Just getting back from Christmas vacation in Florida (holla), I thought I would finish up my little series of things that just don't sit right with me in the church world. I have talked about giving, and changing vision and the like, this morning I would like to touch on a subject, that I have seen over and over again. This mentality that the people in the church have regarding the paid staff in their church. It seems that once a church hires someone, that gives them the right to step back out of ministry all together and let the paid gun do everything. Now as much as I have seen this I have also seen it not work just as much.
Lets paint the picture: Church needs help...church hires a person who they think will help them reach the next level, church steps back and allows the new man to practically do every aspect of ministry by themselves, church starts to decline, church fires hired man because of poor numbers and offering, church rebuilds on it own, people come back into the ministry picture, church hires another ace and the circle slide (choir reference) continues.
Now personally I have a big problem with this...is this what the church is called to do? I do believe we are to seek and save the lost. But this seems to get lost in the aforementioned slide. After the people of the church have stepped back out of service to let the ace minister do everything there feelings get hurt, or they "wouldn't have done it like that", or your changing things way to fast around here, and the lost souls of our communities and the good name of the church get lost in the revolving slide.
A little side note, I know what the Bible says about double honor, and we shouldn't muzzle the ox, but I have had a problem for a long time now taking money from the church doing what I do. A lot of times the salary of the minister (s) hamstrings the work, the reach, message of the church. And why should I be the burden of a body of believers that is struggling to get by. In first Corinthians Paul knows he is due compensation...buts opts not to take it. This has intrigued me for some time now. If there is anyone who deserves monetary compensation it is the Apostle Paul. I really understand what Paul is saying in these passages (1 Cor. 9), he has the right but does not use the right. Where there ministers in the first century that were being 100% compensated for there work in the church? or did everyone combine the workload, and the money, and the resources. Has the Ministry become something it was never intended to be?
This is my struggle at this very moment in my career. I have been in places in my Ministerial career that I wondered if I was going to get paid. That is not fair to the church, and it is not fair to the "Minister".
If Ministerial salaries were done away with it might just level the playing field and help to stop the slide. Please tell me what you think.
R
1 comment:
Dude,
I'm right there with you. I've been wrestling with several months with this issue. My church has graciously paid me, and they're cool with it. But at the same time, I feel like I'm hamstringing the church, especially in this time of economic uncertainty.
When we leave to go to NC and start a new work, my days as a "paid guy" will be over. The guy that's taking my place is already working a full-time job, and will get a small housing allowance, which will allow our microchurches to be more generous--with each other when needed, and with the community.
Good post.
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