Fight for Your Pastor

by Peter C. Orr

Practical Ways to Support and Care for Your Pastor Do you pray for your pastors? Do you encourage them? Do you have realistic expectations for them?  The office of pastor is simultaneously a rewarding and draining position. Pastors today have immense pressure on their shoulders and they need the support of their congregations.  Peter Orr has written  Fight for Your Pastor  as an exhortation for church members to stand behind their pastors through the difficulties of ministry. Orr specifies ways in which congregations can be intentional in caring for church leaders, including prayer, encouragement, generosity, and forgiveness. Featuring stories from current pastors about their struggles, this book is perfect for thoughtful church members eager to understand the weight of their pastors’ positions and support leaders in their important ministry. 

Genres: Christian, Nonfiction, Christian Living, Church, Leadership, Faith, Theology

112 pages, Paperback

Published November 15, 2022

Reviews

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5. This is one of those books that pastors feel awkward recommending, but churches would be healthier if Christians read and applied its counsel. Similar to Christopher Ash’s “The Book Your Pastor Wishes You Would Read.”

[Dr. David Steele · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pastors have a difficult job. They are asked to be top-notch scholars and theologians, counsel hurting people, lead churches with skill and godliness, feed the people of God, and protect the flock from enemies within and without. Peter Orr understands the pressure that pastors face. It was this understanding and sympathy that led him to write, Fight For Your Pastor.

Fight for Your Pastor is a call to people in the pew. It is an urgent plea to cease complaining and criticizing. It is an entreaty for the people of God to come alongside their pastor and encourage him, pray for him, and submit to his leadership.

Orr includes seven chapters that are both encouraging and convicting. Church members will do well to follow the author's godly counsel and directives. The result will build pastors up and help ensure that the next generation of Christian leaders will be viable and spiritually strengthened for the most difficult job in the world.

The closing words of the author summarize his heart and passion:

In the end, this book sounds a call to abandon a passive, consumerist model of the church. it calls us to abandon the notion that the pastor performs the ministry which we evaluate according to how it benefits us … It is a call for us to be devoted to the work of the Lord. It is a call for us to love and support our pastor. It is a call to fight for him!

I urge Christians to pay heed to Peter Orr’s wisdom. Pick this book and absorb it. Then track down your pastor and fight for him!

I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review.

[Colin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Striaghforward, readable, biblical and pastoral, “Fight For Your Pastor” is a timely gift to your church. I suspect that just reading it will be a gift to your pastor.

Orr has created a handbook for church members to love and honour and consider their ministers, shepherds and leaders.

A challenge and frustration to many in full time pastoral ministry is the isolation, misunderstanding and fatigue that come from the demands placed on those who hold such a position. Confidentiality keeps many pastoral burdens necessarily close at hand for the local minister - unshareable and therefore often un-prayed for. Meantime, the public stuff - preaching, visitation, programmes, communications - is on full display and “fair game” for criticism and confrontation.

Orr steps in as a third party - he’s not really “on the side” of pastor or congregant. His voice will certainly be a comfort to pastors - he gets the challenges they face - and I expect it will help church members consider their pastor’s perspective - perhaps for the first time.

Those of us prone to criticise will find Orr’s input a challenge to consider both the biblical imperatives of honouring our leaders as well as just being more considerate and loving towards pastors. He leads with the power of encouragement - a largely absent presence in many pastor’s lives. That alone is a key exhortation.

The elephant in the sanctuary is the pain, shortcomings, idiosyncrasies, temperamental differences and grey stain of sin that sullies all our relationships and has a peculiar and often more potent manifestation in the church. Orr doesn’t shy away from those realities, distinguishing the profound from the preferential and bringing practical suggestions for dealing with differences and disputes.

But much of this book is about positive moves we can make to bless and nurture our pastors as they serve God and lead his people.

For such a brief book - just on 100 (small) pages - Orr is logical and clear and the short chapters each cover distinct aspects of relating to our pastors.

I love that this book might achieve two things as we embrace its teaching and insights. It will grow congregants in love and faithfulness and humility as followers of Jesus and as members of a flock, especially in relation to their leaders. And it will bless pastors, who desperately need the love and encouragement and nurture and loyalty of the church in their care.

If Orr is right - and I think he is - your pastor needs you to read and respond to this book. Probably more than most of us realise.

