Pastors profiting from Preaching/speaking?

Nienna_Lady_of_Tears said:

He was also paid by some churches but there were others that he didn't take money from. Yes he was a tentmaker, but he did also receive some money from preaching. So it is not unscriptural to do so.

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Wasn't saying there was anything wrong with receiving money from preaching(as long as it isn't demanded)...the point was that there are a lot of 'preachers' out there that are only in it for the money...if the ability to 'get rich' was removed from the equation then only the sincere would be left.

And I've seen this happen...pastors who lost their churches, went to work to make a living and never preached again...not because they had to work but because there was no profit in it. I've also seen people that did more for the kingdom of God working a full time job than those that preached every Sunday from the pulpit on salary.

A person with a heart that burns to preach the gospel and share Jesus and reach out to people will do it in spite of whether they make a living at it or not. Just my opinion.

Mich7 said:

Wasn't saying there was anything wrong with receiving money from preaching(as long as it isn't demanded)...the point was that there are a lot of 'preachers' out there that are only in it for the money...if the ability to 'get rich' was removed from the equation then only the sincere would be left.

And I've seen this happen...pastors who lost their churches, went to work to make a living and never preached again...not because they had to work but because there was no profit in it. I've also seen people that did more for the kingdom of God working a full time job than those that preached every Sunday from the pulpit on salary.

A person with a heart that burns to preach the gospel and share Jesus and reach out to people will do it in spite of whether they make a living at it or not. Just my opinion.

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Question: Do you believe that all pastors should have the ability to perform a full time job of some other type as well? My husband is disabled and while he's not ready to be a preacher right now he is studying to be one. In a church we attended that didn't believe in having a preacher, he gave sermons and during that time he found out that he could do that without having his Tourette's syndrome act up (but in retail or food service it does) and it actually helped calm his anxiety too.

svm9 said:

I believe, based on scripture, that a pastor should be paid for his work. If he commits himself to a lifetime of ministry, I believe his financial needs should be taken care of. A wage that the church can afford and is in line with the average for the area in which he preaches. Also, his retirement. But, what I'm questioning here is the practice of creating an entrepreneurial model and getting rich in the process.

I'm sure my question sounds judgmental. I'm trying to not be be that way. Asking the question to get others opinions and scripture references. Trying to decide through conversation, prayer and scripture, whether or not I should continue supporting these types of ministries or listening to their preaching.

Thanks

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Your question sounded sincere and honest to me...not judgmental at all...as for what you should do about it I think maybe you already answered your own question in your OP...you said it didn't sit well with your spirit. I only know that when I feel that way it's usually the Holy Spirit giving me the red flag on something...that it's not the right thing. I wish I could be more help but that's all I got.

svm9 said:

Fair enough. I think "many" is a relative term. For my questions, if you don't mid let's just focus on the ones who are getting rich from preaching. The ones typically that are the most well known, whose books and tapes are all over the Christian bookstores. The ones who maintain majority ownership/control of their organizations.

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I still don't think there are that many. In the grand scheme of things, there might be a handful. I also know of well-known preachers who, once they became well-known and had a lot of money, gave back all the money the church had paid them over the years and gave their service to the church for free.

But I agree that those relatively few ministers that you describe should be ashamed of themselves.

svm9 said:

I believe, based on scripture, that a pastor should be paid for his work. If he commits himself to a lifetime of ministry, I believe his financial needs should be taken care of. A wage that the church can afford and is in line with the average for the area in which he preaches. Also, his retirement. But, what I'm questioning here is the practice of creating an entrepreneurial model and getting rich in the process.

I'm sure my question sounds judgmental. I'm trying to not be be that way. Asking the question to get others opinions and scripture references. Trying to decide through conversation, prayer and scripture, whether or not I should continue supporting these types of ministries or listening to their preaching.

Thanks

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I, personally, would probably not support it. I am not comfortable in huge crowds and I believe that the work of the Kingdom is best done is smaller groups. If there is nothing else that is offered (like small group ministry and outreach endeavors) I would not support a group like that. Those ultra large 'ministries' are for Sunday Morning Christians. (I realize that probably sounds pretty judgmental, but the larger the group, it seems the fewer the personal opportunities come around.)

Nienna_Lady_of_Tears said:

Question: Do you believe that all pastors should have the ability to perform a full time job of some other type as well? My husband is disabled and while he's not ready to be a preacher right now he is studying to be one. In a church we attended that didn't believe in having a preacher, he gave sermons and during that time he found out that he could do that without having his Tourette's syndrome act up (but in retail or food service it does) and it actually helped calm his anxiety too.

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That's interesting...My husband stutters when he speaks...but not when he preaches...a man at the church we used to attend said he always knew when my husband opened his mouth and that stutter was gone that the Holy Spirit was speaking.

As for the full time job...I think it would be different with different people...God may require some people to have one...maybe some people work part time...maybe some not a job at all. No two ministries are really the same.

I really don't see ministry as preaching anyway...to me it's just doing what God asks you to do. When you get to the end of your life and look back...everything you've done in obedience to God...that is your ministry. Sometimes that will include preaching...sometimes it will be an act of kindness for someone in need. Each is important in God's eyes. Once again...just my opinion.

I lived with a pastor once and saw first hand how much work and how taxing it can be. Couple that with the terrible debt to income benefit ratio of bible college and IMHO, most pastors are grossly underpaid.