By Robert J. Tinsky
Some time ago our church was between preachers, so I had the privilege of filling the pulpit. I shared with the congregation the following ways we could help our new minister have a successful ministry. Now that I think about it, I realize these ideas would work anywhere, even if your preacher has been with you for some time.
Be Realistic in Your Expectations
Several unrealistic expectations are common:
1. It is unrealistic to think the minister and his family will be perfect. They are to be examples, but they make mistakes like everyone else.
2. It is unrealistic to think your preacher will preach like Billy Graham, Bob Russell, Chuck Swindoll, or Max Lucado.
3. It is unrealistic to think every sermon will be chocolate cake with ice cream on top. Most sermons will be meat and potatoes. Some will be warmed up leftovers.
4. It is unrealistic to expect him to “hit a home run” every time he steps in the pulpit. Hank Aaron hit 755 home runs, but he struck out 1,383 times. Babe Ruth launched 714 home runs, but he struck out 1,330 times. Be glad when your preacher occasionally hits a double or triple, but realize that most of the time he will hit only a single. And sometimes he will strike out.
5. It is unrealistic to think he will never be “down in the dumps” or grouchy or moody just as the rest of us are at times.
6. It is unrealistic to think everybody will like him. Not everyone liked Jesus, and the apostles seldom were liked by the majority of the people where they ministered.
Now let me give you some realistic expectations:
1. Expect him to preach God”s Word straight enough to convict sinners and to challenge Christians.
2. Expect him to have a genuine burden for those who are lost.
3. Expect him to be honest.
4. Expect him to be diligent about the Lord”s work. While you should not expect him to spend so much time in “church work” that he neglects his family and his own health, you do have the right to expect a full-time minister to work full time.
5. Expect him to minister to the entire congregation. This does not mean, however, that he and his family cannot have some special friends in the congregation.
6. Expect him to be the same person out of the pulpit that he is in the pulpit.
7. Expect him to be a good family man.
Be a Good Listener
The effectiveness of every sermon depends on how well the sermon is prepared and how effectively it is delivered. But it also depends on how well you listen.
Every Sunday there are 250,000 preachers in the pulpits of the churches in the United States who preach about 500 million words to 50 million pairs of ears. While all these words are spoken, not all of them are really heard.
If you want to be a good listener try to pick out the main point the preacher is trying to make and constantly ask: “How does what he is saying apply to me?”
Be an Encourager
Preachers not only need to be encouragers but they need encouragement from us. There are some things you should not do if you want to be an encourager:
1. Don”t be a nitpicker. Nothing is more discouraging than to have members of the church constantly complaining about little things.
2. If you have any complaints or criticisms don”t tell the preacher about them just before the service begins. How can the preacher lead in a joyous service of praise when he has just received a barrage of complaints?
3. Don”t gripe if the service is more than one hour long. The Holy Spirit does not always work on our time schedule.
Some ways that you can be a genuine encourager:
1. Don”t be afraid to let him try new ideas. That new idea may not always work, but it is better to fail trying to do something than to succeed at doing nothing.
2. Remember your preacher on special days: his birthday, the anniversary of his coming to be your preacher, and during October, which has been designated as “Clergy Appreciation Month.”
3. Let him lead. He has been specially trained to lead the congregation. This does not mean he is to call all the shots, but he is to be the person who has a vision of what God wants your church to accomplish.
4. The greatest way you can encourage your preacher is by inviting people to church and by working with him to win them to the Lord.
Pray for Your Preacher
The request Paul made to the church in Ephesus is one that every conscientious preacher makes, “Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel” (Ephesians 6:19).
Pray that God will give your preacher courage to speak boldly, patience when confronted by complaining members, humility when he is complimented, strength to resist temptation, and wisdom to bring the messages we need.
Love Him to Death
You have a right to expect your preacher to love you, and he has a right to expect you to love him. You may not agree with everything he says but still you are to love him. He may do some dumb things, he may make some mistakes, he may fail to do some things you think he should do, but still you are to love him.
Robert J. Tinsky is a retired minister who lives in Tavares, Florida.
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