[Addie · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Pastoral ministry is relationally tiring. [...] Nobody ever gets it 100 percent right, and the bruising it causes can accumulate over time.' (An anonymous pastor, p. 63)

Thoughts:
- This book was given to me by a friend who "quite enjoyed Fight For Your Pastor. Naturally, it'd be super awkward if the pastors recommended it - so I will." Thank you, friend. I enjoyed it too!
- Orr provides plenty of practical suggestions about how we can care for those who care for the church. In our contemporary Western context, we may focus more on what we can get out of our pastors, rather than how we can encourage them as they faithfully carry out their ministry. This short little book serves as a 'call to abandon a passive, consumerist model of church' (p. 95) and instead be careful, thoughtful, prayerful, and biblical in the way we support and relate to our pastors.
- The comments from anonymous pastors were super helpful in understanding some of the unique struggles of pastoral ministry.
- Much of this advice assumes that the pastor has the best interests of his church in mind (as they all should. If not, Chapter 7 and Appendix 2 help with thinking through dealing with accusations of bullying, and when/how to leave a church). I appreciate how Orr specifies that submitting to authority is not unquestioning obedience, and in cases where a pastor is found to be not above reproach, higher level action must be taken. But 'for every bullying or abusive pastor, there are many more who are seeking, however imperfectly, to faithfully lead our churches' (p. 17). The ones I know, who open up their homes and hearts for the people they lead, are most definitely people I want to be actively praying for and encouraging.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

Peter Orr writes “Fight for Your Pastor” from a congregant’s perspective. Orr acknowledges that pastors can’t be given a blank check. There are real abuses and not every pastor ought to be fought for. However, Orr argues that most pastors are integrous and worthy of honor and respect.

To that end, most pastors are not treated with the trust and respect God calls us to offer those in authority. Orr encourages congregants to show honor through their worship, service, encouragement, and deportment.

Throughout, Orr includes testimonials from anonymous pastors. While I appreciate the idea of what Orr was going after, I found this to be the weakest part of the book. I found the testimonials to be fairly poorly written, often not providing enough context or ownership of issues they might be responsible in the relationship.

I also found the general perspective to be a little too narrow— small and traditional churches are largely presumed.

That said, I appreciated Orr’s project. This book is certainly needed. And I really appreciated that Orr was aware of potential abuses.

For more reviews see thebeehive.live

[Aardvark · Rating 3 out of 5]

a very simple, practical, and earnest appeal to support your pastor. nothing was particularly groundbreaking, but reading a chapter a day served as helpful reminders to shift my attitude from that of criticism towards the church to that of humility, patience, understanding, and grace. inserted into each chapter are anonymous notes written from various pastors who share something of their own experience in their churches which really helped me to see pastors as ordinary, regular Christians and people.

"perhaps as churchgoers we think that it is enough not to criticize our pastor. it isn't. we must positively uphold him with life-giving words of specific and sincere encouragement... withheld love is a grievous failure; the devil smiles."

"so we have a responsibility to help him be a better preacher. sometimes that may involve the well-chosen, prayed over, carefully thought critique. much more often it involves encouraging him in his preaching with specific feedback-- not just "thanks for the sermon today, pastor," but "your application of verse 12 really hit home for me" or "i have never understood that passage before, but you explained it very clearly."

"we often think of how our pastor relates to us: does he preach good sermons that i find helpful? does he support me in my christian life? does he do enough to justify my giving? there may be a place for those questions, but the christian life is about loving other people-- including our pastor. and so we should ask: do i pray for him, encourage him, listen to him, give generously, forgive, submit, and make sure that accusations are dealt biblically?"

[Patrick Hamblin]

Short little book - less than a 100 pages of reading - that will be beneficial to committed church members in giving them tangible ways to care for and pray for their pastor. Many don't consider their pastor is often criticized and only hears from some when something they disagree with occurs. This book gives both helpful ways a member can encourage their pastor as well as how to confront when it is necessary biblically.

[Linda Galella · Rating 5 out of 5]

A tiny book with an intensely important message to Christians about their pastors.

Author, Peter Orr, has compiled a series of anonymous notes from pastors that appear all along the way thru the pages of “Fight for Your Pastor”. He calls these interludes A PASTOR WRITES: and they are presented in grey boxes to separate them from the other text. These are the exclamation points to Orr’s writing; the point of rubber and road coming together and where I’m assuming most readers will see or find themselves or their own experiences.

There is a full compliment of biblical principles to accompany the real life experiences and it’s in the blending of these two that the genius of this tiny tome is realized. Easily read and understood by laypeople, this book could be used in a variety of ways: membership classes, small groups, leadership, Sunday school, current events conversation and more.

