Can Pastors Live Too Extravagantly?

[MrAnteater]

1) Can pastors make too much money?
2) If not, do they have a duty to live a modest lifestyle in spite of their wealth?

I have nothing against wealth. I believe you can be wealthy and also be living in the word of God. But what about church leaders who make their money from the word of God, should they be setting a higher example?

I'm focusing on the televangelists in the mega churches. I realize the vast majority of pastors don't make that kind of money. Some such as Benny Hinn and Joyce Meyer have been criticized for living opulent lifestyles. Million dollar homes, private jets, Rolls Royce cars, and so on.

 

[headhoncho]

1) Can pastors make too much money?
2) If not, do they have a duty to live a modest lifestyle in spite of their wealth?

I have nothing against wealth. I believe you can be wealthy and also be living in the word of God. But what about church leaders who make their money from the word of God, should they be setting a higher example?

I'm focusing on the televangelists in the mega churches. I realize the vast majority of pastors don't make that kind of money. Some such as Benny Hinn and Joyce Meyer have been criticized for living opulent lifestyles. Million dollar homes, private jets, Rolls Royce cars, and so on.

Hi Mr.A, this is extremely cute post, what do you mean "Can they?"
Have you seen Joel Osteen on 60 minutes ? He is making
$73 million a year, Buckets of money -- over $43 million a year gets collected in the church, another $30 million or so comes in the mail. It's a cash cow and a family business.
It's all God's will, and "Prosperity pimps" are only keeping It real.

 

[martymonster]

1) Can pastors make too much money?
2) If not, do they have a duty to live a modest lifestyle in spite of their wealth?

I have nothing against wealth. I believe you can be wealthy and also be living in the word of God. But what about church leaders who make their money from the word of God, should they be setting a higher example?

I'm focusing on the televangelists in the mega churches. I realize the vast majority of pastors don't make that kind of money. Some such as Benny Hinn and Joyce Meyer have been criticized for living opulent lifestyles. Million dollar homes, private jets, Rolls Royce cars, and so on.

How many million's did Jesus have for His ministry?

If you remember, it was the pharisee's who had the wealth, the false teaches had the money.

That right there should tell everything you need to know.

 

[Tenebrae]

Its not the amount of money a pastor may have that causes me concern, its the manner in which they made it


Pastor of my former church treated the church finances like his own personal slush fund

 

[FaithLikeARock]

Um, yes. I personally am against pastors getting paid at all. Not out of disrespect for them but I don't believe rewarding Godly gifts with physical wealth is very appropriate but that's another debate.

And like has been said, think Pharisees.

 

[martymonster]

Its not the amount of money a pastor may have that causes me concern, its the manner in which they made it


Pastor of my former church treated the church finances like his own personal slush fund

Oh yeah, I hear that!

If anyones interested, here is a very good article on tithing with scriptural support all the way baby!

http://www.bible-truths.com/tithing.html

 

[martymonster]

Um, yes. I personally am against pastors getting paid at all. Not out of disrespect for them but I don't believe rewarding Godly gifts with physical wealth is very appropriate but that's another debate.

And like has been said, think Pharisees.

Exactly!

Mat 10:6 But rather go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
Mat 10:7 And as you go, proclaim, saying, The kingdom of Heaven is at hand.
Mat 10:8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. You have received freely, freely give.
Mat 10:9 Do not provide gold nor silver, nor copper in your purses,
Mat 10:10 nor a bag for the journey, nor two coats, nor sandals, nor staves. For the workman is worthy of his food.

There's probably about a billion other examples I could provided, like Paul for example, but I think this one straight from the Master's own mouth will suffice.

 

[munchycrunchy]

Exactly!

Mat 10:6 But rather go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
Mat 10:7 And as you go, proclaim, saying, The kingdom of Heaven is at hand.
Mat 10:8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. You have received freely, freely give.
Mat 10:9 Do not provide gold nor silver, nor copper in your purses,
Mat 10:10 nor a bag for the journey, nor two coats, nor sandals, nor staves. For the workman is worthy of his food.

There's probably about a billion other examples I could provided, like Paul for example, but I think this one straight from the Master's own mouth will suffice.

