Praising God For Pastors

"Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ," (Romans 10:17 NIV).

I have been attending church all of my life and I have been blessed by many pastors. They all had unique characteristics and gifts. The ones I remember most are those who played an important role in my life. Although their sermons were perhaps the most time consuming task of their role, often I remember the other ways they were present in my life.

Ray Bowler is the pastor who led my youth group and ultimately led me to believe in Jesus Christ and be baptized when I was 12 years old. He also taught me about peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.  Even though I don't crave them, it was a new experience that I remember all these years later. Charlie Fry is the pastor who married John and me. I will always remember his attention to detail and kind thank you notes he wrote. Jump ahead to Roy Sanders. He was the pastor who helped John intervene when I was in a deep depression. He found a doctor and helped convince me to seek help. Cynthia Moore was there through some of the hardest times of my life. She will forever be precious to me and to God for loving my parents and helping me face the grief of losing my Mama, helping Daddy through the years without her, and then losing Daddy.

Although sermons are not the top of my memories, the cumulative effect of pastor messages in my  adult years are what help me to grow in faith and continue to study The Word. I won't forget the way Pastor Moore's series on the Roman road helped me fall in love with the book of Romans. Scott Hand presented The Word with humor and vibrance. Pastor Nathan Nemmers presented a comprehensive study on "The Stranger on the Road to Emmaus" by John R. Cross, that refreshed my faith and bolstered my understanding of The Word when we joined Lakeside Fellowship. Recently, Pastor Dave Heisterkamp's series on the Ten Commandments gave the ancient rules new and relevant meaning. His powerful messages leave me anxious to hear more.

"It was he (Christ) who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ," (Ephesians 4:11-13 NIV).

Pastors have a big job and often go without thanks. October has been slated as Pastor Appreciation Month. Show your appreciation to those who build up your faith and knowledge in their own unique way of presenting The Word of God.

Thank you, all pastors.