[coksiw]

Originally Posted by coksiw

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."

Actually, funny story. I have a friend, with a general license, that took a small congregation as a pastor, and the congregation laid him off because they wanted him to be full time and he did not want to