Encourage Those Who Serve
God calls men and women to serve in full-time service in the church. In turn, your congregation calls them to serve in your particular location. And you are called, too, to praise God for their commitment and service and to encourage and affirm them in their decision to serve.
Highly aware of their high calling, church workers are also aware of their humanity. They have stress in their lives. They experience challenges in their ministries. They deal with personal and family concerns. They need time for rest and time with their families. They need to know and experience your care for them!
Every member has a responsibility to encourage workers in the congregation. Think of it as privilege. There are things you can do and ways that your congregation, together, can bring this encouragement.
What you can do as a:
What you can do as a congregation member
- Remember your congregation's workers (and as a congregation remember workers throughout the church) in your prayers. Set one day a week to devote your prayers specifically to workers. Thank God for their commitment and their service. Pray that they find joy in their service and for the Holy Spirit's guidance. Pray for their specific needs and concerns.
- Decide to make support of workers a part of your vocation. Show respect and love. Encourage an attitude of respect and encouragement in your family and among other members of the congregation.
- Determine to settle your petty differences with other members - practice Matthew 18. Don't expect your pastor or other professional worker to be the mediator if these are not spiritual matters.
- Personally encourage the workers in the congregation you serve. Thank them for their work, tell them when you grow because of a sermon or Bible study and tell them when they have done something that is especially worthwhile or meaningful to you.
- Remember birthdays and anniversaries and other special events in their lives. Send a card, note or thoughtful gift.
- Think of their families. Invite them to dinner or lunch at your home or a local restaurant. Offer to watch their children so husband and wife can have a "night out."
- If you have a concern about something the worker has done or said, address your concern directly to him or her. Avoid grumbling to others in the congregation.
- Consider providing financial support to underwrite continuing education for workers in your congregation or school.
What you can do as a professional worker
- Include professional workers in your prayers. Set aside a regular time to pray for fellow workers in your congregation or ministry, in your circuit and your district. Pray for their needs and thank God for their successes.
- Stay "tuned" to other workers, paying attention to signs that they may be troubled. Be prepared to lend a listening ear - not necessarily to offer advice, but to allow the worker to talk about his or her concerns. Also be prepared to offer referrals to district services or other sources if you deem that such assistance is necessary.
- Staying "tuned" also is an opportunity to celebrate your fellow workers successes and achievements. A few complimentary words go a long way: and a card, a small gift or buying lunch will show that you share their joy and appreciate their work.
- Model encouragement to your congregation: your public comments about the ministry of others will show you recognize fellow workers and the importance of their ministry. Take extreme care to avoid comments (publicly or in church meetings) that undermine the ministry of others.
- If you have an issue with another worker, especially one in your own congregation, take up the matter with that person first. Work hard to pursue a solution through interpersonal dialog.
- Avoid feeding a rumor mill when attending meetings with other professional workers (e.g. pastoral conferences, teachers conferences, district meetings, etc.).
- Help the congregation you serve to understand the importance of encouragement, including the value of time off, continuing education, sabbaticals and other ways for achieving personal well-being and professional growth. Encourage your fellow workers to use these opportunities.
What you can do as a congregation
Encourage your board of elders and other leaders to make it policy to remember special events, especially anniversaries of the worker's service, in bulletins and newsletters.
- Establish a worker care committee in your congregation to give regular attention to your workers. Make sure that:
- workers are paid according to or above district scale,
- regular salary increases are budgeted,
- vacations are provided (and used),
- workers use their "days off" and members respect those "days off,"
- workers have opportunities for continuing education and
- they give attention to their personal health and well-being.
- Be aware that workers, especially new workers, may have debts as a result of their education. In addition to paying adequate salaries, consider special offerings or endowments that may be used to help them pay off educational expenses.
- Hold an annual "worker appreciation day," with a special litany in the worship service and a special reception (or dinner) afterward. Provide them with an expression of appreciation, like gift certificates to a good restaurant, a sports event or concert.
- Consider a budget item or a special continuing education fund for workers to help with tuition, travel or other expenses.
- Consider paying their membership at a health fitness center.