October is Pastor Appreciation Month, so it was fitting when someone asked, “How do we thank our pastors and church leaders?” My husband, Ben, and I have both been blessed by our church communities in roles as pastors and pastor’s spouses, so I was happy to talk to other people who are giving or receiving in this way.
Before exploring ways to show appreciation, we should ask, “Why do we thank our pastors?” USMB National Director Aaron Box recognizes how important it is for churches to support their leaders in tangible ways. When pastors answer God’s call to ministry, it often means making personal sacrifices in order to be available for their congregation.
“Pastors don’t ‘clock out’ like many people do at their jobs,” Box says. “They don’t stop caring at 5 p.m.”
On top of giving their time, Box mentions that many pastors are paid less than they would in the marketplace—some even as volunteers—and live within a tight budget.
I heard from various church communities and individuals about ways they show appreciation for their church leaders. Here are some of the big ideas they shared:
- Say thank you with words. Personal conversations and handwritten notes mean a lot to church leaders. Pastors want to celebrate specific ways God is moving in your life.
- Give financial support. Some congregations collect an offering to give their staff members at Christmas or during Pastor Appreciation Month. Box points out that most “small church pastors could really use cash gifts or help with a vacation.”
- Provide logistical help. Pastors share about the blessing of yard work, babysitting and meals. One woman prepares a batch of jam for her church staff every year as a way to show her appreciation.
- Offer time to rest. Many churches offer sabbaticals for long-time pastors or set up opportunities for leadership retreats.
- Prayer. The most important gift is talking to God about your leaders. A pastor said a group prays for her every day of VBS—and she feels those prayers.
This kind of support goes beyond just helping an individual. Pastor Nathan Ensz of Kingwood Bible Church in Salem, Oregon, shares how his church cares for his entire family. “Congregants have attended my kid’s choir concert and/or sporting events” and given “financial support for (their) mission trips,” Ensz says. Blessing our leaders will bless our larger communities.
Pastors, thank you for who you are and what you do. I echo the words of Paul: “I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:3-6).
Caitlin Friesen is a native of Fresno, California, and a 2023 graduate of Fresno Pacific Biblical Seminary. She has a passion for Jesus and a heart for children, both of which has been put to use as a backpacking guide, camp counselor and as associate pastor of children and family ministries at North Fresno Church. In September 2017, she and her husband, Ben, moved to Topeka, Kansas, where Ben serves as lead pastor at Cornerstone Community Church.
