Since some CC members have complaints about modern day churches, I'd like to put the following question: Could churches do better if they had unpaid rather than salaried pastors? I've seen some unpaid pastors preach; some of them were really guided by the Holy Spirit while others did a poor job due to lack of Bible knowledge. The upside of not being paid is that ministers have more freedom to preach the narrow way, but what's the downside?
It used to be that way for lots of rural areas in America. My wife's great grandaddy carried the mail in a cart drawn by mule. He preached the gospel along the way, most Christians having no pastor due to no wealth. He spent the night in barns, the cart, in homes during really bad weather. He was fed from family tables, or stopped to boil a donated chicken. Richer congregations supplied smoked ham, or sliced saltback, sousemeat, eggs, etc. One congregation had a pair of boots made for him when he took his worn ones off to dry by a fireplace, the sole nearly gone between the stitches.
Maybe there's someone like that a poor congregation can use today! Nothing very bad about that.
Better, the minister of the gospel is set by the will of God to make his living off the gospel. Let the scoffers deny Paul, it won't hurt the Church.
1 Corinthians 9:1-14 (KJV)
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1 [/SUP] Am I not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord?
are not ye my work in the Lord?
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2 [/SUP] If I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you: for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord.
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3 [/SUP] Mine answer to them that do examine me is this,
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4 [/SUP] Have we not power to
eat and to drink?
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5 [/SUP] Have we not power to
lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and as the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?
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6 [/SUP] Or I only and Barnabas, have not we
power to forbear working?
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7 [/SUP] Who goeth a warfare any time at his
own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and
eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and
eateth not of the milk of the flock?
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8 [/SUP] Say I these things as a man? or
saith not the law the same also?
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9 [/SUP] For it is written in the law of Moses,
Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen?
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10 [/SUP] Or saith he
it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt,
this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope.
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11 [/SUP]
If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?
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12 [/SUP] If others be partakers of
this power over you,
are not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ.
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13 [/SUP] Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things
live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are
partakers with the altar?
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14 [/SUP]
Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.
False teachers deny such scriptures out of their own miseries, deceived by Satan, his followers of antichrist. There above are 14 verses in a row that teach a gospel minister has a right to making his living from the gospel preached. It is no less so than how God ordained the Jewish priesthood also lived off things brought to the altar.
If a congregation desires a particular pastor to minister to them full time, they owe him an agreeable salary that amounts to a living. Whatever else they want to bless him with is their business. I've never heard of a pastor holding members in chains, forcing them to stay, not leave, but to support him. Well, there was Waco...not a typical Christian congregation.
If a congregation has someone come preach otherwise, not permanently hired, then they ought to obey the scriptures and pay him what he needs. That is usually decided before calling him.
An alternative is to invite a retired pastor that knows the Bible well enough not to teach false doctrine, at least paying for his lunch, maybe put some gas in his car.
The Salvation Army can help folks like Yet's congreagation, sending one of their bucket brigade guys who can at least give a testimony. They never ask for money, but do put the bucket in the foyer.