Towards the end of the book there are two appendices concerning contemporary topics: politics and leaving a church body. Both are short and quite possibly will stir up relationships. I’m thinking their placement at the very end of the book is no accident and pray readers will use earlier information to navigate these issues.

All things considered, building God’s church wasn’t a suggestion. It’s an ongoing command: “Go ye therefore and preach the gospel…” The structure of the church is clearly outlined as are the responsibilities. Pastoral care is our fight to wage, to do well and to “Fight for Your Pastor”📚

[Bianca · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a challenging book—but perhaps not for the reasons you might expect. It’s not difficult in content or theology, but in how it exposes the often-overlooked weight and struggles pastors carry. The author repeatedly draws attention to the pressures and spiritual battles that pastors face, which can make the reading experience feel heavy at times. While that’s true to the book’s purpose, I found myself feeling somewhat down by the end, as if the overall tone leaned more toward burden than encouragement.

That said, the book is quite biblical and offers valuable insights into how believers can better support and care for their pastors. It reminds readers that loving our leaders means taking responsibility ourselves—praying, encouraging, being patient, and not adding unnecessary strain to their already full load. In that sense, the book rightly calls for the “heavy lifting” to be shared by the whole church, not just by the pastor.

Stylistically, it’s straightforward and practical, though not filled with brand-new ideas if you’ve read other works on pastoral ministry or church life. Still, Peter Orr’s sincerity and heart shine through. His aim is not to guilt readers but to awaken compassion and understanding for those who serve faithfully week after week.

In short: a good and timely reminder to pray for, protect, and stand with our pastors—just be prepared for a sobering, rather than super light, read.

[Lynette · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book every church member should read! And read prayerfully, over and over again. We too easily justify our reasons for complaining against our pastors while failing to ever encourage them. This puts them in a very bad place. Sheep need to care for their pastors, just as Shepherds should lovingly lead their sheep! Being a pastor is a NOBLE calling. Noble perhaps because it comes with much abuse and grumbling from sheep. Noble also because most pastors sincerely desire to help their sheep grow more and more into the image of Christ. We need to value and treasure our pastors and offer support more often than we offer up our complaints.

May the Lord help us.

Peter Orr does very well balancing when we should love, support and encourage, and when we should be watchful and how to respond when we see evidence of a bully or abusive pastor. It's a short book, but very helpful. It's one I plan to come back to again and again!

[Sean Corser · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great exhortations for congregants to understand the pressures and pulls that come as a pastor. The 7 applications of ways members can fight for their pastors were very practical and biblical. If implemented will encourage their pastor greatly.

[Danny Pelichowski · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars, this book was really encouraging overall and had succinct nuggets of wisdom and astute awareness of the challenges pastors can face. I commend all but one sentence and short section in this book that I think needed more nuance and clarification. Otherwise, I highly recommend it!

[Pablo Herrera · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every member of a church should read this

[David Roark · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must-read for every believing church member who seeks to be used by God to be an encouragement to their pastor so his ministry would be a joy to him!

[Caleb C · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very eye opening to the realities and hardships of being a pastor.

[Caroline McGill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short, helpful book on how to encourage, love, pray for, and relate to your pastor.

[Emily Valentine · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read, in my opinion, for all Christian’s.

[Evan Steele · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brief, simple, and actionable. Everything about this tiny book is helpful when it comes to talking about the relationship a church member has with their pastor.

Peter Orr walks the line well, not making the pastor out to be a super hero or a victim. The pastor is presented as a person with needs and feelings, who should be given grace for mistakes. But Orr also makes clear that abuse needs to be reported.

I enjoyed it, and even if you don't it will be over before you will have a chance to notice.

[Mikejencostanzo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really took “Fight for Your Pastor” as a call to arms. As a church secretary, I am sometimes privy to complaints about my bosses. Not to mention, there are times when I’m personally tempted to grumble about how this or that church issue is handled. What should I do?!

In “Fight for Your Pastor,” Author Peter Orr gives readers a powerful reminder that pastors are under much greater spiritual attack than most of us will ever see. And in a culture that is increasingly consumeristic and marked by a sense of ungrateful entitlement, we DO NOT support our pastors well. The attacks come not only from spiritual forces, but from us as disgruntled congregants who are quick to criticize, slow to forgive, and unpracticed in affirming or encouraging our pastors.

