What’s the best thing we can do for our pastors during Pastoral Appreciation Month in October? Pray? Yes—and then help fulfill those prayers by supporting their leadership.

Let me tell you about two churches in one district where I was pastor. Neither had experienced growth for years. Church #1 embraced change, while church #2 resisted. Church #1 rallied to a shared vision under my leadership, while elders at the other one opposed change or simply held their peace.

What happened? Church #1 began by making Sabbath services friendlier, less formalized. We did nothing radical—just made the service flow worshipfully like a river, singing simple but heartfelt praise songs. The effect was profound. Attendance grew. An assistant secretary of the U.S. Navy, moving to our city after retiring from the Pentagon, went church shopping and chose our congregation. He had known Adventist truth for years, but now his heart was fulfilled in Sabbath worship and fellowship. His presence gave an immediate and dramatic boost to our stature in the community.

Local pastors invited me to pray with them Thursday mornings. They decided to include Seventh-day Adventists in the annual March for Jesus—even moving the event from Sabbath morning to afternoon to accommodate our participation. When an interdenominational praise band formed, I joined. We played for a Christian festival at the local high school, which then invited me to help student leaders and administrators plan the spiritual elements of graduation weekend. We also played for the annual community Easter celebration, where I gave the sermon.

The city ministerial association elected me to become president. Twice I was called upon to mediate squabbles in non-Adventist churches. The pastor of the largest church, previously an enemy of Adventism, offered to sponsor me as a police chaplain. Through him I met the mayor, who invited me to her home for prayer, sought my spiritual counsel on a civic matter, and presented me with a community service award.

Although some pastors might not take the approach I did, all of this happened without compromising our Seventh-day Adventist message or mission. Two pastors became convinced of the Sabbath. One of them, whom I had lunch every week, accompanied me to Toronto so he could attend my seminar presentation at the World Ministerial Convention that preceded the 2000 General Conference Session.

All this Spirit-filled transformation happened for church #1, which doubled in size. Church #2 witnessed that excitement with deep concern. They renewed their commitment to “historic Adventism,” faithful even unto death. For example: someone objected to members greeting each other in their sanctuary, so church leaders spent thousands of potentially evangelistic dollars building a foyer—then announced that from henceforth the sanctuary must become silent. It did, rather like a graveyard. Soon after, the elder who led the battle for church reverence got into a physical altercation involving the police. (Really.) Community relations took another hit when another self-appointed terrorist of the Testimonies complained about the church’s food bank distributing canned soup with chicken. Lay leaders shut down the operation, quickly solving the problem (for the church—too bad for the neighbors, and never mind Christ’s inconvenient commandment to feed the hungry).

All of this generated a different type of community publicity than church #1 enjoyed. While that congregation flourished, church #2 declined.

Why? Both had the same pastor with the same vision. The main difference was local church leaders being willing to work with their pastor for change.

Yes, opposition did arise in church #1, but elders there confronted it. When somebody complained about our praise singing (“Celebration music!”) or our participation in the city’s March for Jesus (“Collaborating with Babylon!”), or about my putting a simple wooden cross on the platform (“Catholicism!”), other leaders spoke up for me. They also defended me speaking at the community Easter celebration (“Don’t worry—he’s not glorifying the Easter bunny.”). These courageous elders protected me like football linemen guarding their beloved quarterback. Whereas at church #2 I got sacked frequently, leaders in church #1 provided protection to run a powerful offense against the devil. We moved the ball together, scoring early and often for God’s kingdom.

Bottom line: If you want to do something nice during Pastoral Appreciation Month, then appreciate your pastors enough to support them when attacked. Even if you can’t agree with them in everything, you can pray for them—and then work together in positive new ways.

The following is an editorial in the October issue of Outlook magazine.