And we urge you, brethren, to recognize those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. Be at peace among yourselves.
1 Thessalonians 5:12-13 (NKJV)
This non-official holiday is celebrated annually on the second Sunday in October.
The October month celebrates the contributions of priests, pastors, reverends and ministers in
the U.S. but we can also start this custom in Jerusalem! And specifically: at Jerusalem Baptist Church.
History of Pastor Appreciation Day
Pastor Appreciation Day began with the establishment of
Clergy Appreciation Month. In Timothy 1 (5:17), Paul began the concept of
clergy appreciation when he stated that the elders of the church are worthy of
a double honor. He reiterated this idea in Thessalonians 1 (5: 12-13) when he stated
that that those who work hard among you should be held in the highest regard
for their work. This idea became Clergy Appreciation Month in 1992, established
by pastors and religious workers. Eventually, Pastor Appreciation Day would
form out of this month.
Fun Religious Facts
- 50% of all Christians are Roman Catholics
- There are 800 Million Protestant Christians worldwide
- 160 million of the planet’s Christians are Orthodox
- Almost 80 million Bibles are distributed all over the world each year
Celebrating Pastor Appreciation Day
You can celebrate the hard work of your pastor in a number
of different ways.
Each member of the congregation can deliver the pastor a
handwritten note; a “Best Pastor in the World” T-shirt can be given to him; you
can create a video presentation made of pictures of the pastor in action over
the last year; or you can simply give him a heart-felt thanks. Of course, one
of the most important ways to show you care is by assuring that you attend his
service on this day and pay attention to his sermon.
Conclusion
Pastor Appreciation Day is the perfect holiday to show your
pastor, priest or minister just how good of a job he is doing and to give him
encouragement to keep the good work up.
Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine. 1 Timothy 5:17 (NKJV)
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