pastor's salary and my tithe

[jpcedotal]

jpcedotal said it all.... If you FEEL your money is not properly used than give elsewhere...

Also keep in mind that being wealthy and owning a mulit-million dollar house is not a sin!!! Get the churches financial records if you are concerned.... decide for yourself... if you feel your donations would be better spent elsewhere than so be it.

more churches are broken up because of junk like this. Folks start worrying more about their money (that really isn't theirs to begin with) than they do about Christ.

One is not truly giving up their money to God if they refuse to let go.

 

[Aijalon]

I'm just loving the fact that most people on this thread are simply assuming that the pastor in question is male.

Since the Apostle Paul felt very strongly about men-only leaders, it is pretty clear why people assume the pastor is male.

Methodists......

 

[InSpiritInTruth]

Mark 10:42-45

King James Version (KJV)

42 But Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them.
43 But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister:
44 And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all.
45 For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

Give unto man the things that belong to man, but unto God the things that belong to God.

 

[Archivist]

Or because it's a modest home in an expensive area.

Even in an expensive area, I'm not sure that a $1,700,000 home would qualify as a "modest" house.

 

[MrSolarMuzik]

1 Corinthians 9:11-14
"11 If we sowed spiritual blessings among you, is it too much to reap material things from you? 12 If others receive this right from you, are we not more deserving? But we have not made use of this right. Instead we endure everything so that we may not be a hindrance to the gospel of Christ. 13 Don’t you know that those who serve in the temple eat food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar receive a part of the offerings? 14 In the same way the Lord commanded those who proclaim the gospel to receive their living by the gospel. "

This is a two part problem because it is clearly stated that the Lord wants to sustain His people who serve the kingdom by ministering to the kingdom, but also this is to be done under the fruit of the Spirit theme (for lack of a better word to describe what I feel), because Paul also rejected this right later in the chapter. If a pastor does receive money, he should live modestly, so there is no doubt in his congregation about his heart being caught in the pride of life. I don't understand why someone would need a $1.7 million dollar home, unless they bought it at another price and the property value skyrocketed (which is possible) or they really need that amount of space. It's like that thing called greed, the concept that would make someone take more than what they need of an item, while others are still in need. It's a personal decision, but I can't think of a better way to illustrate it than by talking about cars. It's like needing a car to get from point A to point B, while you have enough money to afford both, but only need one, and the transportation choices are between a Rolls Royce and a Chevrolet Impala. Why would you spend $400k on a vehicle, when you can spend 30k and have a ton of money left over to further help those in need?

 

[Archivist]

Since the Apostle Paul felt very strongly about men-only leaders, it is pretty clear why people assume the pastor is male.

Paul, the guy who listed Junia as being "outstanding among the apostles," who named Priscilla as "my co-worker in Christ Jesus?"

In any event, that is a topic for a different thread.

To get back on topic, our church provides a housing allowance for our pastor. She and her husband live in a modest three-bedroom townhouse.

 

[Aijalon]

Paul, the guy who listed Junia as being "outstanding among the apostles," who named Priscilla as "my co-worker in Christ Jesus?"

In any event, that is a topic for a different thread.

To get back on topic, our church provides a housing allowance for our pastor. She and her husband live in a modest three-bedroom townhouse.

I'm not against women having positions in ministry in all cases, but women as pastor/leaders tend to be domineering over their husbands. This is how you know that it is unscriptural, any time a woman takes spiritual leadership over her husband, the design God intended for marriage is corrupted.

Sadly many men abdicate this leadership, leaving a void that the women of todays culture often gladly fill. And perhaps that is better than no leadership at all, women are picking up the slack for the men.

But the fact remains that Paul relies on God's design at creation and of the original sin and curse of sin for his reason to reject female leadership. It is not a cultural thing, that is a cheap answer. The Law of Moses and the culture of the Hebrew nation did not develop until long long long after the garden of Eden. Whenever women justify their leadership position as the call of God it should always be viewed in light of the LACK of male leadership. It is not about culture it is about the fundamentals of human nature as God intended.

(you are right that this is off topic, but all topics do stray after a few pages -- and I did not raise the issue..... a troll did it!)

