YOU CAN SERVE GOD BY ENCOURAGING THE LEADERS HE HAS CALLED

BIBLE PASSAGE:
So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, 
the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, 
so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity 
in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become 
mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. 
(Ephesians 4:11-13)

MEDITATION:
For believers, there is great news - Christ calls ALL people 
to be a part of His earthly ministry. 
Some are called to serve in a specific capacity designed to unite, 
encourage, and help with the spiritual growth of His followers.

How does He decide which ones are called to be pastors, 
missionaries and teachers.
That is an easy question to answer – we don’t know!
But He does, 
and thank goodness for the ones who answer His call to serve in this way.

If we are not careful, we will get the idea that this group of people 
are unusual, but they are not.
They are normal people with normal problems just like us.
They have happy times, sad times, times of feeling alone, 
times of needing encouragement, etc.
The sincerely dedicated ones pour their heart and soul into what they are 
doing for the Lord, and at times it can briefly drain them of their energy.

Imagine for a moment that you have to create a presentation of some kind 
for work, for a social event, or in some other capacity.
Think about the time and energy you need to spend on putting it together.
You want it to be effective, comprehensive, informative, 
and in some cases, spur the listeners to some kind of action.

At the same time, you want it to be accurate (which requires research), 
and you would like to communicate ‘the message’ in a positive way 
without being offensive, if possible.
Although it will require a lot of effort on your part, 
you do it because you know it is important.

A pastor has these kinds of ‘projects’ 2-3 times a week (maybe more).
Missionaries have weekly and daily challenges 
to be met away from their homeland.
Teachers dedicate themselves 
to preparing and presenting at least once a week, if not more.

In all cases, this does not happen without personal sacrifices.
It requires spending time alone with the Lord and His Word 
at the expense of spending that same time with their families and friends.
But they do it, because they know it is important 
and because Christ has called them to serve in this manner.

Some people tend to believe that they have not been called to serve, 
but all believers are called to serve in some capacity.
There are many ways we are called to be supportive of pastors, missionaries 
and teachers, and to list them all would be very lengthy, 
but here are just a few:

WE NEED TO PRAY FOR THEM OFTEN:
They are normal people like us, which means they too are being assaulted 
with the temptations of pride, laziness and lust, among other things. 
Being in a leadership position is not only tiring, 
but it can also create feelings of loneliness at times. 
Leaders need friends to laugh with, to cry with, and some who are 
confidential friends with whom they can openly discuss any personal 
or spiritual concerns they might have along their own spiritual journey.

WE NEED TO ENCOURAGE THEM FREQUENTLY:
Tell them how a message has spoken to you or someone you know.
Tell them how you are growing as a Christian.
Attend services and bible study sessions 
(so there will be someone to listen to what God has given them 
to communicate - absenteeism can be very discouraging).
Invite others to attend with you (this is a valuable area of service).
From time to time, let them know how much you appreciate their efforts.

IF THEY ARE MARRIED, ENCOURAGE THEIR WIVES AND FAMILY:
Their families are a part of their ministry as well.
Without the support and encouragement from their own family, 
a leader can become discouraged and begin to question 
what they are trying to do for the Lord.
Let their family members know how much you appreciate what their spouse 
and father is doing, and how much you appreciate their support for him.
Pray for them - tell them you are praying for them.
Extend an offer to help in any way if needed.

ACTION:
If you are in doubt about how the Lord wants you to serve, 
support those who are actively serving until 
He reveals another specific area for you to serve.
Supporting and encouraging others 
could be the specific area of service for you.
It is an important ministry that encourages those in leadership positions 
to continue their efforts to unite the body of Christ 
and promote spiritual growth.

Pray,
“Heavenly Father, help me to realize the importance of encouraging others 
You have called to serve. Teach me how to do it with diligence as an act 
of serving You. If there are additional areas where You want me to serve, 
I pray that you would make them clear to me and give me the determination 
and dedication to serve with all of my heart and soul. Thank You for those 
You have called in the area of leadership. I pray that You will protect and 
encourage them in their efforts.”

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