How I dislike Benny Hinn so. My parents a long while back took my brother to see him while he was around. My brother is mentally disabled. He refused to even look at him and meet with my parents. Wouldn't do it. He's on some huge stage, takes off his Gucci jacket and just whacks people with it, or physically pushes them over. Some of the people fall before he even does anything. That's gotta tell you something

 

[martymonster]

How I dislike Benny Hinn so. My parents a long while back took my brother to see him while he was around. My brother is mentally disabled. He refused to even look at him and meet with my parents. Wouldn't do it. He's on some huge stage, takes off his Gucci jacket and just whacks people with it, or physically pushes them over. Some of the people fall before he even does anything. That's gotta tell you something

Ooohh Benny Hinn!!!! Shudders!!!

The guy stays in $2000 a night hotel rooms.
how many $2000 a night hotel rooms did Jesus stay in I wonder? And then there's that hair!!!
A holy man with hair that unholy?
I don't think so!

Actually, I find Mr Hinn slightly more tolerable than Jessie Duplantis.

I absolutely cannot stand Jessie Duplantis. there is nothing spiritual about Jessie Duplantis. the guy talks to God like He is his own personal Santa Claus!

I once heard the guy talking about how this woman who had a bit of a reputation (if you know what I mean) sat down next to him on the train and started to get friendly towards him, so He stands up and starts pointing at her while yelling, harlot of babylon! harlot of babylon!

This was on a video called the best of Jessie Duplatis and it was supposedly funny!
Can you imagine how humiliated that woman was?

So much for reaching a dying world eh!

 

[Sphinx777]

1) Can pastors make too much money?
2) If not, do they have a duty to live a modest lifestyle in spite of their wealth?

I have nothing against wealth. I believe you can be wealthy and also be living in the word of God. But what about church leaders who make their money from the word of God, should they be setting a higher example?

I'm focusing on the televangelists in the mega churches. I realize the vast majority of pastors don't make that kind of money. Some such as Benny Hinn and Joyce Meyer have been criticized for living opulent lifestyles. Million dollar homes, private jets, Rolls Royce cars, and so on.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2cFQRw-hcg

http://www.youtube.com/user/TicTocMinistries



​

 

[munchycrunchy]

Ooohh Benny Hinn!!!! Shudders!!!

The guy stays in $2000 a night hotel rooms.
how many $2000 a night hotel rooms did Jesus stay in I wonder? And then there's that hair!!!
A holy man with hair that unholy?
I don't think so!

Actually, I find Mr Hinn slightly more tolerable than Jessie Duplantis.

I absolutely cannot stand Jessie Duplantis. there is nothing spiritual about Jessie Duplantis. the guy talks to God like He is his own personal Santa Claus!

I once heard the guy talking about how this woman who had a bit of a reputation (if you know what I mean) sat down next to him on the train and started to get friendly towards him, so He stands up and starts pointing at her while yelling, harlot of babylon! harlot of babylon!

This was on a video called the best of Jessie Duplatis and it was supposedly funny!
Can you imagine how humiliated that woman was?

So much for reaching a dying world eh!

I can't take Benny Hinn. Huge rings on all of his fingers, his hair that looks like a deformed pancake, and his obviously ridiculous performance. Blech...

As for Jessie Duplantis, I don't think i've ever seen anything about him, but that's disgusting. Someone should have knocked him in the nose for publicly embarrassing a woman like that. I guess "humility" and "love thy neighbor" don't mean anything to someone like that.

 

[munchycrunchy]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2cFQRw-hcg

http://www.youtube.com/user/TicTocMinistries



​

I only watched a teeny bit of it but all I can say is...she's got spice

 

[headhoncho]

I only watched a teeny bit of it but all I can say is...she's got spice

She might be physically spicy, but she does not differ Messianic
prophecy, from The Day of The Lord Prophecy, she is completely
blind to the truth that the Lord creates everything, including
Joel Osteen, Creflo Dollar, Joyce Mayer, Benni Hin, or any other
"Prosperity Pimp", to serve as an example of false Prophets.
How different is that girl from "Fat Shepherds" ?
What is she bringing to the table ?

 

[Celticflower]

Like others, I don't really see the amount of money being the problem, but how the money is made. Most televangelists are more than a little shady when it comes to the funds they collect and many people have been duped out of thousands they couldn't afford to lose.
I say pay a pastor a living wage. He should set an example to the flock by living within his means -- not the church's.

 

[PujolsNonRoidHomerHitter]

What about these scriptures:

1 Tim. 5:17-18 -- "Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine. For the Scripture says, 'You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain,' and 'The laborer is worthy of his wages.'"

