Is it o.k. to get paid for your calling?
Monday, June 21, 2010 at 4:41PM Yes, it is o.k.
There are those, who with good intentions, are saying 'no,' though. Their contention is that "God's stuff" should be free. However, as noble as that sounds, it stems from an unhelpful view of calling.
Their argument: Get a 'real job' so that you can support your true calling and offer your message for free. But here's the problem with that:
Your calling is to bring the effect of your life into every area of your life -- including your 'job.' Ideally, your job reflects your calling and giftings and is suited to them. Isn't your job a ministry? For those that want to say "Get a real job that supports your ministry so that your ministry offering is free," I say, "But isn't your 'real job' a ministry? Don't you bring the effect of your life, your gifts and unique heart to that job setting? Why is that any less a ministry?
Secondly, their argument seems to apply primarily to those having a message-based ministry, rather than a product or service that isn't primarily message-based. This might include Christian authors and speakers, or those creating explicitly 'Christian' music. Those who are bringing a kingdom message seem to fall into a separate category than anyone else in the Body of Christ -- pedestalizing that group of communicators -- and diminishing the role of everyone else in the Body. [I'm not even specifically thinking of paid 'pastors' and the like, necessarily; but more generally of anyone whose mission is primarily message-driven.]
Would they expect a physician, who happens to be a Christian, to offer his services free? Not likely? But isn't he also doing God's work and offering the restoring work of Jesus? How about the hairdresser who loves God and brings him into conversations with her clients? Should she offer her services free? I don't think we would expect that of her. But for some reason, those whose primary mission centers around a message are expected to offer it free -- austensibly because it's "God's stuff." (Yet isn't the doctor and the hairdresser offering 'God's stuff' as well to their clients?) Don't we all have a right to support our families at a reasonable level? [-Of course, I'm speaking of reasonable pay and in good-conscience.]
If we use the inequitable scale of value that those who want God's stuff to be free do, then no one in the Body should be paid for any of their work, including the 'real jobs' they have, since we'd hope that every believer treats his/her job as a ministry and an extension of their calling.
I understand the sentiment of those wanting the message to be free -- I just don't think that value -scale is being applied equally across the Body, and I think it creates a false division in the Body as to which callings are more important than others.
No calling is more godly or sacred than the next, because each one's gifts and calling flow from him who levelled the playing field. Let's stop pedestalizing (and penalizing) those primarily offering a message, and lift up each one's offering to others -- whether that person brings their gifts as an artist, author, electrician, doctor or hairdresser.
Your thoughts?
Reader Comments (5)
I don't think all God-stuff should be free, but I am convinced that many are in a calling that is not God-given and getting paid for it.
I think the biggest one I struggle with is pastors who are getting paid mainly just do the Sunday preaching thing and receive a salary along, with their wives who don't do any more than any other leader in the Church Body. I see others in the Church reaching out and pastoring the Body more than the actual paid pastors do. I struggle with that. I see pastors wives on salary and wonder why? I knew one pastors wife that got paid a salary for doing the books, which maybe took an hour to two hours a week. if that. I'm not saying she shouldn't have gotten something, but she was getting around $1500.00 a month for no more than 8 hours work. I know that it doesn't take much to do the books because I did it voluntarily myself for awhile before leaving the last church that I attended.
I know another pastor's wife that is getting a large monthly salary and I'm not sure what she is doing for that money. These churches are not large.
I don't have a problem with those doing podcasts or itinerate ministry getting paid for what they do, and I may be wrong, and I probably am wrong in my view of pastors. I have always been a part of the leadership in churches I have attended and I have seen too much slack on the part of pastors. Maybe I still need healing in that area.
Hi June -- Believe me, I sympathize with your concerns. I really think the institutionalization of ministry has warped our sense of the 'priesthood of all believers" and caused the very problems you speak of.
In the post, I really wasn't thinking about professional pastors at all as I wrote it. As you point out, that has problems of its own, in terms of the inequities and abuses of compensation that go on.
Hey Jim,
Of course it is okay to get paid while working in a calling. You brought up Christian musicians. They wouldn't do what they do unless they were getting paid. And to the sanctimonious "special" folks who like to say that one should work full time at another job to do the calling work...I mean, come on! They just like to sit around and pass judgement . Following this suggestion, one would work at his/her regular job and then go do minitisty en lieu of what??? Sleeping??? There are only so many hours in a day. That kind of nonsense makes me want to just...I don't know....maybe make faces as I drive past a church...wait a minute..I already do that :0)
Good post, Jim.
Meredith
Hey Meredith -- so true -- there are only so many hours in day. If a person has to make a living working full-time in a 'real job' that may or may not have anything to do with their calling and gifts, how do they have a healthy life with time for much else or anyone beyond their 'real job'? (a term I really find unhelpful)
Hey Jim,
I'd like to say this too about ministry work....People say "God made Paul single so he could do the Lord's work." Seriously??? How about Mary...she was married and look what she did. How do we know Paul wasn't dating? I mean what kind of silly stuff is that?
And back to the point about real jobs etc....So one is supposed to work a real job then do ministry work and then have time for their families...and Lord forbid do everything a church should tell you to do in a week...
The world is filled with stupidity...
Meredith