I know other pastors read this blog, so maybe they will have a different thing that they find most encouraging. But I think there is one thing that is hands down the most encouraging thing you can see when you’re a pastor. I wonder if you can guess what it might be?

First, let’s rule out the obvious. It isn’t when the numbers at our church services increase. That can be encouraging, no doubt. But there are definitely far more encouraging things that happen than that. And, to be honest, that sort of increase in numbers is not always encouraging because it really depends on why the increase is happening. Similarly, it depends on the kind of problems that inevitably attend the increase because as a general rule of thumb, more people equal more problems.

It similarly isn’t stuff like when the singing is loud. Indeed, you can read my personal thoughts about singing more broadly here. But even if I were a different kind of person, loud singing might be encouraging. But it similarly might be a sign that our church isn’t really reaching anybody so we have a group of people who know all the songs and can belt them out but that’s because there’s nobody new in the congregation faltering their way through them. Singing can be encouraging, but it isn’t always and it certainly isn’t the most encouraging thing.

Some have argued – mainly because observation tells you it a common issue – that just showing up will encourage your pastor most. But the truth is that sort of comment hides a more unhappy truth: pastors – indeed, church members generally – are deeply discouraged when people don’t even bother turning up. It’s not that we are ecstatically thrilled when you do the very bare minimum, like turning up to a meeting, it’s that we are so deeply discouraged when people can’t even bring themselves to do that. Clearly turning up isn’t the most encouraging thing, even if frequently not turning up is deeply discouraging.

There are lots of other possible candidates. All sorts of things we might find encouraging for all sorts of different reasons. But I think there is one stand out thing that will encourage your pastor more than anything else: growth. Specifically, growth in your knowledge and love for the Lord Jesus that leads to meaningful change.

I don’t want to speak for other pastors, but I got into this gig because I want people to know and love Jesus better. I want them to understand his Word. I spend quite a lot of time reading the Bible so that I can explain it to other people and applying it specifically to them so they can put it into action in their lives. I spend a lot of time helping people understand theological ideas and their practical application. I spend a lot of time teaching people how they can read, interpret and understand the Bible for themselves. I didn’t just get into doing this because I like reading the Bible and understanding it, I got into it so that others could love it too and grow up in maturity in Christ through their increased knowledge and love of it. That is why I’m in this altogether.

Given that, there is almost nothing quite as encouraging as seeing people grow in their knowledge and love for Jesus and seeing the practical outworking of that in their lives. That is literally the reason we do what we do. Seeing people excited about reading the Bible, seeing people find and understand how the Bible connects with their everyday lives, seeing people wanting to read the Bible with other people because they love it too, seeing people change because of what they are discovering in scripture, seeing people do the commands of Christ enthusiastically because of what they have learnt. And through all of it, seeing people’s love of Jesus increase as they come to know him more through his Word. That’s the whole aim isn’t it? Pointing people to Jesus, through his Word, and praying for (and then seeing) the Spirit at work in them as they do what it says with increased joy. That is the work of making disciples and the work of equipping the saints and the whole reason to be a pastor.

That, for my money, is the single most encouraging thing. Seeing people grow through the Word. If you want to encourage your pastor, learn as much as you can from the Word, put it into practice, ask the Spirit to work in you and commit to your spiritual growth. When he sees it, I’m sure almost nothing else will encourage your pastor quite so much.