1 Cor. 9 -- 3This is my defense to those who sit in judgment on me. 4Don't we have the right to food and drink? 5Don't we have the right to take a believing wife along with us, as do the other apostles and the Lord's brothers and Cephas[a]? 6Or is it only I and Barnabas who must work for a living?

7Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its grapes? Who tends a flock and does not drink of the milk? 8Do I say this merely from a human point of view? Doesn't the Law say the same thing? 9For it is written in the Law of Moses: "Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain."[b] Is it about oxen that God is concerned? 10Surely he says this for us, doesn't he? Yes, this was written for us, because when the plowman plows and the thresher threshes, they ought to do so in the hope of sharing in the harvest. 11If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you? 12If others have this right of support from you, shouldn't we have it all the more? But we did not use this right. On the contrary, we put up with anything rather than hinder the gospel of Christ. 13Don't you know that those who work in the temple get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in what is offered on the altar? 14In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel.

It's pretty clear from Scripture that ministers should make their living from what the church pays. I think the amount given should reflect the amount of responsibility, time away from his family, preaching/teaching skills, etc;

Go Cards!

 

[dies-l]

It's a tough area. On the one hand, if anyone "deserves" to be paid well, it is a good pastor. On the other hand, I would be hesitant to take spiritual guidance from anyone who chose to live extravagantly. In other words, even though I do believe that by worldly standards, pastors earn the right to be well compensated, I don't believe that a good and sincere pastor would really seek to have more money than necessary to provide a decent (but modest) lifestyle for his family and enough to retire in reasonable comfort. My impression is that for the vast majority of pastors, this is not really an issue, however.

 

[dayhiker]

I think pastors should get about the average of the congragations they serve.

dayhiker

 

[Fantine]

Um, yes. I personally am against pastors getting paid at all. Not out of disrespect for them but I don't believe rewarding Godly gifts with physical wealth is very appropriate but that's another debate.

And like has been said, think Pharisees.

If a pastor devotes full-time hours ministering to his congregation, when is he supposed to find the time to work at a second job to support his family?

 

[BBgrey]

If a pastor devotes full-time hours ministering to his congregation, when is he supposed to find the time to work at a second job to support his family?

This is the crux of the issue I think.

On the one hand you could have full-time career pastors who are trying to provide for their families in some other way. If you force the pastor to take up a second career (or force his wife to work several jobs to make ends meet), you risk burn-out, a dysfunctional home, the temptation of escapist sin, etc. You also have a pastor who cannot model a Christ-like life because he cannot practice spiritual disciplines, engage in mission with the community, or be generous with his time to those who are hurting.

On the other hand, you could also have pastors who reinforce our money-hungry culture to their churches by climbing up the corporate church ladder toward higher pay, abusing their power to gain more income or other perks. There are tons of pastors who will actually use business language to describe their CEO-type position. This route risks the pastors temptation of materialism and workoholism (also creating dysfunctional families), turning away people who come to see the church of just an extension of greed in the world, and these pastors often don't model a Christ-like life either.

My suggestion -- out with the full-time career pastor model!

At my church, we have three part-time bi-vocational pastors. They share the responsibilities with one another, none of them is a "senior" pastor with more power (or money) than another. They do get some pay from the church, but it is not their main source of income.

I think this reflects Paul's teaching in the epistles. For, although he was a tent-maker, he also urged the churches to help cover his living expenses. Otherwise he might have had to do a lot less ministering and a lot more tent-making.


bb

 

[FaithLikeARock]

If a pastor devotes full-time hours ministering to his congregation, when is he supposed to find the time to work at a second job to support his family?

I know pastors who have rooms in their church where they stay. God provides. If you are truly faithful, God will always stand over you. At my church, our pastor broke his back (seems that all the older men at our church are the ones that do the hard work because at least one of them always have something broken). The church personally began signing envelopes out to pay for his surgery. The churches personal money is for the upkeeping of the church, not the faculty. However I have no problem with personal payments. At my church he still gets paid (only half our faculty gets paid, and they all get paid minimum wage and it's only when they're working their assigned jobs, on the church grounds. So for my Pastor, he gets paid Sunday and sometimes special occasions. But other times he's volunteering just as much as anyone else. Yet he gets by. His son in law, the youth pastor, works as a full time teacher AND pastor. His wife is the children's minister and she probably does the most work out of the three of them. Most of the behind the scenes workers who work every day of the week at the church almost do it free of charge, either as retirees or in between jobs.

So you can't tell me that if a pastor is not paid he can't support himself. Nonsense.