NATIONAL PASTOR’S SPOUSES DAY | First Sunday in September
The first Sunday in September celebrates National Pastor’s Spouses Day to honor the spouses who commit to supporting the pastor they married.
#NationalPastorsSpousesDay
The spouse of a pastor supports, encourages, and helps the pastor serve the congregation and community. Without spousal assistance, a pastor would struggle while navigating through the daily responsibilities required of them. The relationship between a pastor and their spouse is a working union, supporting each other though ministry, friendship, and creating a spiritual atmosphere for themselves and the congregation.
Staying Balanced
The relationship between a pastor and their spouse is like any other marriage union. In fact, they have the same goals as any other couple. However, living under the watchful eye of their congregation can be stressful. They are often set to a higher standard. Pastoral couples must practice and live the life they have chosen, especially when they are assisting other couples with their relationships.
5 Tips for a Successful Relationship
- Communicate daily and always be clear.
- Have personal time together away from daily duties and stresses.
- Work through disagreements.
- Have trust in one another.
- Forgive each other.
There are many things a pastor and their spouse do together as part of their calling. Living a wholesome life every day, while maintaining respect from the congregation can be difficult. However, because a of the unique experience a pastor has, it’s easy to guide the community towards living a life of glory with the help of their spouse.
Why settle for the wings of a sparrow, when you can have the wings of an eagle! St. John 10:10
What is fellowship? Fellowship is the opposite of division and drives a purposeful life. It is seeing beyond oneself to engage with others in community. It’s not about agreeing on every detail, but rather agreeing one cannot go alone and find purpose.
How do you participate in fellowship? Staying after services to visit congregation members allows others to get to know the pastor and their family. When you build relationships with your ministry, it encourages others to be supportive of one another. Encouraging, promoting, and supporting good fellowship between members of a congregation provides emotional balance for everyone.
Duties of a Pastor
- Offering counseling.
- Visiting hospitals.
- Performing funerals.
- Officiating weddings.
- Being available when needed.
Duties of a Pastor Spouse
- Influences church culture.
- Offers support and friendship to spouse and congregation.
- Travels with spouse to share ministry message.
- Visits congregation members.
- Assists with planning events.
PRAISE A PASTOR’S SPOUSE
- Show support for your pastor and their spouse.
- Allow a pastor and their family to have personal space.
- Be a friend.
- Plan a special event, such as an anniversary party, for your pastor and spouse.
- Offer assistance with planning events for the congregation.
ABOUT NATIONAL PASTOR’S SPOUSES DAY
In 2022, Better Way Apostolic Church put in a request to have National Pastor’s Spouses Day added to the calendar. After consideration, the committee decided to approve the day, vowing to celebrate the new National Day the first Sunday in September each year.
Better Way Apostolic Church is a place of worship that celebrates joyous occasions. The church comforts all during times of trouble. It also provides spiritual inspiration and direction to some of life’s most difficult moments, offering services to anyone who enters their doors. Best of all, they celebrate life!
- Men’s Ministry
- 1st Sons
- Women of Purpose
- Victorians
- Married Couples Ministry
- Singles Ministry
- Christian Education and Outreach
- Youth Department
- Pastor’s Aide
- Martha Ministry (Culinary)
- Ushers
- Youth Choir
- Media Ministry
- Social Media Ministry
Behind the Scenes
Elder Harold G. Durham is a significant voice of Christianity throughout the world and Pastor at Better Way Apostolic Church. Pastor Durham is an exciting, dynamic, and innovative member of the clergy. His sermons promote spiritual, social, and intellectual growth among his audiences. He preaches from a solid scriptural foundation, bringing to light new understanding and applications of Kingdom principals. His greatest joy is when people come to the Lord and allow Him to change them from the inside out, becoming a positive role model to all that they come in contact with daily.
Pastor Durham is a Conference and Marriage Couples speaker. His goal is to help keep families together because a strong family helps to strengthen the core values as a nation. In addition to Pastoring within the four walls, Pastor Durham works with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice as a Religious Volunteer/Mentor with prisoners between the age of 17-21 years old. He helps to bring out the God-given greatness within each of them.
Dr. Shirley Durham was born in Linden, Texas and is a woman of God. Her God-given vision is to help pastors and their wives, men, woman, and children around the world. She moves in the prophetic, preaching a powerful, anointed, and uncompromising message. She is a woman given to hospitality. She hosts marriage fellowships, singles gatherings, and mother and daughter tea gatherings in her home. She believes in the power of prayer.
Pastor Harold Duhram and First Lady Shirley Duhram formed a union in marriage and service to serve under the eyes of God. Together they have five children. They are the president and founders of Better Way Apostolic Church, Inc. Arlington, Texas.