Nougat 8

In many spaces, clergy depend on the members’ offerings for their salaries. It is a touchy subject as mega-churches with strong clergy-centred leanings may lavish their pastors with all the trappings of success. In the same church, others may be treated less excessively. The jury is out on which is best but in Paul’s day, it seems they were treated with scant regard. You may make your conclusions based on Today’s Holy Nougat

Corinthians 4:11 CEVDCI

[11] Even today we go hungry and thirsty and don’t have anything to wear except rags. We are mistreated and don’t have a place to live.

Pastors Appreciation

It is true. There are ministers of the Gospel who have less than two pennies to rub together. They live from hand to mouth under lean circumstances. It’s not always due to serving a low-income parish, or to prioritising mission. Sometimes the relationship between the clergy and senior leadership is toxic, or the members aren’t sensitised to the need to care for their pastors.

Self-Check

Where do you stand on the matter of supporting clergy? Why/not? (Take time to honestly think this through)

Digging Deeper

Joshua 21 outlines expectations of the Children of Israel toward the Levites. They were to be allocated 48 city settlements – free of cost – as Levites were not expected to own land for themselves. And the system of sacrifices also included provision for their welfare. This had no age limits, for, at Y’shua’s dedication, the prophetess Anna had lived at the temple for about 60 years (see Luke 2:36-37). It was part of the spiritual tradition.

This was not the case for the emergent church. Regarded as a radical anti-government sect, the church in Paul’s day was supported by wealthy patrons, and based on Paul’s words in our Nougat, the pastors were poorly paid. Acts 18:1-3 suggests that Paul, Priscilla, and Aquilla were tent makers – a term still used to describe pastors who are otherwise employed – while Matthew 10:10; 1 Corinthians 9:14 and 1 Timothy 5:17-18 clearly indicate that pastors should be compensated by the congregation/church in which they serve.

Until recently, Western European States (save for the UK) that claimed Christianity as the state religion imposed a religious tax on all citizens. It supported the church and pastors in mainline churches as well as mission beyond the borders. The attrition rate of pastors, more so, the reduced interest in full-time ministry coupled with secularisation (and possible citizens’ complaints) has ended this practice. It has affected church budgets drastically. Outside of Europe, the lavish treatment of charismatic pastors is often in stark contrast to that of traditional pastors. And in some spaces, pastors are obliged to live in abject poverty because there is no regard for their welfare.

Y’shua’s sending of the Seventy-Two suggests that those serving in ministry should be provided for by their flock. 1 Corinthians 16:1-4 indicates that where some churches cannot afford to support themselves, others should step in willingly. In fact, it speaks to setting aside an offering on the first day of the week. This has become a practice in many churches. The challenge is, for some of us we set aside our ‘spare change’ – if any – for the offering.

The question we must ask ourselves is, in opting to give a ‘piecemeal’ or sparing offering, what message are we sending to God, to Y’shua, about our priority of the work of ministry? Most times, the tithes and offerings do more than pay ministry staff. It also maintains the properties and provides seed money for outreach. We ought to take a leaf out of King David’s book. He ensured that provision was there for the building of the temple (see 2 Samuel 7 and 1 Chronicles 17). At the very least, our giving (offering) ought to be a tithe, to ensure that there’s food in God’s house – for the pastors and the poor. God will ensure that our efforts aren’t in vain (see Malachi 3:10).

Siblings, Paul has spoken. What would he say to our congregation today?

Point to Ponder

Is there more that we ought to be doing to improve the work of ministry in our local context?

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May all we seek be found in Christ