The modern church pastors are well paid, they are full time salaried staff comparable to the market rate and even above the market rate and living comfortable lives being supported by the church and are not on a church mouse salary what ever happened to being self sustaining/self supportive having a main job outside the church and making sacrifices for the love of God and not relying on a salary instead but on offerings and allowances? Then cell group leaders who are serving part time are serving voluntarily for free without asking for a stipend allowance,although they would be considered part time staff based on their times and services but its not taken into account , what an irony! batteredsheep/pastors_salaried.html quoted link The late F.F. Bruce, once considered the worlds foremost New Testament scholar, writes: Returning once more to the example which he had set them, he reminds them finally that those who take care of the people of God must do so without thought of material reward. As Samuel called all Israel to witness when he was about to lay down his office as judge (1 Samuel 12:3), so Paul calls the Ephesian elders to witness that all the time he spent with them he coveted nothing that was not his; on the contrary, he did not even avail himself of his right to be maintained by those whose spiritual welfare he cared, but earned his living--and that of his colleagues--by his own labors: these hands, he said (inevitably with the attendant gesticulation), ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me (v.34). Let those to whom he was speaking likewise labor and thus support not only themselves but others as well--the sick in particular (The New International Commentary on the New Testament: Acts [Grand Rapids: Wm.B. Eerdmans, 1986] p.418). Carl B. Hoch, Jr., professor of New Testament at Grand Rapids Baptist Seminary, states: In New Testament days, leaders were normally not paid. That is, money was given more as a gift than as an income or a salary. Leaders like Paul could receive money, but Paul chose not to receive any from the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 9:8-12). He wanted to serve without depending on any church for financial support. Churches had a responsibility to reward the ox (1 Timothy 5:17) and to share with those who taught (Galatians 6:6). But money was never to be the driving force of ministry (1 Peter 5:2). Unfortunately, churches today will not call a man until they feel they can support him, and some men will not seriously consider a call if the financial package is inadequate (All Things New [Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1995] p.240). Simon J. Kistemaker, who served for many years as professor of New Testament at Reformed Theological Seminary, states: In his [Paul] letters he discloses that he worked night and day with his own hands to support himself, so that no one would ever be able to accuse him of depending on the hearers of the Gospel for his material needs (compare 1 Samuel 12:3). He refused to be a burden to anyone in the churches he established. By performing manual labor, he provided for his financial needs. Paul received gifts from the believers in Philippi, as he himself reveals (Philippians 2:25; 4:16-18), yet he declares that he did not solicit those gifts... The Ephesian elders had observed Pauls ministry and physical work during his three-year stay. They were able to testify that he had never exploited anyone (2 Corinthians 7:2), but had always set an example of diligence and self-sufficiency, in the good sense of the word. He was a model to the believers and taught the rule: If you will not work, you shall not eat (2 Thessalonians 3:10)... It appears that Paul generated sufficient income to support not only himself but even his companions... In every respect, says Paul to the elders of Ephesus, I taught you to work hard and with your earnings to help the weak... He exhorts them to follow his example and to labor hard (New Testament Commentary: Acts [Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1990] pp. 737,740). Commenting on Acts 20:33-35, Roland Allen, author of the classic work, Missionary Methods: St. Pauls or Ours? (Grand Rapids: Wm.B. Eerdmans, 1962), notes: When I wrote this book I had not observed that in addressing the elders of Ephesus, St. Paul definitely directs them to follow his example and to support themselves (Acts 20:34-35). The right to support is always referred to wandering evangelists and prophets, not to settled local clergy (see Matthew 10:10; Luke 10:7; 1 Corinthians 9:1-14) with the doubtful exceptions of Galatians 6:6 and 1 Timothy 5:17-18, and even if those passages do refer to money gifts, they certainly do not contemplate fixed salaries which were an abomination in the eyes of the early Christians (p.50).
Posted on: Tue, 02 Dec 2014 08:44:06 +0000
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