 

[Albion]

Even in an expensive area, I'm not sure that a $1,700,000 home would qualify as a "modest" house.

It seems to me that either the pastor already owned this house OR that the congregation does and it has done so for a long, long time.

I know of homes in historical or commercial districts which would be worth that much if sold to a business. But they're just ordinary houses otherwise.

 

[Life2Christ]

Even in an expensive area, I'm not sure that a $1,700,000 home would qualify as a "modest" house.

Even if the pastor aquired his home before the he became the pastor or he inherited his home...how does one maintain a million + home on a pastor's salary?

 

[toLiJC]

in principle it is good the resources (in the faith) to be shared (out) to all people according to the needs of everyone, as it is written:

Acts 2:44-45 "And all that believed were together, and had all things common; And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.",

Acts 4:34-35 "Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, And laid them down at the apostles' feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.",

Deuteronomy 14:28-29 "At the end of three years(ie whenever you have an income/earnings/surplus/excess) thou shalt bring forth all the tithe of thine increase the same year(ie of the same time), and shalt lay it up within thy gates(ie according to the righteousness): And the Levite(ie and the clerics), (because he hath no part nor inheritance with thee(ie because their work is to be clerics throughout and for that reason they gain not resources),) and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow(viz. and all other necessitous people), which are within thy gates(ie about who there is no anyone to care except you), shall come, and shall eat and be satisfied; that the LORD thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hand which thou doest."

the idea is all resources that are set aside to be shared (out) to all necessitous people, of course Lord God is not a tyrant, nor an oppressor, neither an extortionist/depredator, but it is written that God is Love, because He wants everyone to aid according to what it can gives heartily, as it is written:

Romans 12:8-9 "he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness. Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.",

1 Corinthians 9:17 "For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me."

Blessings

 

[athenken]

It seems we are also missing information on how big the church is. If it is one of those mega-churches, then this could very well be rather reasonable, but if this is a medium to large church I would question how much the pastor is being paid so that they are able to afford that size of a house. Of course there is also the possibility this is a pastor who has also published books and is earning revenue off of those royalties.

Many things to consider.

 

[InSpiritInTruth]

Not to mention any preacher or pastor who tries to bind it's congregation with the natural law of the tithe is a false teacher of the doctrine of grace.

Galatians 5:4
Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.

 

[Life2Christ]

It seems we are also missing information on how big the church is. If it is one of those mega-churches, then this could very well be rather reasonable,

Wow, I must have picked the wrong profession. (sarcasm)

 

[athenken]

Wow, I must have picked the wrong profession. (sarcasm)

Sarcasm noted, however, have you seen how some of the preachers that belong to some of these mega-churches dress? Case in point: Creflo Dollar, Joel Osteen, most of the preachers on TBN, etc...

 

[Archivist]

Sarcasm noted, however, have you seen how some of the preachers that belong to some of these mega-churches dress? Case in point: Creflo Dollar, Joel Osteen, most of the preachers on TBN, etc...

And think of the people who could be helped--people who could be brought to Jesus, people who could be fed and clothed and housed--if some of those you have named would receive an average salary, drive average cars, live in average houses and wear average clothing.

 

[ebia]

Even in an expensive area, I'm not sure that a $1,700,000 home would qualify as a "modest" house.

A pastor should be living in his "parish". There are some places where that does mean the building costs a lot of money

 

[Archivist]

A pastor should be living in his "parish". There are some places where that does mean the building costs a lot of money

St. Paul made tents to support himself. Some of his converts had wealth according to the standards of the day but Paul never tried to raise himself to live their lifestyle.

 

[ebia]

St. Paul made tents to support himself. Some of his converts had wealth according to the standards of the day but Paul never tried to raise himself to live their lifestyle.

Who said anything about living their lifestyle?

All I said was that he should be living in their "parish".

 

[revrobor]

I'm just loving the fact that most people on this thread are simply assuming that the pastor in question is male.

He should be. There is no Scriptural support for a woman being a pastor. Preacher and teacher perhaps but not pastor.

 

[ebia]

He should be. There is no Scriptural support for a woman being a pastor. Preacher and teacher perhaps but not pastor.

Exactly where does scripture define who can be a pastor?