Should We Pay The Preacher?

Dear Scripturist, Is it right to pay preachers? My Jehovah Witness friend says paying a preacher or pastor is wrong. What do the scriptures say?

First you must understand that what the Jehovah Witnesses teach and what the Scriptures teach are rarely the same thing. There are several passages that clearly deal with this issue. Paying preachers and pastors is Biblical.

First, look with me at 1 Corinthians 9:9-14: "For it is written in the Law of Moses: "Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain." Is it about oxen that God is concerned? Surely he says this for us, doesn't he? Yes, this was written for us, because when the plowman plows and the thresher threshes, they ought to do so in the hope of sharing in the harvest. If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you? If others have this right of support from you, shouldn't we have it all the more? But we did not use this right. On the contrary, we put up with anything rather than hinder the gospel of Christ. Don't you know that those who work in the temple get their food from the temple, and 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."

In this passage, Paul is explaining why he had the right receive money from the churches who supported his ministry. Sometimes he used this right (Philippians 4:15-18) and sometimes he didn't (1 Corinthians 9:12). Here the Apostle points out the principle from the Old Testament that even an ox would not be expected to work for free.

He then points out that the Priests in the temple would make their living from the offerings and sacrifices given at the temple. And then Paul revels that God has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living in the same way. So yes, it is a command from God that preachers should be paid for their full time service and make their living from preaching the gospel.

But not only Evangelists (preachers of the gospel). 1 Timothy 5:17-18 "The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching. For the Scripture says, "Do not muzzle the ox while it is treading out the grain," and "The worker deserves his wages."

This passage teaches that elders who give much time in service to the church, especially preaching and teaching, are worthy of being paid. The principle is stated again, "the worker deserves his wages."

The principle is repeated again in Galatians. Galatians 6:6 says, "Anyone who receives instruction in the word must share all good things with his instructor."

It is not right for you to receive instruction from a preacher and not share all good things with him. I have seen churches where the members are quite wealthy, but the preacher (though he had to be educated from an expensive private school) makes far less than the vast majority of the members. They drive new cars and live in lavish homes while the preacher drive an old rust bucket and doesn't even have good health insurance for his family.

Is that right? No, if you receive instruction from someone, then you owe them something. You should share all the good things you have with them. It's not right for a church to not pay a preacher well for his time and service. As Paul said, "If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you?"

Now I am not talking about sending off your last cent to make some con-artist televangelist rich (click here for example). Preachers should not be living like kings off the offerings of others either. Paul said about giving in 2 Corithian 8:13 "Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality." My point is that the preacher should be living at an equal standard to those he serves.

I hope you are tithing to your local church because that was God's plan to supply for the work of ministry and the priest in the Old Testament and Paul says God commands preachers are to be receiving their living "in the same way."

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