** Note: This is a revised version of the charge to the congregation that I provided at the installation service for Pastor Daniel Miller on Friday, June 20, 2025.**

This summer is a significant season in the life of Harvest Orthodox Presbyterian Church. It is a time of change. Some of that change may make us nervous. Other aspects of that change are exciting and momentous. At the forefront of those changes is the decision of the congregation to call two men to join the pastoral staff of our congregation: Daniel Miller and Eddie Mercado. God has provided two men who have been gifted and equipped to preach God’s Word, care for God’s people, and lead in God’s church.

The occasion of these men joining our pastoral staff prompts us to ask the question: what duties do congregants have toward their pastors? Clearly, we recognize, there are some duties that we have toward the men whom our congregation calls to serve as pastors. When Harvest called me, you promised me “in the discharge of [my] duties all proper support, encouragement and obedience in the Lord” along with certain financial provision that would free me to serve our church and my family appropriately. With gratitude, I can say that you have been faithful in keeping these promises.

Part of the biblical basis for these promises comes from Hebrews 13:17, “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.”

The author of Hebrews makes the point that churches that make ministry a miserable task for their leaders are guilty of self-sabotage. It is true that some pastors are more temperamentally prone to discouragement and others inflict misery upon themselves; but Hebrews 13 suggests that churches ought to care for the joy—the happiness—of their pastor.

Why? Because a miserable pastor—a pastor who never knows the winds of encouragement in his sails but only the headwinds of opposition at his face—is rarely an effective one. He will come to hospital visits beaten down. He will struggle in the study as he prepares sermons for Sunday. This, says Hebrews, is not beneficial to you!

This really isn’t about your pastor. Not first of all. It’s not even about you. This is about what God wants to see done in you which is promoted by effective (and joyful) pastors.

Therefore, I want to suggest to you another biblical duty that congregations have toward their pastors: care for your pastor’s joy.

How does a congregation conduct itself so that a pastor may minister with joy? Do you give your pastor a nice Christmas present? Give him the best parking spot? No. Hebrews says, in part, this involves obedience to your pastors and elders in the Lord and submission to them. This doesn’t mean the pastor should always get his way or that he’s always right (certainly not!), but there is a deference toward biblical leadership. When your pastors minister according to the Word, obey them.

But the recipe for a joyful pastor—a pastor who is beneficial to your own soul—is more than that! If we turn to the ministries of the apostles, we can see what brought joy to those men who were serving in positions of leadership in the church. We can see how the congregations of early Christians refreshed those in spiritual authority over them and enhanced the ministries of those tasked with caring for their souls.    

Here are five ingredients from the New Testament for a joyful pastor whose ministry will bless and benefit you:

1. Cling to the Word Steadfastly. Paul, writing to the Colossians, says that he rejoices to hear the report of their “good order and the firmness of [their] faith in Christ” (Col. 2:5). The heart of a faithful pastor wants nothing more than to see those entrusted to his care believing in and submitting to God’s Word. The apostle John puts it emphatically, “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth” (3 John 4).
   
   A congregation that esteems God’s Word, believes the gospel, and is serious about walking in the truth will comfort a pastor’s anxious heart and bring him great joy. He will be able to say of you before the Lord, “These people are my joy, my glory!” (1 Thess. 2:19).
2. Partner Together Eagerly. Paul tells the Philippians that he makes his prayers with joy for them because of their persistent partnership in the gospel (Phil. 1:3-7). The work of pastoral ministry can be overwhelming and discouraging at times. A pastor’s life can revolve around people and yet, I have met pastors who are some of the loneliest people I know. What a gift it is when other believers roll up their sleeves and take up the work of ministry alongside their pastor! When they give their time, their prayers, they financial support because they are eager to see the gospel advance.
   As Daniel and Eddie come onboard to support, direct, and equip the ministries of our congregation, jump in alongside them.
   
3. Embrace Humility Gladly. Paul says to the Philippians, “Complete my joy…” How would you expect someone to complete that thought? Here’s what Paul says: by doing nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility counting others more significant than yourselves. For humility is the necessary soil for peace and unity in the church. A congregation that looks to the selfless sacrifice of Jesus and, by the Spirit, thinks like he does, will be a congregation characterized by unity. And it will be a congregation with a joyful pastor.
   
4. Repent of Sin Quickly. In Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus talks about the joy of the shepherd at the recovery of the wandering sheep (Mt. 18:10-14). We see something of that in Second Corinthians. Paul had previously written to the Corinthians some stern words of correction because of sin in the church. These types of confrontations will cause a good pastor great distress. He mourns sin in himself and in others. He does not love to rebuke or correct.
   But what joy it brings to your pastors when someone considers a word of correction and turns in repentance from sin. When this happens, as pastors, we say with Paul, “I rejoice because whatever grief we may have caused at first, it produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret…” (2 Cor. 7:9-10).
   
5. Encourage One Another. Though Paul has faced many different hardships in his ministry, another thing that brings him joy is when believers refresh one another. 2 Corinthians 7:13, “…we rejoiced still more at the joy of Titus, because his spirit has been refreshed by you all!” Titus came and saw the gospel producing godliness in the Corinthians and it revived his heart and Paul’s heart too.
   
   Writing to Philemon, Paul says, “For I have derived much joy and comfort from your love, my brother, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you.”
   
   No pastor can do all the work of ministry. No pastor should do all the work of ministry. But what an encouragement it is for pastors to hear of members of the body caring for one another, especially without prompting.

Harvest, you care well for your pastors! We are blessed by you! With God’s help, I’m confident that Daniel and Eddie will experience you love and care also. But, to that end, let me charge you: stand firm, jump in, get low, turn around, and reach out.

Stand firm in the gospel.

Jump in to partner in the work of gospel ministry.

Get low in humility that promotes unity in this body.

Turn around, repenting of sin as it occurs.

And reach out to love and refresh one another with gospel encouragement.

In this way, you’ll not only have joyful pastors, but also ones who will better care for your own souls as well.