Pastors, Here's to You

Here's to you, pastor, for everything you do and everything you endure. (Lightstock )

Here's to the pastors:

The ones you've never heard of.
The custodians of 30 million secrets for 30 million heavy souls.
Those worn down by time and place.
Walking, no, limping beside those they are pushing toward glory.

Here's to the pastors who, with futures uncertain, mark their days by tasks largely unseen.

To the ones who serve churches with stories rarely told.
No invitations to speak.
Or write.
And without worry.

For while they are happy some comrades are lifted toward public gaze, their eye is on the long play.

Here's to the pastors, targets of endless critiques by small souls.

From people they are called to love.
From people they call their friends.
From those called to pray for them.
From 100,000 Judases who have walked under the fountains of healing, grace and time.

Taking the darkness in stride, they know if seats were switched, the tempter's hand would surely touch them too.

Here's to the pastors who with muffled doubts and gnawing sin still find the courage to stand up among us.

To ascend the steps.
And to remind us of hope.
To believe for us, long past when we stopped believing in ourselves.

Who, while being neither trite nor resigned, find the strength every week to tell us the ancient story.

Of another time and place.
When demons fled souls left ajar by the touch of a hand.
When tombs held no power.

Here's to the pastors, the ones who are there.

In hospitals, when new life comes running towards us.
Who stand with us in the waters of holy delight, changed.
At graduations.
And celebrations.
Cup in hand and story to be told, about when we were young.
And at gravesides, holy book in hand, howling with holy laughter as the secret is finally revealed. "The old are not gone," they tell us. "They've just learned how to dance."

To the pastors who are there:

With us
Beside us
In the background
Faithful

Brian Jones is the founding senior pastor at Christ's Church of the Valley, a church that has grown from 0 to 2,000-plus people in the northwest suburbs of Philadelphia. His personal passion is to encourage and coach fellow senior pastors in the trenches. He is the author of several books including Second Guessing God and Hell Is Real (But I Hate to Admit It). Connect with Brian at seniorpastorcentral.com or on Twitter @brianjonesblog.

For the original article, visit pastors.com.

Get Spirit-filled content delivered right to your inbox! Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.

Dr. Mark Rutland's

National Institute of Christian Leadership (NICL)

The NICL is one of the top leadership training programs in the U.S. taught by Dr. Mark Rutland. If you're the type of leader that likes to have total control over every aspect of your ministry and your future success, the NICL is right for you!

FREE NICL MINI-COURSE - Enroll for 3-hours of training from Dr. Rutland's full leadership course. Experience the NICL and decide if this training is right for you and your team.

Do you feel stuck? Do you feel like you’re not growing? Do you need help from an expert in leadership? There is no other leadership training like the NICL. Gain the leadership skills and confidence you need to lead your church, business or ministry. Get ready to accomplish all of your God-given dreams. CLICK HERE for NICL training dates and details.

The NICL Online is an option for any leader with time or schedule constraints. It's also for leaders who want to expedite their training to receive advanced standing for Master Level credit hours. Work through Dr. Rutland's full training from the comfort of your home or ministry at your pace. Learn more about NICL Online. Learn more about NICL Online.