Why do churches “call” a Pastor, but “hire” his secretary?
(I don’t know whether that is always true, but it has been in my experience.)
I suspect that a more fundamental question focuses on the nature of the relationship of a Pastor to the congregation. Is he their shepherd or a member of their staff? Their leader or their employee?
Based on most of the various designations for him, he seems to be the leader. Pastor, Shepherd, Elder all reflect authority and leadership.
But, in the current day, the financial relationship between Pastor and congregation paints a different picture, for he is almost always an employee, and by definition, under their authority. Even in situations where he receives no pay, this paradigm usually defines the relationship.
In practice, the reality of each individual situation tends to be a somewhat schizophrenic confusion falling somewhere between the two extremes. Always an employee, but that reality may be, more or less, overshadowed by the influence he wields as a leader.
It is not my intention to embark on a discussion of ecclesiastical leadership, but rather, to recognize that our assumptions about paying him have influenced this relationship, and examine those assumptions in light of the broader New Testament teaching on supporting ministry.
So, when we speak of supporting ministry, what do we mean?
In my observations, supporting ministry usually involves giving to a religious non-profit organization. Such giving can be broken into two, broad categories:
- Church Ministry – given to an institutional church for payroll, facility expenses, and various program costs.
- Missions -“Mission-type” work can include church planting in other cultures, or some specialized type of ministry here at home (e.g., collegiate, military, homeless). It may may be funded out of a non-profit’s (i.e., church) budget; it may be designated for a special fund within the non-profit that funds “mission-type” work; or the non-profit itself may be specialized and totally devoted to “mission-type” work.
While these donations may be motivated by a desire to fund the ministry of a particular individual, if given through a non-profit organization, they are given to the organization, not the individual. Any of these funds that the individual receives is paid as a wage. Depending on the structure of the organization, the connection between the giver the recipient may be readily apparent, or not. Either way, the manner in which they may use those funds, and the rate at which they may personally receive what is given is governed by IRS regulations. And those regulations treat the recipient as an employee.
Again, the point here is not so much to challenge the propriety of such arrangement, as to simply recognize its influence on our perspective toward giving.
Stated simply, today, supporting ministry tends to involve giving to organizations who pay employees to perform ministry through that organization.
So, how does this arrangement square with the New Testament perspective?
Perhaps it’s best to start by looking at the issue of receiving compensation for “doing ministry.” Is that legitimate?
In 1 Corinthians 9:1-18, Paul warns the Corinthians to be careful in their pursuit of Christian liberty. By way of example, he describes some of his rights as a minister of the gospel that he chooses not to use. For our discussion, we want to focus on his right to make a living from ministry of the gospel (9:14).
His argument is very simple:
- The laborer naturally expects to derive material benefit from his labors (9:7-10).
- Therefore, since Paul sowed spiritual things in the Corinthians, it is reasonable for him to reap material things from them (9:11).
- Jesus command this same arrangement (9:14).
Now, in context, Paul had willingly surrendered this right to earn a living from the gospel so that no one could accuse him of being in it for the money. He was particularly passionate about taking the gospel to new areas (Romans 15:20-21), and in those situations, it is easy to see how people might be suspicious of his motives. So, he sets aside this right for the sake of the gospel. It is this willingness to forego his rights that is the example here. Just as he is willing to forego his rights for the sake of the gospel, so the Corinthians should be willing to forego certain rights for the good of others. His entire argument is meaningless if his right to derive material benefit from ministry is not basic and obvious.
Indeed, in other contexts he does avail himself of this right. For example, he gratefully accepts support from the Philippians (Philippians 4:10-20), and actively seeks support from the Romans to fund his expansion of the gospel into new areas (Romans 15:24).
If we consider his approach in light of our original categories of “Church Ministry” and “Missions,” Paul’s ministry fits squarely in the later category. As a missionary, Paul firmly defended his right to derive a living from those he ministered to, but chose not to avail himself of that right when doing so would undermine the credibility of the gospel. Nevertheless, he gladly accepted support from other Christians who wanted to share their resources with him in support of his efforts.
But he never insisted that his choice become normative for all who proclaim the gospel. In his instructions to the church at Ephesus regarding leadership (1 Timothy 5:17-18), he tells them:
“The elders who rule well are to be considered worth of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching. For the Scripture says, ‘You shall not muzzle the ox while he is threshing,’ and ‘The laborer is worthy of his wages.'”
1 Timothy 5:17-18
While Paul’s ministry was what we think of as “Mission-type” work, this passage, and the next, speak to what I have categorized as “Church Ministry”. Nevertheless, as we will see, these two categories are closely related, and any distinctions are secondary.
