If you’re a parent, and especially a parent of multiple children, you know what an exhausting, thankless job it can be. It seems like someone’s always upset, complaining, or just plain whining about something. And it almost seems like the kids get together and coordinate their timing so you don’t get much of a rest period. But hopefully, at least one day a year when Mother’s Day and/or Father’s Day roll around, your kids show you how much you’re loved and appreciated.

Now imagine doing this week in and week out with 50, 100, 500 or even a thousand kids! That’s the reality of your church pastor. He works tirelessly every week not only preparing to preach God’s word, but also shepherding the people God has entrusted to him. It’s almost like having a church full of kids, because there’s inevitably always someone who’s not happy with the way something’s going at the church, or with the color of the carpet, or the color of the paint, or they think the preaching is too deep or not deep enough, it’s too hot or too cold in church, or the communion bread doesn’t taste good and on and on. Not only is he dealing with that, he’s also counseling his people through major trials in their lives, sin issues, marital problems, loss of loved ones and so on. And he’s doing all of this – usually – on a shoestring budget, and is rarely shown the appreciation he deserves.

That’s why each year, FaithTalk Atlanta hosts the Pastor’s Appreciation Event. We want to take even just one day every year where we simply say…THANK YOU. Thank you to our pastors for putting up with our constant whining and complaining and ungratefulness week in and week out. Thank you for, as Peter puts it, “shepherd(ing) the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock.” (1 Peter 5:2-3) We want to help show our pastors how much we truly love and appreciate all that they do for us. They pour out week after week, so we want to strive to pour back into them – if even for one day.

This year’s Pastor’s Appreciation Event is taking place Thursday, October 11th at the Atlanta Marriott Alpharetta and will feature an encouraging message from Dr. Robert Jeffress, Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas. Why not encourage your pastor to take a day of respite, refreshment and re-charging? You can sign up to attend this year’s event by clicking here. Join with FaithTalk Atlanta and 104.7 The Fish in showing your pastor how much you love and appreciate them!