by Pastor Joey Carroll
I am obviously a fan of a church providing for the financial needs of their pastor and his family. The flock of God that I pastor does so for me very faithfully and very generously.
In 1 Corinthians 9, Paul makes the point that as a minister of the Lord, he has rights. He states that he has a right that the church provide him with food. He also said that he had a right to take along family on his missionary journeys, as well as the right to not have to work bi-vocationally (1 Corinthians 9:4-6).
Paul did not just assume these things; he based his privileges on a principle in the Old Testament law. “For it is written in the Law of Moses, ‘You shall not muzzle the ox while he is threshing.’ God is not concerned about oxen, is He?” (9:9, NASB). God was not being uncaring toward animals, but Israel was supposed to be intelligent enough to see the principle at work. They were to care for those who worked on their behalf, whether it be their oxen or their priests.
Paul also based his privileges on a New Testament command of the Lord. “So also the Lord directed those who proclaim the gospel to get their living from the gospel,” (9:14, NASB). In spite of such a clear teaching in Scripture, I have heard of churches (and usually just a few people within a church) violating the command of the Lord and not providing for their pastor. If he is faithful to the task, it is a sin to ignore the command. If he is not, it may be time for a new pastor, but a church must provide for his needs if he continues to shepherd the church.
But that is not the conversation I want to have. I would rather remind pastors of what Paul writes after he clearly establishes his rights to be financially provided for as a minister. “If others share the right over you, do we not more? Nevertheless, we did not use this right, but we endure all things so that we will cause no hindrance to the gospel of Christ,” (9:12, NASB). After making the argument so thoroughly, Paul then states that he did not take a dime from them.
Now again, this is something for ministers to wrestle with; it is not an excuse for a covetous and disobedient person to not care for the needs of their pastor.
Paul was so dedicated to the advance of the Gospel, he examined every part of his life and rooted out all those things that could possibly hinder his gospel ministry. In fact, Paul will go on to say, “For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I may win more,” (9:19, NASB).
I often remind the Lord’s church that I pastor to “tie on the apron of a slave.” The thought is found in 1 Peter 5:5, “…all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another,” (NASB). Almost all translations, use the word “clothe,” but the Greek word means “to tie something on.” If you recall Peter’s experience in John 13, you will remember that the Lord tied something around His waist just before He washed Peter’s feet. I would argue that that moment changed how Peter viewed ministry.
However, it would do absolutely no good for a minster to teach his flock this truth if he were unwilling to be the first to tie on the apron of a slave himself.
The thing about slaves is that they have no privileges, freedoms, or rights. And for Paul, that was a lifestyle he willing chose for ministry. He wanted every obstacle and every excuse removed in the preaching of the gospel, even the obstacle of receiving financial benefit from any person at Corinth.
I think a minister of the gospel should wrestle with these things. Sometimes we can be careless and put our needs before the needs of those to whom we minister. We live in the day where we can look around and see ministers that look and act like rockstars. It’s all about them. However, God warned us about preachers like that in Ezekiel 34. It will not end well for them.
This article originally appeared in The Clarion Newspaper.
Corinth Baptist Church 