Hebrews 13:17 declares: "Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they watch over your souls as those who must give an account. Let them do this with joy and not complaining, for that would not be profitable to you." In other words, don't take your church leaders for granted. Instead, bring joy to their life by the way you treat them.

In light of this, here are five quick ideas to bless your pastor(s) this week:

1. Send him a handwritten note of appreciation. Be sure to mention specific ways he has influenced your life for Christ. Most pastors have no idea if they are making a difference and would be thrilled to receive such a note.

2. Gather a small group of people to pray over him before a Sunday service. There is nothing more reassuring prior to preaching than to know that your congregation is praying for you. It reminds him that he is not preaching to adversaries, but rather to fellow believers wanting to join him in hearing the Word of the Lord.

3. Talk positively behind his back. The temptation to gossip about church leadership is strong. One way to defeat it is to be proactive in speaking positively about the pastor. This can preclude gossip and encourage others to appreciate the leadership God has provided.

4. Ask him questions about the sermon. Most pastors spend hours preparing a sermon. After they deliver it, they wonder whether people understood, learned and responded. When people ask questions about the sermon (in love, of course) it lets the pastor know that his labor was not in vain and that he made a connection. To know that a sermon sparked conversation is high praise.

5. Be active in your role. Pastors often feel alone. Many times, they are overworked because everything is left to them. However, when members use their gifts and skills to participate in the ministry of the church the pastor receives needed help and an emotional boost.

Pastors are constantly blessing the lives of their congregation. Don't forget that the Bible expects the congregation to also be a blessing to the life of the pastor.

After serving in campus ministry at the University of Central Arkansas and coordinating student conferences for the Department of Church Ministries from 2000-2005, Scott Attebery pastored Wyatt Baptist Church in El Dorado, Arkansas. In 2008, Scott's wife, Jill, passed away in an automobile accident. He recalls, "God used our Church to be Christ to my family and me during that time." After seven years of pastoring, Scott was selected as the executive director of DiscipleGuide Church Resources, a department of the Baptist Missionary Association of America. Scott's most important ministry is to his son, Bryce. They love to play in the backyard and cheer for the Razorbacks together. Scott holds a bachelor of arts in Bible from Central Baptist College, a Master's of Divinity from the BMA Theological Seminary, and is a candidate for Doctorate of Ministry from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. You can read his blog at scottattebery.com.

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