One, the other, or both 

Some people wonder if a church should pay their preacher. Others might think that the preacher should have a secular job. Still others might think that the preacher should have both a secular job and be supported partially by the church. The scriptures have much to say about whether men should be paid to preach. As we will see, all three ways can be acceptable.

When Paul was at Corinth, he met up with a couple named Aquila and Priscilla. We are told that all three were tentmakers by trade. Thus, the apostle stayed with them and they worked together (Acts 18:1-3). There is nothing wrong with a preacher working with his hands in order to provide for his needs. It is wrong to consider someone a “lesser” preacher if he has other means to support himself.

We also find out that Paul was financially helped by the church at Philippi. They sent help to him on more than one occasion (Phil. 4:16). Beyond these brethren help, Paul was also supported by other churches for teaching the word (II Cor. 11:8). All of this reveals that a man is worthy of his hire (Luke 10:7; I Tim. 5:18). Having read these verses, let’s answer some potential questions.

Can a preacher be supported by more than one church?  Yes. Paul said that “churches” send wages to him for his work (II Cor. 11:8).

Can an evangelist preach at a local church that does not support him? Yes. Paul said he preached at Corinth for free while getting support from other places (II Cor. 11:7).                                                                             
 

Do preachers take a vow of poverty as some religious groups teach? No. The Bible does not teach this.

If a preacher is supported by a local church, does he still participate in the weekly contribution? Yes. The preacher is a Christian and responsible for obeying the commands of our Lord (II Cor. 16:1-2; II Cor. 9:7).

Can churches send money to another local church to support a preacher? No. Recall in the earlier verses that the church sent to his needs (Phil. 4:16). Churches support the man directly – they do not send their money to the church to then give to the man.

Can a local church stop supporting a preacher if he teaches error? Yes. Churches need to know who they support and what is being taught. If a church knows that the preacher is teaching error and he does not repent, they are sinning by supporting him (II John 9-10).

Who decides how much a preacher is to be paid? The Bible has no specific number. This should be a discussion between the preacher and the church(es). The preacher does not have to live below the poverty line, nor does he need to live better than the brethren. Remember, Paul spoke about churches meeting his needs (Phil. 4:16).

Beyond his regular support, should churches pay for unexpected expenses? No. When one of the members breaks a tooth or has car trouble or breaks their glasses, they do not expect the church to pay for it. They budget their income for things like this, and the preacher is no different.  Failure to provide for your own due to poor planning is wrong (I Tim. 5:8).

Should one preach because of the money? No. If someone wants to preach simply to make money, they are preaching for the wrong reason. The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil (I Tim. 6:10).

                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Chuck 

Questions and answers

about church money

Can church funds be used for any good work? No. Paul told Timothy that the church was not to use their money to help someone in need if family was available to help (I Tim. 5:16).

Can the church use its funds to help anyone in need? No. Churches are to help needy saints (I Cor. 16:1). Individuals can help anyone they want, but the local church is limited.

Can the church use its funds to finance senior trips, summer camps, sports leagues, etc.? No. The funds are used for evangelism and edification as described in the first article (Eph. 3:10).

Can churches take up collections whenever they want? No. The Lord gave authority for churches to take up a collection on the first day of the week (I Cor. 16:2).

Should churches tell the members to tithe? No. Tithing was done under the old law and is no longer binding (Col. 2:14). Christians give as they purpose in their hearts (I Cor. 16:1-2; II Cor. 9:7).

Should the amount a member gives be made known by the church? No. In the passages used above, they clearly state that giving is an individual activity. According to II Cor. 8:12, saints give according to what they have, not what they do not have. In other words, it is none of my business what other members give.

Based on the last question, does it even matter if Christians contribute financially? Yes. To not give as one has prospered is to go against the command of God (II Cor. 9:6-7).

Should members know what the funds are being used for? Yes. To give purposefully, one needs to know what the church is doing. If the funds are used inappropriately, then those who give are in error (I Cor. 16:1-2). Christians must be aware of how the funds are used.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Chuck                                                                

How sharp are you? 

Most readers have probably never been asked the title’s question before. However, it is something we all ought to consider. This thought comes from the text in Proverbs 27:17: “As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.”  Now we can see why it is important that we be sharp.

Knowing that iron can help iron get sharp when rubbed together, we ought to rub off on our friends. Let’s consider ways we can help others better themselves.

Help them with their speech

You cannot be friends with someone you do not talk to. Conversations between good friends have a natural flow, so we know their “truest” speech. Because we know them so well, we can help our friends speak properly by using our own tongues properly. The Proverb writer penned, “Let another man praise you, and not your own mouth; A stranger, and not your own lips,” (27:2). When our words praise others and not self, we are teaching a valuable lesson. When your friends learn this, they will do the same and then you sharpen each other.

