Supporting church leaders

If the elders and pastors are to labour among you for your spiritual good, well, then you are to support that work and eagerly devote yourself to receiving and benefiting from the labour of your spiritual leaders. That means that church members should open their lives to the ministry of pastors and elders—regularly, for instance, attending worship services and other activities, coming to pastors and elders for counsel when important and difficult decisions need to be made. I have long noted the difference between the person who comes to you after they have made an important decision, asking you to pray that it would work, versus the person who comes to you before. Usually it is whether they want to be governed by biblical decision-making or not. It is very encouraging to a pastor or elder when someone says, I have to make a big decision. Would you, my pastor—would you, my elder—help me to pray about it and consider Scripture? That is very encouraging. It is quite another to say, Oh, I have done so and so. What do you think of it? It is a little too late at that point, in many cases. And so we should seek biblical advice and prayer. Also, when there is needed change in our lives, we are to come to our shepherds for that.

Above all, church members should open their minds and hearts to the faithful preaching of God’s Word. If Christians are served by pastors and elders who are labouring hard for their well-being, how important it is that they should make every effort to benefit from those vitally important labours. I always say, the most encouraging words to me on a Sunday morning after the service are not, Good job, Pastor, but, Pastor, I would like you to meet the neighbour I have invited to church. Another statement that is very encouraging to me is when someone comes to me and says, I want to share with you how I was really helped, and how something that came out of your pulpit ministry persuaded me of what God was calling me to do from his Word, and I followed through. And here is how it has blessed my life. That is what pastors and elders are looking for—not just merely kudos on our performance.¹

Richard D. Phillips