This means that when you are teaching, counseling, encouraging, visiting, admonishing, preaching, administrating, rebuking, hugging, supporting, etc., etc., etc., you are getting paid.
At least for me, serving has ended up feeling like a job. Even when I serve in some way because I simply want to, I continue to feel like I am being paid for it (which I am). In my case, the payment has robbed me of the joy in serving.
I realize this is not the case with many pastors; I do not presume to speak for anyone but myself. As for me, the salary removes much of the joy that accompanies service within the body.
For example, if I do something nice for a neighbor of mine and don't receive/take any payment, I experience the joy that comes from simply doing good for another. I believe this joy is a gift from God that shows us that He is pleased with what we are doing.
When I serve those in the church as a salaried pastor, the deeds I do may be good ones (I certainly hope so). Despite this, I do not experience the same joy that I do when I'm not paid. I cannot explain it. It may be completely subjective on my part. Regardless, I know that service within the church - as a salaried pastor - loses joy precisely because of the salary.
So, who is robbing me of the joy of serving? Is it God? No. Is it the church? No. In fact, the church has been generous to us. So who is it? This may sound a bit self-centered, but I believe I'm robbing myself of joy by receiving a salary. By accepting payment for service, ministry then becomes a job/duty rather than a joy.
This is one of the reasons I am stepping down as a salaried pastor.
I'm tired of robbing myself of the joy that comes from serving brothers and sisters in Christ. I want to serve and be served as an equal rather than as someone with "special-clergy-salaried-status." I'm looking forward to doing for others and not getting paid for it. Everyone else in the church already does it. Count me in.
5 comments:
Eric,
I certainly concur with your thinking in this article, remembering the sense of embarrassment I felt each time the church treasurer of the first church I served handed me my stipend.
The the ten years unpaid service prior to health problems forcing retirement, are a treasure.
John,
The payment makes it all feel like just a job. Ministry is far too important for that.
A small boy with his dad was sitting through the morning service in the local church. Bored silly he was fidgeting and yawning. He then spies the wall plaque with the list of the local soldiers, sailors, and airmen who died in the last war.
"Dad, dad"
"Shhh, be quiet the pastor is speaking."
"But dad"
"What is it?" Exasperated.
"What's all those names for."
"Its all those who died in the services, now be quiet"
A few moments of thought, and then. "Would that be in the morning or the evening services"
There are people who are desperately frustrated with their jobs, but happy to get a pay check. There are those who love their jobs and feel it is a side benefit to get paid for what they love doing.
Is the problem with the remuneration, or the worker who is remunerated?
All work is service to the Lord. How is it that only those who don't work in church can be viewed as honestly receiving their wages? Perhaps it is the guilt laid upon pastors in an accusing age that is the problem.
This seems a more complex problem than a simple money, or no money question. After 25 years of pastoring, I can truly say it has cost me more than it has returned.
Is how we feel about our service really the best gauge anyway? Isn't that just another form of remuneration? An emotional payment?
Phil,
Thanks for commenting. You asked a lot of questions; I'm not sure which ones you want answered.
As for me, the joy simply isn't there in being a salaried pastor. Why is this? I cannot be certain. However, I do have a guess. As I search the scriptures, I cannot find any evidence of salaried pastors. Since it isn't the biblical model, then it could be a significant problem.
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