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?

[John]

Go back and read what I have said in the past Trevor and I know you remember. I always say you have to read it all. This verse is part of the full chapter, so read it all. I've said to you before about what you are saying. My comment is about not seeing this verse in what he was talking about. I already know how you feel about being paid off the church so your defending getting paid for considering being God's servant is nothing new.

[Archbishop Trevor 'Elihu' Greene]

My point is this: only way to fully understand what he was speaking of in that one verse is to deal with the chapter.

For his situation in particular, false ministers were robbing the people. He had to make a difference for the time in order to stand apart. The women had to set themselves apart from the other women of their day because they didn't want to be mixed up in that crowd. Sometimes we have to sacrifice a freedom and a liberty fora time for the sake of not offending and hindering the Gospel. THIS is what Paul meant! He had the right to receive, but for the sake of not looking like the next fake Apostle, he sacrificed it. He clearly spoke this, and even showed that other real Apostles were collecting.

If me eating or drinking something in your presence offends you, then my liberty is placed on the back burner till the mess is cleared up, and/or someone grows in that area.

[John]

OK, thanks. God bless.

[Preacher]

2 Timothy 3:2 >>

International Standard Version (©2008)
People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy,

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
People will be selfish and love money. They will brag, be arrogant, and use abusive language. They will curse their parents, show no gratitude, have no respect for what is holy,

King James Bible
For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,

[Preacher]

This FOX5 Atlanta report on Creflo Dollar includes some of the heretic’s critics.


For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy,



Dollar said he is releasing some information about his and his church’s finances in light of the probe of a powerful senator into Dollar’s and other ministries’ finances.

“I generally don’t make this public,” Dollar said.

His income is separate from the church’s, provided by businesses he owns and from investments and real estate, he said.

A church staff member said Dollar no longer gets a salary.

“I have signed million-dollar deals for books,” Dollar said.

The church did give him a Rolls-Royce, he added, which is used largely for special occasions and for picking up special guests.

It is the expensive cars, private jets, million-dollar homes, jewelry and bevy of businesses associated with six evangelists’ media empires that got the attention of Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa), the ranking Republican on the Senate Finance Committee.

Grassley asked last week for financial records from Dollar and his wife, Taffi, Bishop Eddie Long of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Lithonia, Randy and Paula White of Florida, the Rev. Benny Hinn and Kenneth and Gloria Copeland of Texas and David and Joyce Meyer of Missouri.

Long did not respond to the newspaper’s requests for interviews.

[Preacher]

International Standard Version (©2008)
In their greed they will exploit you with deceptive words. The ancient verdict against them is still in force, and their destruction is not delayed.

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
and in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
In their greed they will use good-sounding arguments to exploit you. The verdict against them from long ago is still in force, and their destruction is not asleep.

King James Bible
And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.

American King James Version
And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingers not, and their damnation slumbers not.

American Standard Version
And in covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose sentence now from of old lingereth not, and their destruction slumbereth not.



But Creflo Dollar argues his material wealth is a clear sign of God’s blessing.
1 Timothy 6:5

International Standard Version (©2008)
and incessant conflict between people who are depraved in mind and deprived of truth. They think that godliness is a way to make a profit.

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
and constant friction between men of depraved mind and deprived of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain.

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
and conflict between people whose corrupt minds have been robbed of the truth. They think that a godly life is a way to make a profit.

King James Bible
Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.

American King James Version
Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw yourself.

Check out the Bible, he said. The patriarchs were rich ( LIE ). He has said before that Jesus was rich.( LIE ) After all, Jesus had a treasurer (one of his disciples, according to the New Testament),( THAT DOESN'T MEAN YOU'RE RICH ) and wore clothes worth enough that the soldiers who crucified him gambled to see who got them.( THAT'S NOT WHY THEY GAMBLED )
THE BIBLE SAYS ( And in covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose sentence now from of old lingereth not, and their destruction slumbereth not

“Without a doubt, my life is not average,” Dollar said. “But I’d like to say, just because it is excessive doesn’t necessarily mean it’s wrong.”

destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.

[John]

Brother, they can never draw me to them selves. I know Who I serve and Who protects me from their kind. He tells me to judge all things in the spirit, 1Corinthians 15;2.

[Teria Whitted]

tell me this does god get paid from you being paid. everything you do is suppose to glorfiy god. Right

[Archbishop Trevor 'Elihu' Greene]

GOD taking care of us is by grace, not by obligation. Salvation is a grace thing, for HE said "I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion, and mercy on whom I will have mercy". GOD does not get paid for me being paid, at the same time, GOD does not get saved because I'm saved. The Kingdom of GOD is Theocratic not democratic. In other words, YAHWEH The FATHER, the LORD JESUS CHRIST, & the HOLY SPIRIT were GOD before we existed, and would still be GOD even if they wiped us out and started all over. The FATHER own all things as KING. Kings don't get paid to be kings, they just reap from what you sow. Those under them, however are compensated and rewarded for loyalty from both the hands of the King, and the hands of HIS subjects. Is this wrong? Tell that to David's men, Solomon's men, Hezekiah's men, the Apostles.........

The crime is when these faithful men turn into thieves, robbing the people and taking more than what they are justly due.

[Ebony "Missionary" Williams]

This is a very interesting question. The Word does state that a preacher should be paid however If I was a Pastor I would do it for free. I say that becasue if you are called to be a Pastor that means you are in God's perferct will for your life. And everyone should know that once your in the perfect will of God, He will provided! I have never seen the righteous forsaken! The gain will be much more than we could handle (pressed down, shaken up, and running over HALLELUJAH!)

[Archbishop Trevor 'Elihu' Greene]

This is all true and dynamic! HE will provide.....however, if you do it for free, don't you think you just sorta "rejected" HIS provision? After all, HE is no longer doing the "manna from Heaven thing".

Its just a thought, because HE does provide out of the giving of HIS people......

[Ebony "Missionary" Williams]

Amen to that!