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?

[Archbishop Trevor 'Elihu' Greene]

There is more to this than meets the eye, my friend. You all consider the tithe of old to just be livestock, however, livestock is a form of currency. gold and silver is valuable to some, a goat is sometimes more valuable to a person than a piece of Gold though (depending on the person and situation). Currency all deals with what you consider of value. For us its dollars and cents.

[T. Michael Owens]

No one disputes that tithes includes money, we are well aware of the fact that a tithe is a percentage of what God has blessed us with which also includes our very own life. I still suggest that you do some research on your statements for your own clarification.

Let us also remind you of what Jesus told His disciples as He sent them out....Matthew 10 and Luke 22:35 -38. Afterall, this discussion does center around the question, "Should a Pastor pastor a church for free?" And has absolutely nothing to do with the tithe.

Also, we are aware that they are are few of God's anointed, appointed and commissioned servants that would joyfully serve freely

[Archbishop Trevor 'Elihu' Greene]

"No one disputes that tithes includes money, we are well aware of the fact that a tithe is a percentage of what God has blessed us with which also includes our very own life. I still suggest that you do some research on your statements for your own clarification."

You just love telling me to do more research don't you? Well, to correct you AGAIN, many of your teammates on this subject ague that its not about money. I know this because they have come and said that statement to me. Do the research yourself by going back into the blog and see who said what.

Let us also remind you of what Jesus told His disciples as He sent them out....Matthew 10 and Luke 22:35 -38. After all, this discussion does center around the question, "Should a Pastor pastor a church for free?" And has absolutely nothing to do with the tithe.

If a Pastor is to get compensated, then by what would the saints do it with? THE TITHE! By you "reminding me" of what JESUS said, you do not help your point. HE told them to not carry their own money along for the journey, but live off of what the people provide, for HE said in MAtthew 10:6-10

6But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

7And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.

8Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.

9Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses,

10Nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat.

When HE said "freely ye have received, freely give" HE meant freedom from sickness, death, and sin. Freely loose others, don't charge them like all the other sorcerers do. Also, HE said HE sent them to the lost "sheep" of Israel. A shepherd lives off of the very sheep he watches and tends to. He/she needs not buy clothes for they have wool for hair, so he literally fleeces the flock. He/she needs meat or milk, so he/she gets it from the herd itself. The Shepherd/sheep relationship is a balance, for the need each other. What shepherd goes and gets another job? If he/she does, he leaves the flock open to attack, or in the hands of a hireling, or whatever. Likewise, you want a Pastor to work a separate job, but want him/her to be there fore you? How can you justify not compensating a Pastor by using those verses? After all, your LORD said "A workman is worthy of his hire (literally his paycheck)".


"Also, we are aware that they are are few of God's anointed, appointed and commissioned servants that would joyfully serve freely"

Bless GOD for them, for those are the real ones that say "LORD, I would do it for free if you asked me to." I said the same exact thing. I'm also willing to to do it also (I'm doing it right now in fact)! However, the compensation that the LORD allows has the same origin as anything GOD does for us, including salvation: GRACE. By grace we are saved through faith, by grace I am an Apostle in the LORD's church according to the same faith, and by grace HE Himself would compensate me for something that HE commanded me to do that I was ready to do for free. I say it is my right however, because "IT IS WRITTEN", and no other reason.

[T. Michael Owens]

Brother Greene, this is not personal and I accept your understandings and statements. But the question remains the same, "Should a Pastor Pastor a Church for Free"? And, again, I state emphatically, "yes"! If he or she is so lead to do so believing that God will supply all their need. I have this type of faith and trust in God and He has never allowed me to be without what was needed.

It may be our so-called right to be compensated for what we do but those that so called right give us the liberty to be greedy. If so at that point it becomes filty lucre and we becomes hirelings who will run when trouble comes or as so many do, go to the next church that offers a dime more with nine more members.

Be blessed and let all that you do be done as unto the Lord. Much love!

In the trenches,
Bro. T

[Archbishop Trevor 'Elihu' Greene]

Thats is totally agreeable. A right can go as far as to be abused and become a hindrance. This is why in the same chapter that I hold to (1st Corinthians 9), Apostle Paul forfeited his right so that corruption might be spread by him in the church, and that he can make a clear distinction between himself and the false Apostles plaguing that area of ministry. A noble and wisdom filled move indeed.

The thing that must be remembered here is the key word BALANCE. If I abuse my rights as a leader, let alone as a saint, then I am sinning claiming that grace will abound for me (Romans 6). At the same time, it is my right to exercise so long as exercise it in righteousness (1st Corinthians 9).

This is where I have stood all this time. Balance is the key, otherwise you are either counted a thief for stealing, or a fool for rejecting GOD's provision that you "trusted HIM for".

[SNR AP/REV SALIMON FOLAKOYE]

Yes, I would. The bible says freely you receive and freely you shall give.

[Lonnie Kluttz]

Brother Greene,

You are right....I'm one of the ones that say that tithing has never been money. You nor anyone else can show one scripture where tithing was money. But I am able to show anyone where tithing wasn't money. I can also show why God isn't concerned about your money, but He is concerned about you and how you treat others. The scriptures say that God is more concerned about about your obedience than your offerings and your sacrifices. The food and the other livestock that was tithe wasn't their form of currency, they had money....( Deut. 14: 24,25). Brother Owens is right, you are a novice and only repeating what someone told you. STUDY TO SHOW THYSELF APROVED!!!!!! Study my brother.

God Bless

[Archbishop Trevor 'Elihu' Greene]

Though there was gold and silver as well as a other things for currency, you miss out on ALOT by saying that livestock is not to be counted as currency. In the Roman empire, soldier were even compensated by being paid salt! Currency is what is of value to a person in the time of business. In the case of the business of your salvation, the currency that bought you and I back was blood from the veins of the Lamb.

