Some Preachers STAY Gettin' Paid...

Don’t you know that those who serve in the temple get their food from the temple, and that those who serve at the altar share in what is offered on the altar? In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel.- 1 Corinthians 9:13-14

Today’s Reading: Psalms 120-122; 1 Corinthians 9

I used to look at some of these preachers in disgust. It seemed like they were living entirely too good off of their flock. I have heard of preachers who have elevators in their homes, private airplanes and helicopters. I’ve heard of pastors receiving “gifts” from folks in their congregations in the form of Cadillacs and Bentleys.

There was always something about this that didn’t seem right.

Then when I went to Catholic school I heard about monks and nuns who took vows of poverty. They lived lives of hunger and struggle because they gave all that they had to those that they wanted to help. Some of them renounced all material wealth in the effort to live a more sanctified life. When it came to folks like this I thought to myself, “yeah that’s cool and all… but good gracious couldn’t you help folk better if you weren’t hungry”?

Of course there are a multitude of folks in the middle of these two extremes. Some spiritual leaders are like my father; they work a day job to help support their ministry. Many other pastors have churches that are big enough to support their needs. They earn a modest salary from the church so that they can focus 100% of their energy on growing the congregation. It is interesting though that this has been an issue from the time of the early church. The question of how much a religious body ought to pay their leaders has always been a touchy subject.

When I think about it I really don’t have a right or wrong answer. How much money is too much? How much money is enough? Should the church leaders live any better than the least of their flock? If not then do we want them to be starving while trying to do God’s work? If so, then how much better? When is does it become too much. If a pastor builds a multi-million dollar ministry that reaches folks all over the globe then why shouldn’t he have a high salary? Should they make as much as a CEO of a similar sized organization? What about half as much?

Yuck… this makes me cringe.

One thing that I have come to realize is that there really is no right answer here. There is always going to be someone who doesn’t like whatever the arrangement is between a pastor and his or her church. But what is most important is whether or not they are doing God’s work.

If the quality of life of the folks in the pews is improving then that is what matters. If folks souls are at peace, if their spirits are filled, if their intellect is engaged, then that is what matters. If the folks in the church are growing as loving children of God and as constructive citizens of the world then that is what matters. That shows that the leader is doing their job. And when it comes down to it, that kind of work is priceless.

Now with all that said… elevators and planes and such things do rub me the wrong way… But who am I to judge? I’m sure God will work it all out in the end. 

Bro Franklin: The MOST Cheerful Giver

My buddy Dez sent this to me today and I just had to post it. Many of us have grown up with the notion that God loves a cheerful giver. This means that we are supposed to give out of the love in our heart and not out of obligation.

If you don't want to give, then don't. It's that simple.

But Brother Franklin takes it to a whole new level. He is THE most cheerful giver of all time!

Dance along with him as he gives his offering to the Lord.

We Be Grubbin'

The LORD said to Moses, "Say to Aaron and his sons: 'These are the regulations for the sin offering: The sin offering is to be slaughtered before the LORD in the place the burnt offering is slaughtered; it is most holy. The priest who offers it shall eat it; it is to be eaten in a holy place, in the courtyard of the Tent of Meeting. – Leviticus 6:24-26

Man… Aaron and his peeps were eating WELL.

So far in Leviticus Moses has been talking about various rules and regulations. Now we are at the section governing how various sacrifices are to be made.

One of the common threads between these various offerings is that they are supposed to be eaten by Aaron and his sons.

Being of the priestly line had its perks.

Aaron was the first chief priest and God decided that all of the men in his line would have the role of being the chief priests of Israel. As a result they had to essentially dedicate their lives to directly serving God.

They had to handle the Ark, pitch the holy tent, and perform all of the sacrifices for thousands of people.

That is a lot of work.

When the people sinned or did something otherwise unsavory they had to give an offering.

God required the offerings to be without blemish and of proper value so one couldn’t slide in the crippled or old sheep as their offering.

When I think about myself and all of the times in my life that I have fallen short it’s surprising to me that folk didn’t go broke giving these offerings.

But this does make me thing about the church today. We actually have something similar.

Tithes and offerings.

This has become a controversial subject for many reasons of course. Many of us have seen ridiculously ornate churches, pastors with fancy Italian suits who live in mansions, and congregations who give them fancy cars.

But when we get back to the origins of this it becomes really basic. How is someone who dedicates their life to serving others going to provide for themselves?

The can’t, so we provide for them.

Non-profits work this way. We hope that the majority of the money that we donate goes toward whatever cause they are promoting ,but we also know that some of it must go to running the organization. Every organization needs employees and resources.

The church is no different.

It is funny to me though to think of the random Israelite who brings a dove because he can’t afford a sheep. I wonder what he was thinking when he saw Aaron’s progeny smackin’ their gums on some succulent lamb chops.

Can a brotha get some of that laaaaaamb?

Nope, sure can’t… cause with that benefit comes a WHOLE LOT of responsibility.

At the end of the day the priests have to answer directly to God. And God don’t take too kindly to folk who mess over his people

Today’s Reading: Leviticus 6-7; Matthew 25: 1-30