AT NEWLIFE BAPTIST CHURCH, IJOKO OTA OGUN STATE
Titled:- Appreciation: A Challenge to Do More
Text: Hebrews 13:7, 1Timothy 5:17, 18
By: Rev. G.S Adeyemo Date: 22/11/2014Definition:
There are three (3) Components of Appreciation namely:
Recognition
Admiration
Compensation
Appreciation recognizes the good qualities in someone, admires them and consequently compensates the efforts invested in reaching such level.
How do you recognize, admire and compensate those who have performed and laboured so much in your midst as people of God?
Recognition: the Bible commands us to recognize those who are preaching and teaching the word of God in our midst. “The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching. 18 For the Scripture says, "Do not muzzle the ox while it is treading out the grain," and "The worker deserves his wages." (1 Timothy 5:17,18)
Recognition is the action or process of identification of a person from previous encounter or knowledge. People of God should begin to recognize, recount, and recall the good that ministers of God does in our midst.
Biblical Accounts of People who were given such recognition.
Demetrius 3John12, Centurion, Luke 7:9, Matthew 25:12 well done passage; Luke 12:37; 1 Sam. 25:32-33; 2Sam. 10:29; Romans 13:7. Gen. 41:39-41, Ex.2:11-21 Mordecai was recognized, admired and compensated for unveiling the plot against the King. Esth. 6:1-11.
Admiration Calls for Embrace. You accept the person for who he/she is. You focus on the good, strength and profits/gains in the life of a person. Talk about good things your leaders do instead of concentrating on those things he could not do well. Nigerians are too quick to catalogue the weaknesses of their leaders. Baptist people let us not be so carnal as the people of the world do. It is time we realize that pastors are not superhuman. They have blood and waters and cater for relations too. I am not promoting recklessness and abuse of this sacred office but to challenge us to help leaders do better rather than running down your leaders.
Commend him and speak well of him before others. Help him do things he cannot do well. That is why we have workers around him. Use your office or gifts to lift him up and not to set traps for him. Those who set ambush for Servants of God cannot excel in life, because it brings curses upon himself. Remember, Dathan, Korah and Abiram in the Book of Numbers. Servants of God are representatives of God not employees of the Church. They deserve best treatment not because they are angels but for the sake of whom they represent. The Lord says, "I give to the Levites all the tithes in Israel as their inheritance in return for the work they do while serving at the Tent of Meeting.” Numbers 18: 21.
Churches deprive themselves of open heaven when they always think we don’t have enough to appreciate servants of God. Ezekiel 44:30 Oprah Winfrey said “Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never ever have enough”
Compensation. Appreciation is different from salary and wages. Those are reward for services rendered. But appreciation is going extra mile to giving gifts to the people of God. Paul talked about the Macedonian Christians how they gave not just what they have but more than that. Baptist people should stop seeing minister of God as employee. He is an overseer of souls day and night. Members can be going to see relatives anytime or celebrate Xmas with parents and friends.
No pastor goes for Christmas or Esther celebration. Even when on leave he is busy pronouncing benedictions, making consultation and contribution whenever he is sighted at any service.
Churches do look away from condition of service when it states benefits for pastors but search and apply to letter when they want to punish them.
Get copies of the Condition of Service for the Nigerian Baptist Convention workers. Read and fulfill roles and responsibilities. Give gifts to your pastor. Send text to appreciate him when he preaches good sermon. Send cards instead of flashing him to call you back.
To appreciate Servant of God is to push him to do more. You buy DSTV for pastor and you don’t recharge it for him, or buy car and not support to care for it. Otherwise you have only created a liability not appreciation. Do something that makes him comfortable so he can do more not to put burden and pressure on him.
Conclusion. Pray with and for him instead of running him down and criticize every move. Remember Miriam and Aron.
“Miriam and Aaron began to talk against Moses because of his Cushite wife, for he had married a Cushite. "Has the Lord spoken only through Moses?" they asked. "Hasn't he also spoken through us?" And the Lord heard this. (Now Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth.) At once the Lord said to Moses, Aaron and Miriam, "Come out to the Tent of Meeting, all three of you." So the three of them came out. Then the Lord came down in a pillar of cloud; he stood at the entrance to the Tent and summoned Aaron and Miriam…The anger of the Lord burned against them, and he left them.” Num12:1-10
Cooperate with him to encourage him and improve interpersonal relationship. Heb. 13:17. May the Lord bless you all in Jesus name.
