In the last few days I have written several posts about pastoral pay.
- Do not Muzzle the Ox
- Is it more blessed to give than to receive? Says who?
- Pastoral Pay and the Levitical Priesthood
- Pastoral Pay
I want to say in closing that I am not actually opposed to pastors getting paid. I know it sounds like it. What I AM opposed to is pastors using Scripture to defend their salary.
I don’t necessarily think Scripture prohibits the practice, nor do I think it is sinful to pay a pastor. However, I think that a church should carefully consider the pros and cons of paying a pastor. Questions that MUST be asked include:
- If we pay a person X amount of money, will the cost be worth the benefit? Brainstorm about what else could be done in the community or around the world with that same amount of money. Would such ideas be a better use of money than paying a pastor?
- If we pay a pastor to lead the church, will this cause the people in the church to think that we are paying him/her to do the work of the ministry?
- If we pay the pastor, what are we telling the congregation about their ministry in the church, for which they do not get paid?
I would make one other recommendation to help clarify some of these issues in the minds of the congregation. If you are going to pay someone to teach the Bible, organize the church for ministry, provide counseling services, be a CEO of the church, and be a visionary leader for the church, then don’t call them “Pastor.” Call him a “Permanent Church Consultant,” a “Church Manager,” a “Spiritual Lifecoach,” the “Professional Church Administrator” or something else. Such a move will help remove the false and damaging clergy-laity division that creates so much inertia in the church.
Oh, and one more thing. As I was looking for images to include in my posts last night, I discovered several post by other bloggers who have been saying the same thing for years. I have been reading several of these bloggers for about six months or so now, and am thrilled that we are thinking in the same direction.
Here are some of their posts:
Alan Knox:
- What about work?
- What about work for elders/pastors?
- What about honor for elders/pastors?
- What about the right of elders/pastors?
- Summary – Should elders/pastors be paid a salary?
Arthur Sido
If you have written a post about this subject, or know of one, post it in the comment section below. Thanks!
I am with you, if I read it right. (Have not had my coffee yet)
My thought is that I do not think it is biblical to pay a pastor for the role we are talking about.
But, since I am not God and and I can easily be wrong, if people want to pay a pastor then go ahead (but like you said, really think on why you are doing it)
Later, Swanny
You’re probably going there with your book, but what I find disturbing is that so many churches have bought into the system where they think they need properties, staff and programs. Of course that takes money. Where to get the money? – Try to convince people that God, through Scripture, is telling them to give money to support these things.
This means interpreting Scripture to support this idea. It’s only a small step to interpreting all Scripture so God agrees with us on whatever topic. It’s really difficult to convince people like this that their interpretation may be flawed. Somehow the parts of Scripture that really do have something to say about how we use our resources pretty much get bypassed because most of our available resources are consumed by the property-staff-programs triad.
Not to mention that when we as individuals know that God is calling us to help someone truly in need….most 10%’s are tapped out because of this somewhat ignorant belief that paying for property-staff-programs is what God is calling us to.
to find a man (pastor) who is content with what he has; will serve the Lord with all?
I have seen the servant who receives $100,000.oo per year; another who receives $10,000.oo, and another still who receives each year far less. He who was content with $1000.oo was gain to Christ more than the other who had received $100,000.oo, and that one who received $10,000.oo while being tempted did not see to finish the course.
Better to let God provision His own, than men arranging salary for the servant of another?
Swanny,
Yes, I just want the “paying the pastor” to not be the default position in churches. I had a great conversation last night with Kathy Escobar of The Refuge in Denver, and how/why they have chosen to pay their pastors. They have carefully thought through the process and I applaud them for the decisions they made.
Sam,
Yes, I will get to some of this. (Kathy says “Hello” by the way). The Scriptures are ripped to shreds to defend so much of what the church teaches and does. And yes, that holy trinity of property-staff-programs consumes the resources of most churches, keeping them engaging in true mission in the community.
Marshall,
Salary does not determine whether a pastor is good or not, does it. Thanks for the comment.
The Old testament church paid pastors and altar ministers as instructed by God. That was why they acted more like hirelings than shepherds When Jesus Christ came, all of that stopped. He came in with the model of Shepherding which meant that pastors and altar ministers where to ensure members of the congregation where catered for, protected, led, taught, etc, to ensure they abided and also grew up to become sherpherds themselves. The apostles understood this teaching and new model brought by Jesus so well that the Acts of the apostles recorded that they sold all they had and brought the proceeds to the church to be shared by all and they all received equally and none lacked.
May God grant us better understanding of his teachings in Jesus Name.
Benedicta,
Are you aware of any churches or communities that are actually living this? Selling their possessions and living together sharing all they have?
I would love to read/hear/learn more about a community like this.