Every day, I think at least briefly about serving as a senior pastor again. If I think hard enough, I also remember things that I didn't enjoy about the work of a pastor; however, I much more remember blessings of the work—blessings I wish I had appreciated more years ago. I list these things here in hopes of helping some hurting pastors count their blessings today with me.

1. Preaching to the same people every week. Even when they're not always on board, it's a great privilege to teach the same people the Word of God over the course of years. You get to watch them learn to trust you, love the Lord and follow the message you proclaim.
2. Baptizing people. I remember my first baptism of my best friend, the child who dove into the pool, the older lady who chose to overcome her deep fear of water, the adult son whose mother hollered in joy as I lowered her son into the water and so many others. Few others have this joy.
3. Serving the Lord's Supper. There's a sweetness and a holiness to that moment that's hard to describe. You get to take people back to the cross, lead them to examine themselves, and look forward to Christ's return—all the while doing it via the ordinance the Lord gave us. Standing before God's people also requires you to examine your own life first.
4. Marrying believers. I must confess that I sometimes complained about this task (for example, it required a lot of time, you never knew what might happen, it was likely recorded if you messed up something and so on), but pastors uniquely get this privilege. Church members invite you to share this significant moment with them.
5. Being "Pastor Chuck" to the kids and teens. Some of them had difficult home lives, but I hope they knew every Sunday that someone loved them. I love my students at Southeastern Seminary, but "Pastor Chuck" from the lips of a little one means more to me than "Dr. Lawless" any day.
6. Seeing the gospel transform lives. This is what it's all about—seeing the gospel change lost sinners into Christ-obeying believers. You see arrogant people become humble, adulterers become faithful, addicts become sober and rebels become Christ-followers. When you're with a church long enough, you get to see this happen over more than one generation.
7. Officiating funerals. These were at times painful moments, but I pray I helped families rejoice over the lives of their believing loved ones. I know it was my joy to remind them that the Christian faith answers the questions of eternity and offers hope even in death. As pastor, I got to lead in their celebrations of life.

Pastors, my prayer is that you will enjoy your work more today. Thank you for your service to God's church!

Chuck Lawless is dean and vice president of graduate studies and ministry centers at Southeastern Seminary in Wake Forest, North Carolina, where he also serves as professor of evangelism and missions. In addition, he is global theological education consultant for the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention.

This article originally appeared at chucklawless.com.

Get Spirit-filled content delivered right to your inbox! Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.

Dr. Steve Greene is now sharing stories, teachings, and conversations with guests who lead with love on Love Leads, a new podcast. Listen now.

Dr. Mark Rutland's

National Institute of Christian Leadership (NICL)

The NICL is one of the top leadership training programs in the U.S. taught by Dr. Mark Rutland. If you're the type of leader that likes to have total control over every aspect of your ministry and your future success, the NICL is right for you!

FREE NICL MINI-COURSE - Enroll for 3-hours of training from Dr. Rutland's full leadership course. Experience the NICL and decide if this training is right for you and your team.

The NICL Online is an option for any leader with time or schedule constraints. It's also for leaders who want to expedite their training to receive advanced standing for Master Level credit hours. Work through Dr. Rutland's full training from the comfort of your home or ministry at your pace. Learn more about NICL Online. Learn more about NICL Online.