The context of 1 Timothy indicates that the “double honor” spoken of here includes both honor in the normal sense of respect, and of honoring financially. This later sense is evident, both from the discussion of honoring widows immediately preceding these verses, which clearly involves financial support, and from the Scriptural appeal in verse 18 (cf. Deuteronomy 25:4, 15; Leviticus 19:13; Matthew 10:10; Luke 10:7). The elders of the church were entitled to make a living from ministry, just as Paul was.
In his letter to the churches of Galatia, he approaches the matter from a different perspective. He has explained that the Law was not to justify us, but show us our guilt, thus bringing us to Christ. Having received justification by faith in Christ, we are set free from the requirements of the Law. But we should not use this freedom to indulge the desires of the flesh. Rather, through love, we must serve one another. One of the ways we do this is laid out in 6:6-10.
The one who is taught the word is to share all good things with the one who teaches him. Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary. So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith.
Galatians 6:6-10
Note that the controlling verb in this passage is “share“. By now this word should be familiar to us in this context. We first saw it in connection with the ministry to the saints who were suffering in Jerusalem. Paul also used it in describing the Philippians ministry to him (Philippians 4:14). Just as Christians from across the map shared what they had to meet the needs of the saints in Jerusalem, so the Philippians shared with Paul in his affliction. In the same way, those in the churches in Galatia are to share all good things with the one who teaches them.
We need to pause and pay special attention to the dynamics laid out in this passage.”The one who is taught…” has already received something – he has received instruction from “the one who teaches him.” So, in return he is to share all good things (i.e., material things) with the one who teaches him.
By now, this principle may look familiar as well. This is the third time we have seen it.
- In Romans 15:27, Paul argued that it was entirely appropriate for the Gentiles to minister material things to the poor saints in Jerusalem, since the Gentiles had already been on the receiving end, having shared in the spiritual blessings that belonged to the saints in Jerusalem.
- This same principle is included in his argument that he is entitled to get a living from the gospel (1 Corinthians 9:11).
- Now we see it here in Galatians – the recipient in the sharing of spiritual things (teaching) is to share all good things (material things) with the teacher – the one who shared the spiritual things with him.
So while those who proclaim the gospel are entitled to get a living from the gospel, the nature of their relationship with the congregation is quite different from what we tend to imagine. Absent from the New Testament model is any notion of the employer/employee relationship with the accompanying demands, controls, expectations and job descriptions. Absent also is any notion of giving to an organization. Instead, what we find is an outflow of the unity described in Acts 4:32. The relationship is an expression of the sharing, of the fellowship so essential to the unity of the body of Christ (cf. Ephesians 4:28; 1Timothy 6:17-18). Properly speaking, the point is not “supporting ministry,” which is activity oriented and somewhat impersonal. The point is sharing with those in the body who devote their full attention to the sharing of God’s message. This sharing falls into two secondary categories:
- Sharing material things with the devoted teachers who have shared spiritual things with you.
- Sharing material things with those who can then freely share spiritual things with others
This often raises the question, “How much should we ‘share?'”
I have often heard it taught that although the tithe is no longer required, ten percent is a good place to start. Maybe, but I know of nothing in the New Testament to base that on.
Galatians 6:6 sets the standard at “all good things.” Verses 7-8 go on to elaborate with what has been called the “law of sowing and reaping,” another principle we have seen before (in the discussion of giving to the poor saints in Jerusalem – 2 Corinthians 9:6-11). Consider the development of this “law” here, in verses 7-8:
- Whatever a man sows, this he will reap.
- We can either sow to the flesh or to the Spirit.
- In context, sowing to the Spirit means expressing love to one another (5:13-17), i.e., sharing all good things. If we plant our seeds in this field, so to speak, we find Life – eternal Life. Not simply going to heaven when we die, but all that it means to find Life.
- By contrast, sowing to the flesh means doing what we please, in opposition to the Spirit (5:16-17), i.e., not sharing all good things. If we plant our seeds in this field, all the flesh can yield is corruption.
Note the different foci. Sowing in the Spirit focuses on them. Sowing in the flesh focuses on me.
Now, let’s look at the question, “How much should I share?” Where is the focus?
I would say it tends to be on me. It focuses on my obligation. At what point have I fulfilled that obligation?
But sharing is not about me. It’s about them. It’s about love, about sharing with them all the good things God has shared with me. Whether we are sharing spiritual things or material things, that is the ideal.