A guest post from Les Hughes from EntrePastors.com …
The model we call church is broken and it’s time to fix it!
I was a boy the first time I saw the above print hanging on a wall over a kitchen table. I assumed the old man was a pastor. In the painting is a thick book, to me a Bible, some reading glasses, a bowl of soup, and a loaf of bread.
A simple meal.
I remember feeling a little guilty when I looked at the picture. I thought, “I have so much. That man has very little to eat, and he’s praying.” My young, immature mind associated scarcity with closeness to God. I made assumptions that weren’t necessarily based on reality, but now as an adult, I realize many others make those same assumptions, sometimes to their detriment.
So before we address the model of the starving pastor, let’s address the broader misconception that poverty is synonymous with godliness. Where did that idea come from?
Early in our nation’s history, as communities began to pop up across the heartland, so did churches. After all, religious liberty was one of the reasons the early settlers of our nation came to the New World. Since Americans lived in a more agrarian culture back then, pastors and their families experienced basically the same standard of living as other families in the community. People ate what they grew and shared with their neighbors, especially during lean seasons.
Then came the industrial revolution and things changed. Cities were built. Factories hired workers and guaranteed them certain wages. Our education system grew. New professions emerged, and people were able to scale their ability to produce wealth. Then some people used that wealth to make the world a better place.
Somewhere along the way, the accumulation of wealth and possessions became synonymous with worldliness and greed, especially among people in the church. That image of the old man and the simple meal, along with the attitude I had as a child when I saw it, is still pervasive among many in the Christian community. It’s time for that image and attitude to change.
One of the reasons Jon Sanders and I started EntrePastors is to blow up the model and stereotype of the starving pastor. The reasons are many:
Additional and unnecessary stress that distracts the pastor from his primary calling to spread the gospel and make disciples.
A lack of resources in the hands of very generous people (namely pastors and missionaries) who could support causes worthy of and in need of financial support.
Adult kids of pastors and missionaries who struggle with their mindset around money.
Resentment and bitterness by the pastor and family.
Pastors who unwittingly sabotage their ministries as a way out, when other far more healthy options exist.
On average 1500 to 1800 pastors leave vocational ministry every month, and their departures are not always for healthy reasons.
Pastors leave vocational ministry for a variety of reasons, but we’d like to take one of those reasons off the table – a lack of money.
Here are just a few reasons it’s a good thing for a pastor to have financial freedom?
It eliminates financial stress and pressure on his family.
It allows for necessary periods of rest and relaxation. (It’s hard to get away when you have no resources.)
It allows the pastor to focus on something he can control (another sources of income) instead of being dependent upon external factors he cannot control (giving, church budget, etc.)
It provides the pastor freedom to boldly lead as God has called him to without fear of man. Proverbs 29:25 reads, “The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe.”
It’s impossible to serve out of an empty cup.
What would be possible 12-18 months from now if your income was doubled or tripled?
What if the only thing holding you back from experiencing that reality is a shift in your mindset and a few bold steps of action?
So what are some healthy ways to consider this important issue? Well, as always we should look to Scripture as our guide.
In Jesus’ parable of talents, the Lord taught that God has not gifted everyone equally. And not only is God OK with you maximizing your life based on the tools he’s given you. He actually expects you to.
1 Timothy 6:17-19 reads, “Tell the rich in the present age not to be proud and not to rely on so uncertain a thing as wealth but rather on God, who richly provides us with all things for our enjoyment. Tell them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous, ready to share, thus accumulating as treasure a good foundation for the future, so as to win the life that is true life.”
What if God were to give you the capacity to do more than you’re currently doing, such as reaching a broader audience; speaking with a louder voice; or building a larger platform?
Paul wrote, The elders who rule well are to be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching. For the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle the ox while he is threshing,” and “The laborer is worthy of his wages.” (I Timothy 5:17-18).
The above verses are sometimes used to encourage the church to faithfully take care of and provide for the pastor or teaching elder; but what if there’s another application? What if Paul was also saying not to muzzle the ox (hinder the pastor) who’s out there using his God-given skills and gifts to provide for his family and increase his income to advance the work of the kingdom?
But wait a second; didn’t’ Paul also write, “Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit” (2 Cor. 2:17). This can be a troubling statement; but it’s also sort of vague. What does it mean to “peddle the word of God for profit”? Were they changing the message so they would be financially rewarded? Or were they faithfully preaching the word while also demanding payment? Paul’s statement a few verses later gives us a clue: “we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God” (4:2). If that sheds light on 2:17 then peddling the word of God for profit means distorting it for a financial reward. And Paul makes a distinction between his practice and their practice.
The bottom line for Paul seems to be that by working and sort of eating what he killed, he created open doors for the gospel. He gave himself the opportunity to befriend fellow tradesmen, share the gospel with them, and create a professional network. And this professional network would have provided him with the necessary introductions to begin working in new cities.
The reason we want to blow up the model of the starving pastor, and the reason we started EntrePastors for that matter, isn’t to talk anyone into leaving their calling or walk away from their church; on the contrary. We want to help pastors, missionaries, and others in vocational ministry to have the freedom to answer God’s call on their lives, regardless of how that decision affects their checking account.
Wouldn’t it be awesome to have the boldness and freedom to do what God calls you today and have the financial freedom to know you can provide for your family?
It is possible, and there is a path for you.
If you need help in your journey, you’re in the right place. Feel free to reach out to John Stange, Jon Sanders, or myself. We’d love to help you.
If you’d like to reach out to me personally my email address is Les@entrepastors.com.
I’d love to hear from you.
For His Kingdom,
Les Hughes
