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For Those Who Love Ministers

Who pastors the pastor? We do!

The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching.

– 1 Timothy 5:17, NIV

Dear Ministry Board or Minister Supporter,

Thank you for the role you play in Christ’s Kingdom work in the world, particularly in providing support and guidance to pastors, missionaries, and other ministers under your care. You are a key part of God’s plan for their well-being. As someone who cares deeply for the vitality of Christian workers, I am grateful for you.

As you think about how to best steward resources for the Kingdom, I want to encourage you to consider your minister’s overall health (physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual) as you would any other valuable asset you are responsible for.If you own the proverbial “church van,” do you wait until you run it out of oil, the brake pads are gone, and it’s borderline unsafe to do maintenance?  Of course not, if you’re a good steward.  That would be cheaper in the short run, but not in the long run.  Important things should always be planned to last over the long run. You know that, so you keep up with routine maintenance so that the van gives you top performance in the moment you need it and doesn’t end with a catastrophic failure when people are relying on it. That, beloved, is a parable. If your missionary’s or pastor’s health were a church van, what condition is it in right now? 

 Have you ever wondered who pastors the pastor?

When you and I lay down for the night, we may be burdened with cares of family, work, finances, and life.  When a pastor’s head hits the pillow, it is with these same cares, but also multiplied by each sheep in his or her flock. On top of that, ministers often battle fierce spiritual warfare, extremely tight finances, all while leading a mostly volunteer team and sometimes a troubled congregation or leadership structure. 

Missionaries are the same but deal with additional cross-cultural difficulties, including communication barriers, distance from families, loneliness, and travel complexities.

From experience, Katie and I humbly say pastoring is the hardest and most important job in the world.  In this hectic, broken world longing for its King to come, sometimes ministers or missionaries need a place to slow down, reconnect with God, and in some cases have a skillful counselor to help them restore perspective, heal hurts, and have their strength renewed. 

LeaderServe is our ministry to lavish the love of God on the servants of God so that they can be refreshed to better fulfill the call of God on their lives. We provide a safe harbor to process the pressures of ministry. We invite you to explore leaderserveministry.org  and see what we offer ministers who come for a Refreshment Retreat in our private guest suite.

You can help!

Our goal is to create long term relationships with ministers and their spouses. We want to help them not only get through one tough season but also come alongside them proactively to thrive through all the seasons they experience. 

Our most strategic offering is to partner with the ministry couple and you, as their board or a key supporter, to build a “three-fold cord”(Ecclesiastes 4:9-12). Support Team for your minister’s holistic health.  What does this look like?

You invest in your church or mission staff by committing $100 per month to their long-term well-being through LeaderServe.  Here’s what you get that $1200 annual partnership:

  1. An annual 3-5 night Refreshment Retreat for the minister you support, including first class room, board, amenities and counseling/coaching (if desired)
  2. Ongoing access for your minister and spouse to grow in self-care
  3. Ongoing education on how to appreciate and support the ministers in your organization or life
  4. Access to skilled counselors to help with Conflict Resolution, Pastor/Board Relationship, Leadership Coaching or other situations where a mature, third party could help provide insight.
  5. For $1200 per year, you’re also scholarshipping another minister to come for 3 nights without hardship cost. As you might imagine, there are many pastors and missionaries who are unable to fund a retreat.  We do everything we can to accommodate all who need refreshment.  Your partnership allows us to offer first class service and amenities to those who don’t have a support network.

I believe a Refreshment Retreat with LeaderServe could be the most life-giving gift your pastor gets this year.  We know you may not feel you know enough about the value of a $100 per month partnership to commit to that yet.  For $600, you can send your minister and spouse for a 3 night retreat and both of you decide after that.

Be Refreshed,

David & Katie Reid

Want to partner with us to refresh your minister? Scroll down to see your next steps.

Next Steps

  1. Tell your pastor, missionary, or other minister that you are giving then a Refreshment Retreat.  Make it a big deal.  Write them a personal note or present it to them in front of the congregation along with some words of appreciation. Don’t leave out their spouse. Giving them positive recognition will be balm for their souls…and yours.
  2. Reach out to us to with any questions or concerns. You’ll find lots of information about our approach at LeaderServeMinistry.org  but we’d be honored to schedule a video conference or phone call with you or the whole board to learn and show how we can best serve where you are. 
  3. Start your monthly gift of $100 on the website under “Give”. Put your organization and contact info in your signup. Alternatively, give $600 to just do one retreat.  You can decide whether to continue our partnership after your ministry couple’s retreat.
  4. Have your minister fill out the form at “Book Your Refreshment Retreat” below. He or she can find personalized info on the website and reach out to us with questions.