pastor appreciates

Here is my top 11 for Pastor Appreciation: (I mean the pastor appreciates the congregation)

1. I appreciate Trinity's present.  I love the assembly of the saints today!  God has provided every needed person to fulfill today's calling.

2. I appreciate Trinity's past.  I love thinking about the myriad of decisions made by prayerful trust in our heavenly Father over the course of 91 years. I love that this is a people who have been renewed by the Holy Spirit, and have had a strong stance on the Word from the beginning.  I am in awe of those who have had their turn in the office I now hold.

3. I appreciate that Trinity includes Ronnie.

4. I appreciate that Trinity is a Lutheran church with a ton of people who would never choose to come to Trinity because of that fact.  Instead they are here because of the real presence of Jesus, and the life-giving community, and because they want to grow and bless with grace!

5. I appreciate you, Trinity for loving my kids, and letting them be kids.  I love that you agree with me that I married up.

6. I appreciate that Trinity folks are wonderful to preach to.  I have never felt like I was under the unforgiving light of critical judges (American Idol--preacher edition), but that most people come longing to hear from God.  You also have been generous to me when I have been "out of season".

7. I appreciate that Trinity has been generous to provide for my family's financial needs.

8. I appreciate that Trinity has not said, "You're crazy" when I talk about church planting.  By the way...

9. I appreciate Trinity's other staff members: rostered and unrostered.  100% servants.  Each of them is multiplying.

10. I appreciate when old people raise their hands in worship, even when Redeemed on 6th and Broadway is leading our song.

11. I appreciate when the young try to outsing the roaring organ.

From Jonathan Parnell on Desiring God

Chances are your church gathering isn't all you want it to be. . . This or that should be different, so and so should talk less, he and she should be on time — and why can't we just get some better aesthetics in here?

Actually, though, this mode of critcism says more about our hearts than it does our local church. Perhaps we've forgotten what the church is. Perhaps we've mistaken it to be just another social club. Or maybe we've confused this gathering to be just another event on the calendar. Or, quite possibly, we've assumed the worship of the Triune God is supposed to meet our consumer wants rather than our greatest needs.

Let Dietrich Bonhoeffer have a word:

If we do not give thanks daily for the Christian fellowship in which we have been placed, even where there is no great experience, no discoverable riches, but much weakness, small faith, and difficulty; if on the contrary, we only keep complaining to God that everything is so paltry and petty, so far from what we expected, then we hinder God from letting our fellowship grow according to the measure and riches which are there for us all in Jesus Christ.

This applies in a special way to the complaints often heard from pastors and zealous members about their congregations. A pastor should never complain about his congregation, certainly never to other people, but also not to God. A congregation has not been entrusted to him in order that he should become its accuser before God and men.

. . . let [the pastor or zealous member] nevertheless guard against ever becoming an accuser of the congregation before God. Let him rather accuse himself for his unbelief. Let him pray God for an understanding of his own failure and his particular sin, and pray that he may not wrong his brethren. Let him, in the consciousness of his own guilt, make intercession for his brethren. Let him do what he is committed to do, and thank God.

Life Together, trans. John W. Doberstein, (New York: HarperOne, 1954), 29, paragraphing mine.

Trinity, I do thank God for you!

I appreciate you-

Love, Nathan