Honor?

This isn’t for preachers - it’s for elders and other members of the church.
“My blog audience” is very, well, very varied. There are a large number of “our” folks at Spring Meadows who read it and then many preachers and elders from across our great brotherhood. This is going to be very hard to write without being self-serving yet knowing elders and leaders across the country read this blog and come to it for info I need to write about this topic. Let me simply say for 23 years now I have been paid better than I feel I deserve and have never complained about what I receive as far as support. I have been and am blessed. I do not preach for money, but I am paid. If I preached for money I would have taken any number of jobs I have been offered making two times or more than I presently make. So this is not about me or any want or need that I have but it is something that a lot of our brethren do need. I’ve never met the preacher who believed anything but that his reward was in heaven, but we are Bible people and the book is clear that we should in the here and now give honor to whom honor is due. So with that disclaimer here goes:
The call came from the deacon over finances at an area congregation who’s minister was celebrating a milestone with the congregation. The elders love their preacher and want to keep him and to show him their love for his work in the Kingdom. “What can we do to express our appreciation and encourage him to stay in this work?”
You asked - here’s what I think of:
-a letter writing campaign. The truth is few ministers go into this work for the money. In fact with Kirk Brothers’ PhD work interviewing nearly 600 young men who have chosen to work in ministry he found that of 26 possible reasons for going into ministry, to make money was number 26. So, what would mean more than money? A card, a letter - OR better, one from most every member of the congregation. Hey, and you get off cheaper.
-a gift that shows you know him - Does he like to travel? How about a trip for he and his wife? Does he like books? How about a hefty gift card to his favorite book site? Does he like water? How about a hot-tub? (oops that one slipped :)). With these things you’d probably get off cheaper than a percentage raise and it more often than not would man more than that!
-some guys do need a raise. If your preacher is considered full-time and expected to work that way but his family could be on food-stamps, I don’t care how gracious he is, do something about it. Figure it out. Or what about a cost of living raise. If he is making the same he was 2 or 3 years ago, if means, considering inflation, you consider him worth less! I talk to guys regularly who never get a cost of living raise or performance bonus. If you never get those as an elder in your profession fine, but why muzzle the ox? Treat him at least like you’d like to be treated.
-step up bonuses: From most any study conducted the longer the minister has been with the church the more growth that follows. Most every larger congregation has a string of longterm ministers. So, why not plan on at the end of 5 years to give him a 10% bonus? Or at the end of 10 to give him $10,000 as a bonus? Think about it, if he can stay he is probably getting offers to go so give him a reason to think twice before moving.
-Is the budget tight (who’s isn’t?) maybe the neatest thing ever done for us cost the budget nothing. Each member was given a small business sized card and wrote something out they wanted to do for us or bought a gift card - these were all put in a nice business card holder and presented to us. It meant more than money to us!!
-Got a longterm guy, if he has not been to “the Bible lands”, send he and his wife. The church at Roebuck did that for dad and mom and they talked about it forever. The church where another relative preaches send he and his wife on a cruise.
-Or how about something small like a Kindle Reader for Christmas. Or a 1 or 2% bonus at the end of the year - he will probably spend it on others.
-How about thinking a little and giving him a discretionary fund as part of his pay. Not money to spend on himself but to spend on something he believes will help the church.
Not every sermon is grand! At least not all of mine are good - in fact if I bay .500 I’m feeling good! But every sermon helps someone and if you love the gospel and if you love the presenter I’ll assure you he will be better!
Things that meant something to me - the first church we worked full time with gave us a china cabinet, we’ve had it 27 years! A trip to Bible Lands, bonus, (NOT - a form sounding letter in which one of our children’s names was wrong!)...or maybe best - just say a sincere and heartfelt “thanks”.
I pray my heart is pure in this blog. Preachers’ don’t most often ask for anything for themselves so it is often forgotten to show your appreciation to them and I think that is one of the number one reasons preachers get out of preaching.
I know you’ve got stuff you want to say...