Every few weeks I’ll tweet the following: “People, pray for your pastors!” I mostly do it because I need to be reminded to do so, but also because I know how much it means to my pastor friends to know they are prayed for by their people. You can look in any direction today and see churches, leaders, pastors, and flocks crumbling under the weight of sin, failure, financial ruin, and more. Not only do I not want to see that happen at my church, I also don’t want to be ignorant of the pressures on pastors and their families.

But prayer isn’t the only way we can encourage our pastors. Below are some biblical ways we can increase their joy.

1. Be of the same mind.

Every parent knows when his kids are squabbling, there’s no peace. How much more joy is there when we, out of selfless ambition, decide to be of the same mind? There is an intentional choice we must make at times to bite our tongues or not prove ourselves right. We shouldn’t ignore injustice, of course, but sometimes family means submitting ourselves to one another. Paul said it would “complete [his] joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” Seeing this “others-centeredness” encourages pastors profoundly.

2. Count them worthy.

Paul spoke to Timothy about the worth of double honor. Double honor isn’t exactly what our generation likes to give to anyone. We indulge in celebrity, where we drink every drop from gold-tipped lips, or we fall on the other side, cautious and suspect of every leader.

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