How to Complete your Pastor's Joy

This article was first published in French at TPSG.
 

Do you love your pastor and long to be a blessing to him? In a lesson on unity and humility in Philippians 2, Paul teaches us a simple truth about how to complete the joy of our spiritual leaders.

 

The pandemic has taken its toll on most of us. But pastors and elders have born an especially heavy burden since March 2020. Overnight, they had to become experts in audio and visual technology in order to broadcast their services. They had to take crash courses on platforms they were previously unfamiliar with in order to set up online meetings. And they’ve had to adapt week by week to ever-changing government public health protocols. And most of all, our beloved shepherds, kept from their sheep during numerous lockdowns, have had to find creative ways to both tend to their flocks and to mobilize them to minister to one another. 

 

Unity and Humility in Philippians 2

As a laywoman, the Lord has given me a burden to pray for these servants of God. Then, as I was studying Philippians in preparation for series of collaborative online women’s studies, a profound truth jumped off the page. In the first verses of chapter 2, Paul calls the Church at Philippi to a life of unity and humility, with Christ as the ultimate model of lowliness. 

 

The Indicatives of Union with Christ

In v. 1 of the passage, Paul sets forth four phrases that are to characterize the life of the believer. 

 

So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy…

 

We who were once slaves to sin and incapable of such a life of obedience have now been united to Christ. As believers, this are our inheritance! These are the indicatives of union with Christ.  

 

Christ’s Encouragement and Comfort

What does it mean to have “encouragement in Christ” and “comfort from love”? The Greek term for “encouragement” can also be translated exhortation, appeal, request, comfort, consolation. Paul’s point is that in Christ, we have an obligation to exhort, counsel, or encourage one another. And the phrase “in Christ” points to the authority and power behind this exhortation. 

 

And the following words “comfort from love” provide the grounds for our exhortation. According to one commentator, the word translated “comfort” portrays the Lord coming close and whispering words of gentle cheer or tender counsel in a believer’s ear. What a beautiful picture of the Spirit’s ministry to us, as well as our own ministry to one another!

 

The Spirit’s Partnership and Affection

And “participation in the Spirit” speaks of the bond that we share, which is a gift from the Spirit of God. Like the old song says, “We are one in the bond of love. We have joined our spirit with the Spirit of God.” 

 

Yet this bond or participation, which could also be translated “partnership,” connotes far more than harmonious Sunday morning worship services or potlucks. It speaks of working side by side as Spirit-filled co-combatants for the advancement of the gospel. In fact, partnership in the gospel is a major theme in the book of Philippians. Whether he’s referring to the Philippians’ monetary gift (4:14) or to their common struggle for the faith of the gospel (1:27), Paul highlights the joy of this partnership throughout this short epistle (Ph. 1:5, 7, 27, 30, 2:22, 25, 4:3, 14).

 

Finally, Paul speaks of “affection and sympathy.” Having been lavished in Christ with all affection and sympathy, how can we not but extend these to one another? 

 

In v. 2, Paul then issues an important imperative:

 

The Imperative of Unity

v. 2 – complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 

 

Despite his confinement under house arrest in Rome, Paul expresses and invites his readers to rejoice in the Lord. But what would complete Paul’s joy is to see his beloved spiritual children walking in the love and unity of the Spirit. Paul’s joy was inseparably linked to the Philippians’ joy. Do we see a direct connection between our joy and that of our spiritual overseers? Paul rejoiced in the unity and love of the Philippians. How can we rejoice the hearts of our pastors this week? 

 

Complete Your Pastor’s Joy

Since pastors are usually the ones preaching this text, perhaps they won’t so quickly draw this point of application. But please allow me to encourage you to reach out to your pastor this week. You can tell him what a great job he’s doing, and how you are committed to praying for him. If you think of a way to meet a material need he and his family may have, even better! This will certainly strengthen and encourage him in his ministry.

 

But, beyond that, you can bring your pastor joy by sharing with him a good report of the Lord’s work as you minister to others. It will bless him to hear that he’s not alone in serving Christ, but that he forms part of an army of co-laborers who are striving together for the gospel. In his chains, Paul rejoiced in his collaboration with the saints at Philippi in general, and in the partnership he shared with Timothy (2:22), Epaphroditus (2:25), Euodia, Syntiche, and Clement (4:3) in particular. As our pastors face an indetermined number of months before this pandemic ends, we can play a part in ministering to the men who so selflessly to us. Don’t you want to complete your pastor’s joy? I know I do!