Thursday, January 13, 2005
Full Time Ministry
I have friends who are ministers that derive all of their monetary support from the ministry.
I have friends who are ministers that derive non of their monetary support from the ministry.
I have friends that do a little of both.
Which of my friends consider themselves "full-time ministers?"
I ran across this thought as I have been involved in multiple church plants over the past year or so. One guy just couldn't call himself a full-time pastor unless all of his monetary support was from his congregation, along with his sponsor church and family and friends. In other words, working a regular job like me somehow made him something other than a full-time pastor. Bi-vocational was a dirty word - somehow having a regular job made him less of a pastor.
I have another good friend who is full-time in the ministry, and he's started a church, and he'll probably eventually become a working stiff like me because his church won't be able to support him and his family. Somehow, I don't see him calling himself anything other than 'full-time', regardless of where he gets his money.
I fancy myself as a full-time worship minister, even though I don't lead worship on a regular basis, and I don't get paid even when I do.
Don't get me wrong, here. Churches should have, and quite frankly need to have a paid staff to help the body grow. Fields have full-time farmers once the field is big enough. It's those small gardens in the back of the community that need caring and support, even though they can't 'feed' the 'farmer.'
But the farmers who are called to farm, have it 'in' them, regardless of vocation.
Maybe it's just too simple to say it, but I will anyway: Full-time ministry is what we're all called to do. Some of us can be and should be leaders of a church body - and it's okay for them to receive payment. Others should just know that God has called them to a different sort of full-time ministry. One where they can give their time and energy to the church body, and contribute to the church coffers all at the same time. Maybe guys like me can't devote 40-60 hours a week to the church, but we can devote 40-60 a week to God's work, and some of that time might actually be in a church.
I have friends who are ministers that derive non of their monetary support from the ministry.
I have friends that do a little of both.
Which of my friends consider themselves "full-time ministers?"
I ran across this thought as I have been involved in multiple church plants over the past year or so. One guy just couldn't call himself a full-time pastor unless all of his monetary support was from his congregation, along with his sponsor church and family and friends. In other words, working a regular job like me somehow made him something other than a full-time pastor. Bi-vocational was a dirty word - somehow having a regular job made him less of a pastor.
I have another good friend who is full-time in the ministry, and he's started a church, and he'll probably eventually become a working stiff like me because his church won't be able to support him and his family. Somehow, I don't see him calling himself anything other than 'full-time', regardless of where he gets his money.
I fancy myself as a full-time worship minister, even though I don't lead worship on a regular basis, and I don't get paid even when I do.
Don't get me wrong, here. Churches should have, and quite frankly need to have a paid staff to help the body grow. Fields have full-time farmers once the field is big enough. It's those small gardens in the back of the community that need caring and support, even though they can't 'feed' the 'farmer.'
But the farmers who are called to farm, have it 'in' them, regardless of vocation.
Maybe it's just too simple to say it, but I will anyway: Full-time ministry is what we're all called to do. Some of us can be and should be leaders of a church body - and it's okay for them to receive payment. Others should just know that God has called them to a different sort of full-time ministry. One where they can give their time and energy to the church body, and contribute to the church coffers all at the same time. Maybe guys like me can't devote 40-60 hours a week to the church, but we can devote 40-60 a week to God's work, and some of that time might actually be in a church.
// posted by jiblethead @ 4:35 PM 
