What a great resource!  We are privileged to have Dave Garda and his wife Rennie on our team at The Orchard.  They are some of the greatest encouragers I’ve ever known.

Now, in a sense, Todd is kinda our pastor for a few minutes each day here… digitally speaking of course… So… everybody all together now…

TODD! THANKS FOR EVERYTHING! You make our lives better, you make our ministries better, you make our hearts better! You are Jesus to us!

I have personally been encouraged and challenged forward by the Ministry of CADRE. My volunteer leadership team have grown in leaps and bounds in their ownership of the ministry as well as their abilities to lead. My team have been stretched as they have implemented the tools that CADRE have given to us - and as a Youth Pastor nothing excites me more then to see those U know have the gifting take off as EQUIPPED leaders to do the work of the ministry! Thanks CADRE team for the faithful service to the Lord and His church

I have known Bill Allison for a dozen or more years and have seen Cadre grow from a dream in his heart to the wide ranging influence it is today.  Cadre’s workshops and literature on teaching excellence, time management, relationships, etc. have been a help to me personally and to our church leadership.  This new book on encouraging our pastors will be another great aid to those desiring to have a growing and vibrant church.

Good stuff from a great ministry - thanks for featuring it.  Those folks at Cadre continually bless and encourage me in my role as a director at a Christian camp, as well as in my personal growth in the Lord.  We have also used their time management teaching in a men’s Bible study, and the material was practical, useful, and down to earth.

I have grown up under the leadership, encouragement, love and training of the Allison family and more recently, the entire Cadre Ministries team.  God has blessed me more than I could have ever imagined through this incredible ministry.  I look forward to being able to use these tools again and again… including the “Biblical Ways God Wants You To Encourage Your Pastor.” Thank you, Cadre, for glorify God in all that you do!

It has been my experience that everything that Cadre Ministries does is extremely relevant, well done, and right where people live.  Any of their tools will greatly enhance your ministry and your life!

Thank you Insight for featuring this booklet by the Cadre team. Your work encouraging leaders is fantastic. The leadership training and support offered by Cadre is also amazing. We have had Cadre training in our area that has had real and true impact on our thinking, teaching and living. Continuing to encouage each other is so vital. Thanks Bill and Stacy for hearing God’s call and answering it with all you have!!

Check it out, these resources will change your life.
My fav:  Ministry is Relationships
http://cadreministries.com/
Thanks Bill & Stacy for you Servant Hearts!

I wonder if “Pastor Appreciation Day” runs counter to biblical teaching.

For example, consider if there was a “donor appreciation day.” Jesus told us that when we give, we should not let the left hand know what the right hand is doing.  How could such a follower of Christ receive praise, then, for his donation?

In the same vein, in Luke 9:23, Jesus tells us to deny ourselves (as well as Gal. 2:20 and other places).  If we forsake everything for God, what does it mean if we are seeking appreciation from man? For what purpose, to stroke our ego?

I would think in the day-to-day life of a minister, by being salt and light, there would be numerous sporadic “thank you’s” because of a minister’s “ministry,” since they are helping people and people generally spontaneously show thanks when they are helped.

I don’t mean to be a wet-blanket on this parade, but it is something I contemplate.

Here’s another aspect.  Why appreciate a Pastor on a special day? Because they are special and have given themselves fully to the Lord in His service? But aren’t we all supposed to do that, even if we have secular jobs?  I think most mature Evangelical Christians know that the artifical classification of “lay” and “clergy” is not Biblical-- we are all “in the Priesthood.” So what about the plumber or lawyer who lives a fully devoted life and does much for the kingdom-- do they also get an appreciation day (as if they would want one)?  How are they less important?

...Bernie

Bernie,

“For example, consider if there was a “donor appreciation day.” Every day I work is “donor appreciation day. I hope every “full-time pastor” thinks this way.

Also you write “I would think in the day-to-day life of a minister, by being salt and light, there would be numerous sporadic “thank you’s” because of a minister’s “ministry,” I’ve had a handful of days when the appreciation of a few has made all the difference in the world.

Full time local church pastoral ministry has really high highs and really low lows. It just does. So… you’re so right later in your post. Folks shouldn’t just appreciate their “pastors” on special days. We do the job well, I think, and it’s the hardest job I’ve ever done.

Bernie,

Rather than wondering if appreciating your pastor(s) in special ways or on special days is biblical, why not just see it as another way to accept the challenge given by the writer of Hebrews . . . to “spur one another on to love and good deeds.”

Of course we’re all priests, and I’m the one here usually touting that we need to lose the clergy / lay distinctions.  But . . . pastors have “appreciating people” written into their job description, which can sometimes make it seem like appreciation flows one direction much more then the other.  Being reminded to show appreciation to the people who care for us, no matter who they are (mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, friends, the mailman), seems like a good thing to me.  It helps us develop a good habit of showing our thankfulness.

One caution though, if appreciating multiple “pastors” is in order, then it would be good to look over the staff list to be sure that you are thanking all who are in parallel positions, regardless of job title. One year someone organized a daily thank you gift brought into the office for all the “pastors” during pastor appreciation week.  Every day there were two of us who got over looked, who are officially on the pastoral staff, but had the job title of “director” because . . . well . . . you know.  It got a little embarrassing for the receptionist who had to bypass our offices every day, bearing gifts for all our male colleagues.

Wendi