Help them accept kindness

The best way to lead anyone, especially our friends, is by example. It is good to do things for others, but we must also be willing to accept help from time to time. Seeing you accept help will be an example for your friends on how to overcome their own pride (Prov. 16:18).

It takes a humble person to show genuine gratitude for what was done for them. We demonstrate appreciate with a handshake and the words “Thank you so much.” Or we might offer an unsolicited act of kindness in return. When they learn from your example, iron sharpens iron!

Help them learn to acknowledge their errors

This point also relates to pride. Nobody enjoys admitting that they were wrong about something, especially in front of friends. However, being willing to admit you were wrong shows you have an open mind and are more interested in truth than in defending a known lie (Prov. 14:5). If you want your friends to have a love for the truth, hone this skill because iron sharpens iron.

Help them see your priorities

True friends enjoy being with each other, and they know what is most important to each other. When a friend sees you turn down an opportunity to enjoy something fun that they know you love in order to do something more important, they will see you live out a great lesson (Prov. 10:9-10).  A true friend is willing to show their love for the Lord and provide for his family spiritually, emotionally and physically (I Tim. 5:8). Demonstrating this consistently will have iron sharpening iron.

Help them provide sound correction to others

In some ways, this point might seem to be the easiest. Recognizing error is generally easy, but pointing this out to a friend can be difficult. Consider again these words from Proverbs: “He who rebukes a man will find more favor afterward than he who flatters with the tongue,” (28:23).  We can also find a good summary thought in Proverbs as well: “He who walks with the wise men will be wise. But the companion of fools will be destroyed,” (13:20). Keep these verses in mind as you ponder how sharp you truly are.

                                                                                               Chuck  

It is not a sin!

In a letter to the Corinthians, the apostle Paul asked “Did I commit sin in abasing myself that you might be exalted, because I preached the gospel of God to you free of charge?” (II Cor. 11:7).  It was absurd to think that Paul sinned by showing his humility and preaching to the brethren for free. But obviously someone twisted things and made it seem like the apostle was in the wrong.

This is nothing new. Even today, people claim it is sinful to do certain things that are simply not wrong. Here is a short list of several things that it is not sinful to do:

1. Eat pork. Certain meats were deemed unclean under the Old Law. But now, under the gospel of Jesus Christ, nothing is to be considered unclean (Acts 10:10-15).

2. Get married. Many religious groups teach that it is wrong for religious leaders to marry (I Tim. 4:3). However, anyone can get married as long as it is lawful (Matt. 19:9).

3. Never get married. It is true that woman was created as a companion for man (Gen. 2:20-25), but some people take this too far and say that everyone must marry. Recall that Paul encouraged people not to marry if they could bear it (I Cor. 7:7-8).

4. Say someone is wrong. So often you hear that if you point the finger, you are judging!  However, how can you help the sinner without pointing out the sin (James 5:19-20)? It does seem odd that anyone would think it is sinful to point out sin (Gal. 2:11).

5. Question religious leaders. If teachers are not to be questioned, what do you do if they teach error? Students must be able to question teachers. Allowing error to go unchecked is wrong (Acts 18:24-26).

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Are you really a faithful Christian?

We should not be surprised when we hear people claim they are faithful Christians regardless of their personal conduct. In the four gospel accounts (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John), Jesus encountered many Pharisees and other religious people who claimed to have God’s approval. Like when Jesus asked, “Why do you call Me Lord, Lord, and do not do the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46).

Jesus knew that they called Him Lord because they thought that would be enough. This is precisely what many religious people do today. They say, “I believe in Jesus Christ and have been baptized for the remission of my sins” but they do not worship God with His people, nor do they worship His way (Heb. 10:25; John 4:24).

In order to truly be a faithful Christian, one must walk in the light (I John 1:7). This does not mean we just walk around and say “God knows my heart.” If we are knowingly committing sin, God knows that our heart is not right (Acts 8:21). Just because we know that something is wrong does not mean we are automatically forgiven. As Jesus said, “Unless you repent you will all likewise perish,” (Luke 13:3).

James had something to add when he wrote, “Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin,” (James 4:17). Just as sin is held against us even if we know an activity is wrong, we will also be held accountable for the good works we knew we should do but did not. In both cases, God knows their heart. This just means that they need to repent and turn back to the Lord.

People have a knack for justifying not doing what the Lord demands. They tweak things to fit into what they personally want to do. This is nothing more than selfish living. To learn what Jesus thinks of that kind of thinking, just read Matthew 23. 

                                                                                           Chuck