Pastors are held to a high standard, and they should be. Yet, we must also remember that they and their families have normal decisions to make like other families: where their kids should go to school, what movies they watch, and when and how they vacation. As those in the public eye, pastors (and their families) are constantly reminded that people are onlookers to their life and their life decisions.

Many people recognize the stress and pressure that can build up around people with important jobs. No one is surprised when doctors, lawyers, accountants for large firms, or financial advisors experience stress. High intensity jobs take a toil physically as well as mentally and physiologically on the practitioner and often his or her family.

So while we expect professionals who care for our earthly and temporary health, finances, and legal problems to suffer from work-related stress, why do we forget those who care for our immortal souls? Pastors are prone to high rates of burnout and are not immune to stress-related problems from their work such as anxiety or depression. Here are five ways to support your pastor.

1. Build up your pastor with words of affirmation.

Pastors who love their flocks and truly seek to serve the Lord and faithfully preach his word and care for his flock often spend many hours on sermon preparation. Some pastors preach two different sermons a week, which means two different texts to translate and study, pray over, and seek to explain and apply to their particular congregation.

There isn’t a cookie cutter formula for faithful exegesis. Every text has its own particular challenges and must be prayerfully, thoughtfully, and studiously examined and prepared.

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