Quote:
Originally Posted by good samaritan
Each of us should, preacher and saints, should use their income as part of their ministry. Some in ministry may not be able to pursue a income from secular work because they have devoted all their time to the ministry of the church. Also there are gonna be washed up preachers one day that are over the hill, that have no retirement because they forfeited there best years serving the church who they didn’t reciprocate back to them. God will sort it all out though.
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How funny, I know at this moment people not saving for retirement to their 401k because they can't afford it, but yet they give tithes because the preacher said it goes above all the things. Coincidentally, I go to a church where there are several pastors that retired attending, and they are all doing well and not being a burden on anyone. God will sort it all out, though. The "abuse" is in both directions, my friend, and the long term consequences are in both camps.
I think it is easier if we all lower expectations about pastorship not being a career where everybody wants to be full time hired professional, but instead understand that this is the work of God, and most congregations don't need full time ministers but instead training from the beginning, as the vision, to give saints opportunities to take leadership, and eldership, instead of planning for a "succession" of kings, and separate "layman" from "clergy"
The problem is that many saints do want a king, a professional.
1Sa 8:11-18 NKJV - (11) And he said, "This will be the behavior of the king who will reign over you: He will take your sons and appoint [them] for his own chariots and [to be] his horsemen, and [some] will run before his chariots. (12) "He will appoint captains over his thousands and captains over his fifties, [will set some] to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and [some] to make his weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. (13) "He will take your daughters [to be] perfumers, cooks, and bakers. (14) "And he will take the best of your fields, your vineyards, and your olive groves, and give [them] to his servants. (15) "He will take a tenth of your grain and your vintage, and give it to his officers and servants. (16) "And he will take your male servants, your female servants, your finest young men, and your donkeys, and put [them] to his work. (17) "He will take a tenth of your sheep. And you will be his servants. (18) "And you will cry out in that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, and the LORD will not hear you in that day."