Celebrity Preachers

Originally Posted by deacon blues

HA-HA!!!

Well all that being said, the man had good qualities too. His ministry was not without successes. Unfortunately the first thing people think of when he comes up is "He's Filthy Rich".

If a pastor, with the income he makes is able to make his personal wealth grow through outside sources, I have no problem with. I still think it can send the wrong message if the man lives to a point of extravagence. As a "man of God" there is a different standard he must live by (DID I SAY STANDARD?).

We often hear how the man of God has to live by convictions that are above the people in order to keep the people living by a higher standard. If that is the case then we can't turn around and say, "Nobody criticizes the Apostolic plumber for making a bunch of money. Nobody criticizes the Apostolic business owner of if he drives a $60,000 car." Well, that's because the expectations of a pastor and a lay man are different. If a preacher doesn't know that, then maybe he needs to think about a different career. You can't have it both ways.

Also, its one thing for a preacher to invest in the stock market and do well. Its another thing for a preacher to spend lots of time investing in businesses that require a lot of his time and effort and attention. If it s something he can do on the side without much distraction, I don't have a problem with. But if the guy neglects his duties in serving the saints, I have a problem with it.

I was taught the principle you espouse here by a Godly example. My dad was quite successful in a HVAC and Plumbing contracting business. When God called him to go back into full time ministry he locked the doors on his business... never sold it or the name... just went and preached. He had plenty set aside for his tomorrows, was debt free and didn't need the income from a sale of his business to survive. During my growing up years (when he was still in secular business) Dad always had a new Ford pickup and Mom always drove a Lincoln Town Car. We never lived extravagantly but we did live comfortably.

When Dad returned to full time ministry he sold his truck and Mom's Lincoln and bought a nice but used truck and he bought Mom a new but more middle of the road automobile. He did not want to ever live in such a manner as to detract from the purpose of his ministry. Although he believed the tithe belonged 100% to the ministry, he never took more personal income from the church than what was equal to 10% more than the mean as opposed to the average income of the congregation. He did not want to live higher than the average individual in his church and he certainly didn't want to compare himself to the most wealthy in the church so he didn't consider their income in establishing the mean. He served his community not just his church. He was always known as the pastor of the town or community where we lived because he was not called to the saints but to the people of that area.

Dad has been dead for 12 years as of May the 8th and to this day I have non-Pentecostal folks in the Longville/Ragley, LA area come up to me and recount some act of kindness or generosity or compassion that they experienced through their interactions with Dad! He was a shepherd and did not exclude any from his oversight and care.

I thank God for that example of what it means to be a pastor! His crown is probably quite a site to see!