I was reading John 10 the other day and some thoughts came to my head.
In the nearly three and a half decades that I have been in full-time ministry, I can't remember a time that a truly felt underpaid. Were there times that I'd have appreciated a raise? Of course, but for the most part, churches and shepherds have been very good about taking care of us through the years. I say all that as a disclaimer to anyone who might get the idea that I'm a disgruntled, underpaid preacher as you read the rest of this blog.
In my opinion, one of the greatest obstacles to preachers and elders functioning as a united leadership team is the fact that the preacher's salary comes from the budget of the church. I believe that the employer/employee cloud hangs over the heads of the leadership in even the best of situations. The power of the purse is an influence that sticks it's ugly head up and is used by Satan to hurt relationships, turn spiritual leaders into politicians, and make humble men thirsty for control. I am so thankful to work with humble, godly men, who are not interested in controlling things, but in being controlled by Christ. This is not a complaint but an observation. I can truly see Paul's wisdom in refusing to place a salary burden on a congregation (at times, but not every time) and removing something that could prove to be a wedge in his relationship with them or his ability to minister to them. It seems to have depended on the spiritual maturity of the people he was working with, because he clearly accepted and received financial support and care from several churches. But, there were times when he felt it was better to make tents and provide his own salary. Maybe it was a matter of who would be indebted to whom! The only thing he wanted to owe anyone was the gospel and love.
I still remember preaching a lesson on John 10 about Jesus being the Good Shepherd and how different He said that was from being a hired hand. I made the point that a minister, spiritual leaders, were supposed to be like Jesus - good shepherds - and we were not hired hands. Not long after that, a friend, who was recently appointed to be an elder, calmly disagreed with me. He declared that ministers where hired hands, employees, who served at the pleasure of the elders. Without trying to judge him, I can't help but wonder if most members don't really think the same way? They may never say it out loud, but their willingness to treat their minister as a disposable employee when it's convenient, driving hundreds out of ministry, and contributing to a radical decline in the number of those training to do ministry may speak louder than any vocal opinions on the matter.
Sure there have been plenty of people who should never have gotten into full-time ministry and sure there are plenty of church leaders who are ruthless politicians and not godly shepherds, but what about helping and encouraging a minister to grow into that Christ-like good shepherd he needs to be - working through problems - communicating - and seeing him as a leader you can grow together with instead of a hired hand to be dumped and replaced by another hired hand? It might be nice if we could all be tent makers and do ministry "on the side," but I'm afraid in today's culture, careers don't leave much room for significant "on the side" stuff! Especially when the "on the side" stuff involves the eternal destination of many souls.
There are ministers who are hired hands, but for those who are truly seeking to imitate Jesus, to call or think of them as hired hands is to cheapen the indwelling of Christ - both in them and in the caller.
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