BY BONITA JOYNER SHIELDS
HE CHAIRPERSON'S INSTRUCTIONS were simple: If we had $1
million, what would we do with it--for ourselves? We weren't to be the model
pastor/teacher/parent/committee member and respond with, "Well, first I'd
give 90 percent of it to charity, or to the church, or to . . ." Giving
to worthy causes was a given; we were to state what we would do for ourselves.
Even adults can't seem to follow instructions sometimes. Several
people still seemed to feel guilty about doing/buying something for themselves,
and elaborated on their worthy causes. I took my assignment seriously, however,
and stated that if I had $1 million I would get a massage every week for the
rest of my life. (My shoulders sure could use one right now as I'm writing this
article!)
In the week following that committee meeting, I received a gift
certificate for a massage from a church member who sat on that committee.
Undoubtedly, that was a generous gift. But it wasn't the cost
of the gift that touched me so. It was that she listened to my desire,
and she thoughtfully chose a gift that she knew would be meaningful—for
me.
In preparing for this article, I wanted to give our readers
more than a "To-Do List" of ways to encourage your pastor—though
they are helpful at times. I wanted to share with you some firsthand testimonies
of those things that have touched pastors' lives. So I decided to contact a
handful of pastor colleagues, and others who have contact with pastors, from
around the globe. The assignment: Write one paragraph sharing the most (or
one of the most) encouraging or special gift(s) that a church member gave you—tangible
or intangible.
Besides the surprise I experienced at the number of responses
I received, I was also amazed at the amount of responses that dealt with the
intangible gifts of encouragement. Of course, none of us would argue that we
would thoroughly enjoy being in pastors Martin Weber and Tim Goff's shoes when
a church member conferred on both of them new cars! (Tim would like to make
it clear that this gift was not purchased through the church budget, and the
conference leadership was in full support of the gift!) Neither would we quarrel
about the "almost houseful" of beautiful furniture given to another
pastor. But for those church members who do not have the means to give gifts
of this monetary stature, please realize that while these gifts are appreciated
beyond measure, they are not necessary to encourage your pastor. Of the responses
that I received, the intangible spoke the last word.
Traveling With Friends
Charles Tapp, pastor of the Seabrook church in Lanham, Maryland, U.S.A., remembers
a church member and a car, but not exactly for the same reasons as Weber and
Goff do.
Pastor Tapp recalls, "I recently underwent surgery for
a ruptured Achilles tendon. Following the surgery I had to undergo weeks of
physical therapy. To add insult to injury, just two weeks following surgery,
I was in an automobile accident in which I was struck by a moving van while
I was sitting at a red light. Now because of my new injuries, I had to receive
additional physical therapy. Because my wife was unable to take me to my appointments
because of her work schedule, an elder in my church volunteered to transport
me to and from my appointments for several weeks until I was able to go it alone.
And if that wasn't enough, he remained with me until the end of each session.
Now, I'm not sure how much the gasoline cost for those many trips, or the fees
for the parking garage, but I do know the value of this gift: priceless!"
The best gift that Abel Pangan, senior pastor of Mission College
church in Thailand, received was a traveling alarm clock accompanied by a beautiful
appreciation card. Pastor Pangan states, "It is treasured because the one
who gave it was not earning much, but he chose a very useful gift that I carry
around whenever I have traveled during the past seven years. It carries a message
that is so meaningful."
The Power of Words
It has been said that "sticks and stones may break my bones, but words
will never hurt me." However, I'd like to revise that myth: "Sticks
and stones may break my bones, but words can break my spirit."
While that proverb is spoken regarding the negative effects
of words, it goes without saying that the positive effect of words well spoken
can heal the spirit. "Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue
of the wise brings healing" (Prov. 12:18, NIV).
Chek Yat Phoon, ministerial secretary of the Southeast Asia
Union Mission, shares the most important gift that he has received. "One
of my members told me that I am forgiving and forgetful: forgiving him of the
hurtful words he said to me, and forgetting that I have heard such words."
Pada Tarasapanan, a chaplain at Bangkok Adventist Hospital,
and a pastor in training, states that "every time I preach, the most important
things church members give to me are encouragement and support."
Matthew Yuen, pastor of the Singapore Chinese church, appreciates
it when his members "contribute suggestions that are constructive, practical,
and realistic for building up the body of Christ."
Gifts of the Heart
As a parent swells with pride and gratitude when they witness their children
loving each other and working together, so the heart of a pastor does the same
as he or she witnesses the unity of their spiritual children.
Dan Shafer, pastor of the Hampton Roads church in Hampton, Virginia,
U.S.A., shares the gifts of the heart that his members give to him. "In
our years of pastoring, my wife, Lillie, and I have received many wonderful
and thoughtful gifts, tangible and intangible; and they have all touched our
hearts and helped to mold our ministry. But the one closest to our hearts today
is the warm spirit of love and unity, genuine support, caring and encouragement,
and a passion to work with us in soul winning that is demonstrated daily and
freely given to us by the members of the Hampton Roads Seventh-day Adventist
Church."
My Yoke Is Easy (except for the backache!)
While pastoring in St. Louis, Illinois, U.S.A., in the early fifties, Jack Anders
remembers a woman whose husband used to give his wife a difficult time about
attending church and tithing.
One day the husband was drilling a well for water. He had to lift a heavy weight
onto a pulley and drop a pipe into the ground. The couple had no children and
no one to help him.
Jack showed up on Sunday and helped him. Jack recalls, "I was just 40 years
old at the time, but the job was backbreaking—all day we worked until we
reached the water level. I went home with a super backache!"
The next Sabbath the man was in church with his wife. He said
that he had believed pastors were sissies, but Jack changed his mind.
The gift? The man kept attending, and Jack had the privilege
of baptizing him.
"That was the gift!"
The Gift That Made a Difference
Brian Jones, communication director for the Mountain View Conference in West
Virginia, U.S.A., shared an incident that he thought might seem "very mundane
from the perspective of the ordinary reader." But I believe it speaks volumes
about one thing that can encourage pastors more than anything else.
"A couple of weeks ago I visited with a member up a bumpy
West Virginia hollow. I did the unprofessional thing of dropping by without
an appointment. It just so happened that after visiting other church members
in my six-county district I had the time to see him and, certainly, the desire.
Because of the convoluted topography and serpentine roads, cell phones are virtually
useless in this territory, thus making last-minute phone calls for unscheduled
visits inconvenient. So, up his trail my little daughter and I went. I turned
and knocked on his door. He looked both surprised and pleased to see us. As
it happened, our visit was timely because of a special need in his life.
"After our pleasant visit, I apologized again for dropping
by unexpectedly. He smiled and said to me with genuine cordiality and understanding,
'Don't worry about that, Pastor. You have three congregations to take care of,
and in addition to your extensive duties throughout the conference. Don't feel
you have to call ahead. Just come by any time you care to.'
"Those words of affirmation and appreciation were more
encouragement to me than if I had been given a bonus check. He understood, and
that made all the difference."
_________________________
Bonita Joyner Shields is an assistant editor of the Adventist Review.