The early chapters of this book remind us how toxic these small criticisms can be, and how important it is to remember that our pastors are human. They will make mistakes, and so many times the right thing is to forgive & overlook. I love the emphasis that author Peter Orr puts on encouraging and praying for our pastors, as well as financially blessing them, listening and submitting to them, so that they may serve with joy (Hebrews 13:17).

Orr does not neglect the occasions when there truly is a wolf in sheep’s clothing leading the flock, and walks readers through the sober steps of dealing with this. But I appreciate the balanced path that Orr advises us to tread: “…Relate to any complainants as if they are telling the truth AND relate to the pastor as if he is innocent… we cannot prejudge a case, but must love and support BOTH parties until the matter is resolved” [emphasis mine].

So, what do I do when a congregant complains to me about a pastoral issue? This little book has equipped me with the confidence to encourage my brother or sister in Christ to fight side by side together FOR our pastors.

P.S.
A walk of gratitude down memory lane for me in reading this book has been remembering back to all the good and godly pastors I have had over my life. From Pastor Armstrong who baptized me to Pastor Al who walked me through my spiritual angst as a teen. Pastor Dan to whom I owe my understanding of the gospel and the power of prayer. Pastor Steve who took Mike & I through marriage counseling. Pastor Tim who poured into Mike through an impactful men’s ministry. Pastor Nobby who showed us hospitality as newlywed expats in a foreign land. Pastor Stephen, who helped pray our first child into existence. Pastor Chad, who walked us through the loss of our infant daughter.

Where are they all now? Three have passed into glory, two are retired, two have changed careers (one not by choice). I think that means, only one is technically still in full-time pastoral ministry. Being a pastor is hard. Really hard.

~Jen

[Cassi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love pastors. I’ve been on staff with pastors for over a decade, and my brother-in-law is a pastor. By nature of their position, they don’t have the luxury of remaining anonymous or keeping strict office hours. They are the bearers of far more spiritual burdens than the ordinary Christian, shouldering the grief or rebellion of others while still having their own personal dilemmas and family responsibilities. In addition to all that, they’re typically under a level of scrutiny that many of us will never experience.

Do you have a pastor? Consider reading this short, practical, biblically sound book. Your pastor probably won’t request that you read it, but I’ll gladly advocate for them. Peter Orr does a great job at helping regular Christians understand some of the pressures pastors face and how we as the sheep of their flock can love and be a blessing to them. He is sensitive to the realities of spiritual abuse without compromising on biblical imperatives for the church to rightly submit to and extend forgiveness towards their leaders. He includes anonymous excerpts from pastors that give insight into some of their unique hardships. This little book is worth reading, rereading, and encouraging others to read.

[Joshua Sunderland · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the kind of book I feel every pastor wants their congregation to read, but would feel guilty in asking them to. It is extremely digestible and yet hits a lot of practical points. It also includes many excerpts from anonymous pastors that really show how hard ministry can be and why we should try to support them when able.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This short book could easily be finished in one day and is a necessary reminder of the burdens pastors bear and how congregations can best love and serve them and support them in their work. I’m grateful to my church for providing a copy of this book to all families at church as we prepare to welcome a new pastor.

[Emma Hamer · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent little book that every Christian ought to read. It highlights some of the pressures pastors face, acknowledging that many of these are unseen or of a confidential nature. The book contains some insightful anecdotes from pastors and is full of advice for Church members, which is both practical and biblical.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a great reminder of the ways that a congregant should respond to, interact with, and care for their pastor. Much of the advice seemed a bit obvious, but it was expressed well, and the anecdotes from the pastors Orr cites offered a fascinating insight into what many pastor experience on a daily basis.

[ᴀᴍʙ🔅 · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. Content excellent, placing and spacing of experiences not so much.

If you love your local church, read this book. More importantly, if you love your pastor, read this book! You will benefit him and your congregation immensely by reading this book.

[Seth P · Rating 4 out of 5]

Encouraging, immensely practical, short and easy to read. The author provides helpful anecdotes from other pastors. Although the author lives in Australia and grew up in Northern Ireland, the practices for how to encourage and fight for your pastor are pretty universal no matter where you live!

[David Voetberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Helpful, balanced introduction that gives church members a look at congregational life through the eyes of pastors. This volume helps to show church members how they can seek to be an encouragement to & build up their pastors & churches.

[Trisha Hatfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book really challenges you to think about your pastors and what they go through in a different light. They really have it hard and so many people depend on them.

[Alexander Hettinga · Rating 5 out of 5]

This little book is just what it needs to be and everyone with a heart to see their local church succeed should read it!

[Matthew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent.