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Pastors of Poverty
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1 Timothy 5:17-18 The elders who lead the church in a good way should receive double honour - in particular, those who do the work of counselling and teaching. As the Scriptures say, "When a work animal is being used to separate grain, don't keep it from eating the grain." And the Scriptures also say, "A worker should be given his pay."
Listen to the radio broadcast of Pastors of Poverty
Download audio fileMany a time I’ve run into the attitude, this thinking, that pastors should be poor. That somehow it’s virtuous for the pastor to struggle financially, even if the members of his church are much better off than him. Let’s face it, the members of churches, many of them, are doing pretty well, thank you very much. Yet when it comes to the offering, some of those same people, drop a mere token in the bag. Why is that? Some of them believe that pastors and missionaries shouldn’t be too well off . Others are just plain selfish. And the majority, I suspect, simply don’t give it a thought.
Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m not, for one minute, advocating that our pastors should drive around in expensive cars and live in a big house in the best suburb in town. There are some churches that take things to that extreme as well, and they would be equally wrong in how they treat their pastors.
But why is it that we don’t really give that much thought to a pastor’s physical and emotional wellbeing? Why is it that we drop loose change in the offering, as though it doesn’t matter? And, you know what I’ve noticed? It’s often those very same people, who whinge incessantly about their church, and their pastor who pours his whole life out for them.
Ah, all he has to do is preach one sermon a week. What’s he do for the rest of the time? Besides, I’m going on a holiday in a few months and I have to save my pennies.
The elders who lead the church in a good way should receive double honour – in particular, those who do the work of counselling and teaching. As the Scriptures say, “When a work animal is being used to separate grain, don’t keep it from eating the grain.” And the Scriptures also say, “A worker should be given his pay.” (1 Timothy 5:17-18)
So the next time the offering plate comes around, or the next time you have the opportunity to set up a regular payment to support your church and your pastor, might I ask you please, to remember what the Bible says.
Your pastor will never be perfect. That’s a given. But it’s also a given that God expects you to help meet his needs.
That’s God’s Word. Fresh … for you … today.
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