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Minister's Questions
14/04/2006
We attend a denominational church. The council just gave the pastor a housing allowance so he can go and buy a house, but it’s still not enough money for him. He still has to work a part-time job in order to make ends meet. I’m a firm believer in us supporting our pastor. We’re having a business meeting at the end of the month and I wanted to know if you could help me out with some Scriptures to back me up so I can bring that up in the business meeting?
Well, Matthew chapter 10 says that the laborer is worthy of his wages. 1
Thessalonians chapter 5 talks about how we need to appreciate those that labor
among us. And 1 Timothy chapter 5 says that the elders are worthy of double
honor, especially those that are working hard at preaching and teaching. Those
are some Scriptures to support your position.
However, at the same time, the church has to be large enough and the church has
to be financially sound enough to be able to support its vision as well as pay
for supporting its pastor. If the church is not strong enough financially to pay
the pastor what that pastor deserves, then the pastor should have a second job
until the church grows and until the church is built up enough to there are so
many people in the church that he doesn’t have time to work anywhere else and
that there’s enough income coming into the church. And that’s testified by Paul
the Apostle who was a tentmaker when there wasn’t enough finances in the church
to pay for his support.
That does not mean that the pastor shouldn’t be paid. He should be. But if the
church can’t afford it, then the pastor should continue to work outside of the
church and continue to build up the church so that it can support him and
support its vision. If the church can afford it, then the church should do it.
Those are the Scriptures I would give you.
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Minister's Questions
14/04/2006
I am in a new pastorate. In transitioning a church from a tradition base church to a spirit filled or led church what would be your advice?
My advice would be you should do that lovingly, you should do it kindly and
you should make sure you are doing it scripturally. You explain line upon line –
Isaiah 28 talks about doing things line upon line, precept upon precept. So you
have to teach before miracles can happen.
Sometimes Jesus went to a city where he could not do many miracles because of
their unbelief, and then how did he deal with that? He taught them the Word, and
then faith was stirred up for miracles to happen again. So you have to teach
them, line upon line. You can’t rush into just saying, “Bam, here it is.” You
have to show them in Scripture the reasoning behind everything that you do. And
some people will still not want to participate. And they’ll move on and find
another church but new people will come.
Start by saying I’m just going to teach you the Bible. I’m going to teach you
right out of the Bible. I’m going to read the Bible. We’re going to talk about
what the Bible teaches. I’m not going to try to preach theology. I’m going to
preach the Bible, and teach the Bible and read the Scriptures and talk about
what the Scriptures really mean and how they apply to our every day lives.”
That’s going to win the people, and if it doesn’t win them, it’s going to bring
the ones you want anyway.
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