Pastor Appreciation Month

October is Pastor Appreciation Month. It is a special time that congregations set aside each year to honor their pastors for the hard work, sacrificial dedication and blessings provided by these special people. It is typically scheduled in October, but can be held at any time that is convenient for the church and the community. It is also important to remember that appreciation, affirmation and prayer support of our spiritual leaders is appropriate throughout the entire year.

Why is Pastor Appreciation so important?

The nature of the service provided by pastors and their families is unique. God has entrusted to them one of the most precious of assignments — the spiritual well-being of His flock. Pastors and their families live under incredible pressures. They are expected to always be available, and to have all the answers we need to keep our own lives stable and moving forward. Those are unrealistic expectations to place on anyone, yet most of us are disappointed when a pastor becomes overwhelmed, lets us down or burns out.

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

Let's appreciate, acknoweldge and affirm what our pastors are doing in advancing the Kingdom of God, support them and pray for them always.

The Power of Prayer to Bring Transformation

Fifteen years ago a series of murders brought fear to the people of Frankston. After a number of murders the police called the community together – but not the churches. Some of the pastors heard about the meeting and decided to meet and pray once a week. The police made no progress in solving the crimes, but after the times of united prayer they brought in a suspect. They had no success in questioning him and were at the point of having to release him. At that point, a junior police officer (a Christian from a local church) was guarding him while the Homicide squad was having a break. He started to pray and sensed God was telling him the man was guilty and some personal information he could not have humanly known. When this young officer told the suspect what God had said the man confessed and the crime solved.

WE ENCOURAGE PASTORS & CHURCHES and INDIVIDUALS TO MEET IN UNITED PRAYER FOR GOD TO BRING TRANSFORMATION AND HIS PEACE TO OUR CITY.

Cornerstone in Dandenong

Don Cameron from Cornerstone Contact Centre, shared with TM a story of how God is at work through networking and uniting people in different groups around Dandenong to reach out to the community. Here goes:

"Working at Cornerstone in Dandenong feeding, clothing, befriending and sharing the gospel with street people has it's own unique form of networking. A Christian group in Doveton rents out homes so they can take in homeless people to share Christ with them. We send people to their homes and put some food in their fridges and lend them our building whenever they need it. The Godsquad asks us to mentor kids they know and they deliver free 'Values For Life' seminars to Church groups we know. We pray with local Church people doing similar stuff to us and give whatever we have to our Christian family in the area (trailers, bedding, mowers etc). Secular agencies are amazed at the seemingly 'underground' network of Christian activity that runs on next to no money but achieves more than government can as we have the Saviour they need (apart from Him we can do nothing)."

Thanks Don for sharing what you are doing in partnership with other Christian groups in reaching out to homeless people and kids in the neighbourhood. Yes we do have the Saviour people need, and this Saviour transforms lives!

When I Gave Up Talking....

During the 40 hour famine last weekend, I went beneath the water, let the world above go on, and gave up talking. The experience was both enriching yet challenging! I spent a fair bit of time praying, as I believe that prayer could be like a canvas of silence, and on it we paint sparely, with no word or sound. Instead of 'talking' to God like I usually do during prayer, I simply spent time with Him, and realised that silence can really be a symphony bathing my ears with God's Presence. No wonder it's been said that silence is golden.

On the other hand, as I looked into the silence, at times I battled with a sea of mutes, which led me to begin thinking about those who don't have a voice in our society. There are so many injustice issues in our world, so many without a voice: the hungry kids in extreme poverty, the women that are trafficked victims, the refugees that have experienced war, the homeless people on the street.

The Father heart of God breaks over His voiceless children. What would our city look like if the voiceless children of God are cared for?