Should a Pastor, Minister or Reverend be paid? If so, how do you determine the fair market value of his or her service? Do you pay them based on their education, hours worked each week, experience, abilities or what? While we are talking about it, how often should they receive raises and how do you determine those factors? And are there exceptions to the rules?

Tough questions to ponder, but they need to be asked. Should a church become fully responsible for the livelihood of any person? If not, how is someone to fulfill his or her obligations to the congregation. Why care about how much they make as long as the church can afford it, right. Wrong, far to many churches, have really lost sight of what would be considered fair and reasonable. As salaries increase at the rate of inflation, the amount of gifts pouring from those same groups diminish or remain the same year after year.

Case and point: A local church pastor after long prayer and wise counsel asked that he stop receiving a salary and was denied. The request was made because of a steady decline in tithing and he and his family didn’t want to become a burden on the church. This unusual request as strange as it may seem to the world was truly biblical. The Apostle Paul during various times of his ministry worked within the community as everyone else, as not to be considered a liability or hindrance of the spreading of the gospel to the lost world (see Acts 18:1, 2 Cor 12:13, 1Thes 2:9, 2 Thes 3:8), we all know Paul was successful through his obedience to the Spirit. As we get back to the sotry, you have probably figured out that that pastor’s church has since closed its doors. Whom shall we follow, if we will not listen to the wisdom of Christ’s appointed Shepard’s and the Holy Spirit?

Before we go any further, I am not lumping all churches in a single category. I am talking about my experience and how we, including myself can easily go astray when we start serving ourselves and associations instead of the authentic Jesus.

The story of churches closing is not unique to our part of the country, but a world wide epidemic. Since planting our church, Christ has revealed much to me. I finally understand why churches long for mature Christians. The ones in age and deep-rooted traditions. I understand the church model of yesterday and why it has been grotesquely duplicated.

Church goers (no mistake here), have a long-standing history of giving to the church. They give freely and are encouraged that they are doing their part in the work of the Lord. Sit, listen and learn what I want you to know and though out the year we will fulfill your need for entertainment, in the name of God of course.

So you can see why churches cater and market to church goers. Appealing to those that are considered saved, while creating a commune. A place they can fellowship, worship, plan, discuss, and if not careful condemn everything else in the world that is not like them.

I’ve heard it said that if we give our members everything they need, they will stay and will even draw more like people to us. Talk about cultish! So let’s create programs, elaborate plays and gimmicky tribute services as draw cards. It will draw our misguided brothers and sisters to us. This sounds more like corporate espionage to me.

In a feeble attempt to survive, churches unconsciously seek out members from other churches, at least the disgruntled ones. If the church really longs to seek the lost and to be involved in the community they must revamp their model from the top down. Salaries cut, positions cut back, boards dissolved, busy bee programs dropped, so on and so on. While seeking God’s desire and Christ’s passion for people. See a new pattern emerging.

After the church undergoes a total make over, it then, is ready to serve. Actively seeking to serve and love all (both saved and unsaved). Opening their doors to the world and sharing the truth of Christ, which is not condemnation, but patience and love. This is not compromise, as some will tell you. Compromise is staying in the building and justifying it because of the amount of work we’ve created for ourselves.

So as you begin to venture outward and seekers start coming to learn and explore this thing called Authentic Christianity, your tithing will certainly drop. Your numbers may even go down as the church goers complain as they leave to find another self-serving church to rest in. But you know what, if you are a part of Christ’s Church, he will make the way. Maybe not the way you thought or are use to? But none the less His way. Christ never said that it would be easy or always understandable.

We cannot serve two masters, you know the scripture, so stop. Stop serving up church and start serving the Church. Note, the placement of capital letters. Now you can truly trust in Him, while serving the one true master, which is God.

As for the issue of how much to pay ministry workers, that’s easy. That is between you, the Church and God to determine. I’m sorry, there is not a one size fits all answer. The Church should care for those that care for it and that does include reasonable salaries.

We are all called to reach out to the community and exhibit the traits of Jesus through actions of love and compassion. Help people in need of Christ, not church. Get uncomfortable, go out of your way to work in areas (outside your groups association) that will sow seeds that Christ may reap through others.

Get it right, it’s upside down to this worlds way of thinking. God will bless those that serve His Will. It’s Christ’s Church, it is time to give it back.

With love and humility, I write. God bless