Paid Ministers Cheapen Ministry

And deserve the lowest wage of any job available if they receive pay.

Addressing the market value of ministry is simple labor economics — the more scarce a skill is, the more valuable it is. Since The Spirit works in all believers to serve, ministerial gifts should be the most attainable and ubiquitous in all the church. Further, I believe that ministers should not receive pay at all, and when they do it does damage to themselves and the church. Allow me to share four reasons why ministers should not be on a payroll.

4 There are different kinds of gifts. But they are all given to believers by the same Spirit. 5 There are different ways to serve. But they all come from the same Lord. 6 There are different ways the Spirit works. But the same God is working in all these ways and in all people.
— 1 Corinthians 12 (NIRV)

1. I’ve witnessed unpaid servants move mountains firsthand.

Jesus and the disciples did not have salaries. Paul’s tent building business supported him as he wrote most of the New Testament and established churches across the biblical world. I don’t need to reach back a millennia, I’ve seen examples much closer to home of volunteer ministry working remarkably well.

First, growing up during a period of staff tumult at our church, a man with a very demanding and successful law career became our volunteer lead minister. He had a profoundly positive effect on our church during a difficult time, never petitioning the body for money. To this day he’s a dear family friend, was the officiant at my wedding, and continues to volunteer minister in addition to his practice.

Then, early in adulthood as my faith become personal, I was moved by Zac Poonen’s teaching. “The Spirit of Grace and Power” is the most impactful sermon I’ve ever heard, essential listening for any thirsty believer. Christian Fellowship Church started at Zac’s house in India in the 1970’s, and the eldership springing forth from those beginnings has gone on to plant dozens of churches across India and the world. The entire time they’ve adhered to a strict financial policy that includes no salaried ministers.

More recently, I’ve been astounded by the potential power of work not entangled with money as demonstrated in A.A. Founded on principles guided by the first century church, by way of influence from the Oxford Groups at the time, the original twelve step group has always sought to keep finances separate from their mission. To this day, in St. Louis alone, there are hundreds of groups with an estimated membership of over 3000, completely volunteer-driven. In service offices, there may be some administrative employees, but all the work of helping rescue fellow A.A.’s from the throes of addiction through meetings and sponsorship is completely free.

…
Six — An A.A. group ought never endorse, finance or lend the A.A. name to any related facility or outside enterprise, lest problems of money, property and prestige divert us from our primary purpose.
Seven — Every A.A. group ought to be fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions.
Eight – Alcoholics Anonymous should remain forever nonprofessional, but our service centers may employ special workers.
…
~from the Twelve Traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous

2. Broke people pay pastors' salaries.

Living in St. Louis City, it is not an uncommon sight to see a sign on a parking spot “Reserved for Pastor”, next to or closer than the handicap slots. If you’re around on a Sunday, you may see there a very nice Cadillac with all the finest trim options. I’m sure it is a very comfortable ride, and the pastor may even be a very caring person and gifted orator, but it is sad to consider the person who paid for it. There is an old lady that shows up to church every Sunday, sitting in the same pew, tithing from her Social Security check.

Giving blesses the giver, even if the receiver wastes the gift on material luxuries for staff and repaying mortgages that shouldn’t have been entered into. But pastors receiving generous salaries, paid by congregants getting by on poverty-level incomes, is hopefully a repugnant thought to anyone looking at the full picture.

3. Money chastens ministers’ ability to bring down the fire.

Let’s not think only about the people paying the salary, but also those who benefit financially from the offerings. Specifically, their potency to speak truth to those they count on to put food on their table and the kids through school.

Shepherding a flock is tough business. People are messy, and like the lost sheep in the parable, can be fabulously dumb and short-sighted. Sometimes it requires yanking them off their feet and marching them back into the fold. They have to be carried, because they want to stay in their newfound pasture. If, in the moment of being removed from enjoying that luscious virgin grass on the side of the cliff the ewe was able to directly affect the shepherd’s livelihood, I think it would at least consider doing some harm.

Damaging the flocks’ ego and pride could be reflected directly in church giving. And when the budget is distributed in the bulletin each week, it is very clear to paid ministers how that could disturb their ability to pay their own bills. So, they better tell the audience what they want to hear…

4. The person on the stage lets others off the hook.

All believers are members of the body, with their own specific gifts and ministries to bless the whole. “The hand that writes a check” is not inherently a position of ministry — it does not require empathy, relation, connection. My point here is not to undervalue the financial blessing or generosity, but to emphasize that it is not itself a ministry.

We are all called to teach and encourage one another, to build each other up. In our Western church model, we have select people on a stage every Sunday while audience tosses cash in a passing basket. You may say “everyone corporately sings and recites the liturgical script” — I imagine fans clap and sing along at a Justin Bieber concert, too. Let’s not get too far off topic, and certainly there is much more to the church community than Sunday morning worship service. My point is this is the main event each week, the one that the greater public is invited to, exudes a consumer-model. And in our materialistic culture, this can too easily mean, “I paid, I’ve done my part in this agreement.”

For both the church as a whole, and the individual, we all need to be active in ministering to one another.

Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.
— Colossians 3:16 (NIV)

Giving gifts to those in need and supporting ministry financially is wonderful. Making sacrifice and generosity a habit is both practically and spiritually rewarding. And, certain works require money (though God could fund them with a pile of rocks if he needed to). My contention is with ministers whose sole income is a salary, a line item on a congregation’s budget.