Should a Pastor, Pastor a Church for free

[Pastor Lorenzo Edwards]

Should a pastor that spends most of his time preaching and teaching get paid for what God has him to do? I know what the scriptures says about this, but would you pastor for free?

[ugheghe enoma victor]

u are right

[Evangelist Cathy Guyton]

So true. SO true!

[diane ervin lopez]

no men of god should be paid god take good care of his people in a way they is unexpectly and im sure he will be bless if he learn to hold on to gods way and not salary from the people of the church

[Bishop Amos W. Tarpeh, Jr]

Yes, Every Church should paid their pastors. However that are some churches that are not able to do so. Therefore the pastor should see his call to come from God. When we work faithfully and the people can't help because the church is not in the position to do so, then the pastor should depend on God who called him.

Scriptures provide that the pastors and ministers of the church should not be a burden to the church. Where I come from in Africa many churches are not able to pay their pastors. The pastor in turns support the vision of the church.

Paul himself was a tent maker to support his ministry however he encourage the church to take an offering for his support. I encourage pastors and members to be innovative in raising their own support for their livelihood and not stress the church with the issue of pay.

I also want to encourage church elders who will read this post no matter how some the church is the church MUST provide a stipend for the pastor to enable him do the work of the ministry. Even if that stipend will only be able to pay for his gas in the month or pay is cell phone bill that will be a good start.

1. They worker is worthy of his wages.
2. Those who preach the gospel must be support by those they teach or preach to every week.

[Pastor Aric Johnson]

where and what bible do you get your info from ,not from anything that has anything to due with GOD.

[John]

Y'all just dont' get it! I think this blog really has run it's course and there are those that believe one should be paid because it's a job and there are those that don't believe in that. Neither side is going to change their minds so why don't we move on to something else. God bless.

[Evangelist Valerie Miller]

Amen

[Trevor T. Greene]

Sorry, but its not that simple, Evangelist.....

[Brother L]

SOL (Smiling out loud)

[Yehochanan Ben-Yisrael]

Warm Greetings,

The Scriptures do not teach that so-called "Pastors" are to be paid. For one, the "church" leaders are SUPPOSED to represent the Levites. Well, since the Levites did not work for their own benefit, they relied on the contributions of the others. So, let us see what the Levites are paid according to the Words of the Creator Himself--not just His prophets.

Deut 14:27 And the Levite that is within thy gates; thou shalt not forsake him; for he hath no part nor inheritance with thee.
Deut 14:28 At the end of three years thou shalt bring forth all the tithe of thine increase the same year, and shalt lay it up within thy gates:
Deut 14:29 And the Levite, (because he hath no part nor inheritance with thee,) and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, which are within thy gates, 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.

Therefore, we see that the Levites (who are "supposed" to be the pastors of today) do not get a salary. They are only to recieve WHAT IS NECESSARY to live on ALONG WITH the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow. Hence, the pastor should be eating no more or less than the other needy ones of the Congregation.

Sadly, the so-called "pastor" is the only one eating up the tithes. No only that, the MAJORITY of them are living better than the congregation and taking more than they need to meet their need. This is an abomination.

Malachi 3:8 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.
Malachi 3:9 Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.
Malachi 3:10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

There, we clearly see that that the so-called pastors are robbing the Creator by NOT BRINGING the tithes to the storehouse for the ALL of the needy to partake of. They just say, There is not enough for everyone after I got my part. So, you widows, homeless and orphans need to look to the government or somewhere else for help. But, rest assured, if there is only $1 in the plate, he will get it. Forget the fact that YHWH is supposed to be his portion!

And as was stated in a previous post, the perfect example was left by Yeshua (Jesus) and Paul. They took took as little as possible from the people. They never got paid for teaching. In fact, they were both homeless. The moved from place to place teaching the Truth. And, when they recieved money, they is was only to PASS IT ON TO THE NEEDY. That is the same thing is says to do in the Torah. We also read about this in the Book of Acts.

Act 4:33 And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.
Act 4:34 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,
Act 4:35 And laid them down at the apostles' feet and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.

Do the so-called "pastors" take the money and pass to all those who need it? No. UNHEARD OF! We give the money and the needy have to rely on Welfare and Food Stamps. At best, they may give some food to the homeless ones or twice per week. But, as we read from the Words of the Creator, the pastors are supposed to eat the SAME THING as the homeless, widows, and orphans--not rolling in Cadillac on the Churches dime! What pastor eats once or twice per week?


PREACHING is not a career. In a proper congregation, the labor is to be divided among the Elders. Each of the elders are given gifts acording to the Holy Spirit--not just one person. Not one verse in the Bible says that each local congregation would have a local leader. That is a tradition of men. Everyone is supposed to work. So, there is no concept of a "Pastor" or Solitary Leader of any congregation in the Bible. That role is supposed to be served collectively by the Elders of the congregation--not one person. SEVERAL PEOPLE in a congregation should be qualified to preach--not just one person. The only "Pastor" is Yeshua (Jesus)--PERIOD.

At some point, we must reject the ways of the Gentile and look to the Scriptures for the Truth. The time is ending for false teachers to continue fleecing and LIVING OFF of the People of the Lord. Now, if he CHARGES for services he does like accounting, councelling, funerals and things like that, then that is his business. The person who cleans the church as a right to charge for their services too. Many large churches have people working there fulltime. That is fine. But, NO ONE is to receive a DIME for teaching the Truth.

As the world grows in Biblical literacy, we will so begin to do these things for each other free of charge. We will no longer look to some HOLY MAN to teach the Truth. In the day and age, the majority are teaching lies. Each person will serve each other out of love. We will not charge the church for singing, cleaning the place, doing the accounting or anything else. The labor will be shared. This is how it is set up in the Bible. No person will be making a living off of religion or the Church. Every person will WORK. And thanks to the Internet, the Truth is getting out. The wolves in sheep's closthing are being exposed. Old ladies will no longer have to surrender their medicine money to fill the Pastors tank in his Cadillac. Instead we will start serving our elderly and less fortunate as it was written.

Jer 31:34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

So, when the New Covenant is instituted, the pastors (like all fit adults) will have to GET A JOB! The labor will be shared. We will be ONE BODY.

Best Wishes,
Yehochanan

[Evangelist Saadia Dublin]

Brother i so glad that someone is filled with the HolySpirit, up on here. I'm really sick of hearing the right for a pastor to be paid for what? Is the word of God free? why must one be paid as though it is a vocation? did the twelve disciple get paid? what about Christ? those that beleive such, need to study the word of God in the (right) Spirit then they would be able to divide it right. I get so upset ( IT GRIEVE MY SPIRITI When i hear this. Yes i do understand my husband and i pastor a church, and we feel that as God appointed us that he will also take care of us, as we do his work. as we (should)already know and read that those that were before us didn't lack for nothing as long as they were doing the will of God.

[Evangelist Joshua Dillard]

You're absolutely right preacher.