I have discovered that not many understand or appreciate a pastor’s role.
Jeremiah 3:15 says, “And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.” We see the purpose of pastors in this Scripture passage. Pastors are given so that churches can be all He wants them to be. They are to feed the flock of God with knowledge and understanding.
Hosea 4:6 says, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.”  God did not want us to be ignorant of what Satan devises. We live under the constant threat of satanic attacks. The devil is like a roaring lion walking to and fro, seeking whom he may devour. His mission is to kill, steal and destroy, and he preys on the weak. It is the knowledge and understanding that the man or woman of God impart unto us that keeps us alert and aware of the plots of the enemy.  
We need to understand that pastors do more than preach a weekly sermon. They care for the souls of God’s people. God called the pastor and placed him or her over a body of believers. A pastor is accountable to God for those under his or her leadership. Pastors spend hours preparing to preach and teach. They also spend time praying for you.
Their jobs go far beyond the few hours on Sunday morning. The pastoral ministry is 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
I’m convinced that pastors deserve appreciation. The Bible says the elder who rules well should receive double honor. The work they do deserves more than a one-day, one-month, once-a-year celebration. We need to show our appreciation on a daily basis.
The best appreciation is our obedience to the word of God that is being preached. It brings joy to a pastor’s heart to see members living and walking in the will of God.
I encourage you today to take some time to let your pastor know how much you appreciate him or her. Don’t just tell them in words, though. In your daily living, show them that the preaching, teaching, praying, counseling and everything they do to increase your faith is not in vain.
Pastors are God’s gifts to the church.

Jackson is the pastor of the St. Luke Missionary Baptist Church and a member of the Liberty County United Ministerial Alliance.