October is Pastor Appreciation month. As a servant ministry with and for the local church, The Cross Current sincerely thanks God for the sacrifice and service that every elder and pastor faithfully makes for His flock.

Also, as a pastor myself, I’d like us to prayerfully consider the question: How can we all express our love for the leaders of our churches? A card is good! A public thank-you is good! Do those. But maybe we can also think beyond just October 2026 for a minute?

Scripture tells the church to say it.

“Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching” (1 Timothy 5:17). Double honor is not flattery. It is the church noticing a man who is actually doing the work, and treating that work as worthy of respect, care, and open thanks. If he labors in the word, say so. Out loud. To him.

Hebrews says the same thing from the other side. “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” (Hebrews 13:17). He will give an account for your soul. You can make that watch a joy, or you can make it a groan. A groaning pastor is no advantage to the church. An encouraged one is.

Remember, this is not about appreciating an employee. This is about brotherhood in Christ.  He is the one who gives shepherds to the church, in the same sentence as every other gift, for the building up of the body (Ephesians 4:11–12). Your pastor is in this with you. Same Lord. Same body. Jesus prayed that His people would be one, so that the world may believe (John 17:21). The divided house cannot preach the united Christ. The world will know you belong to Jesus by how you love one another (John 13:35). That includes how you love the man who watches over you. 

So this month, write the note. Say the thanks in person. Pray for him by name, and tell him you did. Feed his family if you can. Ask what is heavy before you tell him what is wrong. Count him your brother, not your employee.

And remember where both of you are going.

Paul asks the church a hard question. “Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God… So then each of us will give an account of himself to God” (Romans 14:10, 12).

All of us. Not only the pastor. Hebrews already said he will give an account for the souls he watches. Romans says you will give an account for yourself. Same seat. Same Lord. The brother you were tempted to measure, and the brother who was tempted to measure you, will stand there together.

That changes the thank-you.

Dan Anderson serves The Cross Current in establishing and developing supportive relationships with leadership teams (pastors/elders) in partner churches. Dan has served as a pastor in Ontario and BC for many years and is currently serving as pastor of Pinery Church in Grand Bend, Ontario. He has a passion to bring God’s word to life in everyday life and to equip the church to reach their friends and family with the truth of the gospel. Dan and his wife Carolyn have three adult children, Bobby (Karissa), Joshua (Alyssa) and Sydney (Shea).