Serve, Share & Shine - Act 5

Saturday, August 7th

Soul Sisters, welcome to ACT 5! Over the next two weeks, we will focus on SERVING, SHARING & SHINING for those who have dedicated their lives to ministry-our ministers, pastors, priests and Christ-centered leaders.

At different times, they are called upon to be a teacher, healer, judge, social worker, editor, philosopher, entertainer, salesperson, a trade person for church building repairs, and they are supposed to be a scholar. They visit the sick, they marry people, they bury the dead, they comfort those who are sad, they help those who fall into sin and through all this try to stay calm when faced with criticism. They plan programs, appoint committees, spend a considerable amount of time keeping the peace in congregations, they may be members of committees in the community and are often seen as community workers. They truly are “on call” 24 hours a day, seven days a week often breaking away from their own families to help someone in the church through a difficult situation. In between all of this, they prepare sermons and preach them on Sundays and at midweek services. Then after the service, they smile through gritted teeth when someone says to them, “What a great job you have – you only have to work one day a week!” Can you imagine?

God's Word says this:

Hebrew13:7-"Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith."

1 Timothy 5:17- "The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching."

Galatians 6:6- "Those who are taught the word of God should provide for their teachers, sharing all good things with them."

Let's serve up a little love and encouragement...here are some ideas to get you started!

1-Write a note of encouragement with thanksgiving.

2-Drop off an office "surprise" to brighten their day.

3-Pray WITH them and FOR them. Here is a sample prayer you could use: "O Jesus, our great High Priest, hear our humble prayers on behalf of our minsters, pastor and priests. Give them a deep faith, a bright and firm hope and a burning love which will ever increase in the course of their life. In their loneliness, comfort them. In their sorrows, strengthen them. In their frustrations, enlighten them. Be their comfort, be their joy, and be their strength; for your name’s sake. Amen."

4-Give a gift card to a restaurant so they can take their spouse out to a nice dinner. Perhaps offer to babysit if they have young children?

5-If you can be face to face with them, look them in the eyes and say, "What you're doing MATTERS!"

Soul Sisters, let's work together to reach out to help the most generous and loving people in our lives. Let Jesus shine brightly in and through you as you care for the leaders in the church. I bet you have already done some really neat things, would you please share? :)