Be Men of Honor

COVID-19 hasn’t been easy for anyone. The wearing of masks has become mandatory in many nations. People have had to be confined to their homes. Businesses have been forced to evolve or be eliminated. And the church isn’t spared from this disruption.

This pandemic has not only been a great disruption, but also a test. It’s a test of where the church stands. It’s a test of our conviction to honor God at all times.

Ministry is hard work and COVID-19 doesn’t make pastoring any easier. The decisions your pastors have had to make are endless and weigh heavily on their hearts. It’s not just for the present. The decisions they make today have repercussions for the next generation.

Your pastors need men and women of honor to support them, and serve alongside them, just like Aaron and Hur who stepped in to lift up Moses’ hands during a crucial battle.

Your pastors need men and women of honor to support them, and serve alongside them, just like Aaron and Hur who stepped in to lift up Moses’ hands during a crucial battle. “When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset.”(Exodus 17:12).

Your pastors need men and women of honor such as David’s mighty men who would bring him refreshing water and go into the fiercest of battles with him. 2 Samuel 23:10-12 tells us how one of them fought “until his hand was weary” and how another “stationed himself in the middle of the field, defended it, and killed the Philistines.”

What will it take to be God’s men of honor?

Defend your pastors. You may not realize it, but pastors are targets for critics. Don’t critique the sermon without first allowing it to speak to your heart. Don’t judge their decisions with unkind speech. In fact, be a defender of your pastor, extinguish the flaming arrows of criticism and accusation. Don’t let murmuring fracture the community of faith in your church.

Trust your pastors. Every relationship requires trust. Hebrews 13:17 exhorts us to “have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account…” Don’t second guess your pastors. They truly desire for you to walk in the fullness of God’s plans and purposes. Tough love is real love. Allow them to speak into your life and bring correction. Move from conflict with them to alignment so that you will be blessed!

Follow your pastors. Following your pastors’ instructions is honoring them. Pastors are called to shepherd and lead the church. When God has instructed your pastor to share certain things with the church, treat it with importance. When you choose not to follow, you become a hindrance to the plan God has for His people. Do not leave the ministry simply because you are offended by something they may have said or done.

Become a part of whatever God directs your pastors to do. If a time of prayer and fasting is called for, be part of it. If there is a call to serve in new areas of ministry, be available. If it’s a call to return to church on-site, then get back into the house of the Lord. Be the mighty men on your team who will usher in the victory and breakthroughs of God in your church and ministry.

Serve alongside your pastors. A disciple’s disposition should not be that of a consumer but a giver. We should never walk in convenience but be committed to build the body of Christ. I always say, “You’ll never walk alone” and in the same vein your pastors should never have to walk alone.

The various safe distancing measures have conditioned us to stay away from large gatherings. As churches reopen doors, your pastors need you to serve alongside them in the various ministries—to care for the children, do the safety checks, and serve as online hosts and in technical areas as hybrid services continue.

Attend church services as a disciple of Jesus. Don’t wait to be “entertained”. Engage with what God is doing and serve with your pastors. Engage in the service by arriving early and praying for your pastors and the service to host the presence of God.

This battle with COVID-19 isn’t over. If the church is going to be victorious and emerge stronger from this pandemic, it will require men and women of honor to stand with their pastors. Defend them. Trust them. Follow them. Serve alongside them.

I want to call us to pray for the pastors serving as the executive committee in the Assemblies of God of Singapore. Let’s be men and women of honor who will come together as a movement, and stand together in prayer and purpose to see His kingdom come, His will be done in our nation and in our world.

Executive Committee of the Assemblies of God, Singapore (From left to right): Bro Low Loy Nghee, Rev Dr Chia Beng Hock, Rev Tan Hock Cheng, Rev Simon Ang, Rev Dominic Yeo, Rev Terence Ong, Rev Jason Tan, Rev Lindsey Lui, Rev Bernadette Fan