Its interesting to know that the Bible measured a person's wealth in gold/silver, land and livestock. Those just so happened to be the top three in value to this day. A novice? Only repeating what someone told me? That one was seriously funny! Your view on what money even is seems to be limited my friend.

[Lonnie Kluttz]

Well my friend,

God said, "exchange your tithe for money." Go by what God said and not what the world says. That's what is important here. If God wanted tithing to be money, He would have said so. Oh by the way, He never did. And if he did, show it. Not tell me He did. I bet you won't find it

God bless

[Archbishop Trevor 'Elihu' Greene]

I have been led by the HOLY SPIRIT to deal with and study the finances of this nation and the Church recently. If you understood what was ahead of you all, you wouldn't be worried about funding your ministries and sponsoring your ministers, but you would be EAGER to! The Church of the Living GOD is a more stable storehouse for funds than your banks ever were. It was wise and rich King Solomon that said money answers all things, yet you refuse to give that all important answer. Yes the LORD provides for HIS leaders, but if you withhold your hands, you make HIM to go to go to another means to provide instead of from HIS own people, indicating that :

-you are not faithful with HIS funds concerning HIS chosen leaders, for a leader in the LORD's church should be able to come and pick from your fruitful branches just as JESUS came to pick from what should have been the fruitful branches of the fig tree,
-You are a thief, taking from the ministers and expecting for them to get their just return for their time from else where (1st Corinthians 9:),
-You are so Heavenly bound and Heavenly minded that you are now no earthly good, and cannot even be trusted with spiritual revelation, let alone Kingdom funds, because you have proven with the lesser (money) that you wouldn't give to those who are actually working and worthy of their hire. GOD forbid that HE should place you in charge of decreeing and distributing blessings into the hands of leaders,
-You don't think that the workman is worthy of his hire,
-You don't believe JESUS as to when HE said if you bless the Prophet because he is a Prophet, you will receive a Prophet's reward,
-You don't believe Paul as to when he said whatsoever a man sows that shall he also reap, or when he said do not muzzle the ox the treads the corn,
-You don't believe James as to when he said faith without works is dead,

I wonder how much those people that say this against ministers getting paid actually fund ministries, while screaming out that others that mention money so much are not focusing on the Gospel. I'm mission minded because I came from a Church that taught that "missions was the heartbeat of GOD". You can't call yourself an Evangelistic, Apostolic, Prophetic or whatever type of Christian if you feel this way towards ministers getting funds. I'm not saying pay your Pastor $600k a year like this guy in Harlem. Thats embarrassing! However, the tithe is important because your "freewill offering" is nice when initially given, but 9 out of ten times its a one time deal. The tithe however was designed to sustain what the freewill offering started. Even now that I am in charge of a ministry (not just some kid typing, or an associate minister, but the Senior Apostle), my people can trust the money that comes to me goes to GOD's purposes first, my living expenses next, and they always will.

A novice? Its time that you step into a leadership role and see what missions is about from that point of view before you speak on novice.......

[Dr. Eddie L. Lawrence]

Hello Pastor Edwards,

Your questions are good ones. "Would you pastor for free?" is a question that calls for all of us in ministry to examine the motives of our hearts. I hope when the dusk settles and the sun sets we would all answer "YES!" The only way we can keep from becoming "hirelings" is by keeping our heart motives pure.

I remember a relative who was at a funeral. She had just buried her husband. Before the grieving widow ever stood to her feet from the chair where she sat by the side of husband's grave, the preacher walked over to her to inform her that he usually got $100 for preaching a funeral service. As shocking as it sounds, it does happen.

I will never forget 26 years ago as I met with the leaders of a church as they questioned me. I was a 25 year old very "green behind the ears preacher" being interviewed for his first opportunity to pastor. The group of leaders seem somewhat embarrassed as they told me, "We want you to be our Pastor but we can only pay you $100 a week." I quickly responded, "Don't worry about that, I'll pay you $100 week to let me preach." That's the way I felt back then. I had been doing most of my preaching to the squirrels and trees in the woods behind my house where I went to pray. I was amped up about the opportunity to preach to real people. Your question has caused me to revisit those days and ask myself, "Do I still feel that way?" A good question for us all.

There are times when a Pastor may need to talk honestly with the leaders of the church if they seem unconcerned about providing for him. This is always a touchy area, but I encourage pastors to be humble and honest about it with their leaders.

To sum it up. The congregation is responsible to do all they can do to provide for their pastor. They will be blessed for doing it and things cannot really move forward the way they could until they are doing what they can do. But the servant of the Lord has to ultimately live by Matthew 6:33 realizing as he seeks first God's kingdom and righteousness all his needs will be met.

When the dust settles, it is a heart issue. We can have a spirit of Balaam that prophesys for pay when we already have plenty of money in the bank. It is not about how much money you may or may not have, it is about how much of our heart the Lord has.

I recently preached an ordination service for one of my African American brothers who had served as one of my Elders. In the charge to the church, I really encouraged them to take care of their pastor. The title of the message was THE FIVE GREATEST THINGS A CHURCH CAN DO FOR THEIR PASTOR. The outline can be viewed at http://sermonseedbed.com/?cat=18 Thanks for reminding me about this important issue of our hearts.

Blessings,
Eddie Lawrence

[T. Michael Owens]

Bless you my dear brother, I am blessed to see that I am not the only fool on purpose with a purpose. The foolishness of preaching saves souls and we that are foolish enough to accept the call to become servants of God's people find joy in preaching. I thought that I was the only one willing to pay for the privilege of preaching.