When the Pulpit Becomes a Paycheck

[bdavidc]

God’s word makes it clear that the work of the ministry is a sacred calling, not a business. “A hireling,” Jesus said, “does not care for the sheep, but a wolf snatches them away. He does this because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep” (John 10:12–13). Too many pulpits are now filled by men who are more concerned with profit than with the truth. The success of their ministry is measured by the size of their offering and the upgrades in their lifestyle, not by their fidelity to God’s Word.

The apostle Paul was clear in his rejection of such men: “We are not, like so many, peddlers of God’s word” (2 Corinthians 2:17). Peddle is a military word that means to market for personal advantage. These preachers make a product out of the gospel. They manipulate the emotions of people to wring donations from them, promise blessings in return for money, and lead a life of luxury while their flocks live in poverty. Peter said that false teachers “in their greed… will exploit you with false words” (2 Peter 2:3).

To be sure, faithful ministers should be supported. The Scripture says that “the elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching” (1 Timothy 5:17–18). This is the right of those who labor in the gospel. But there is a difference between receiving support and pursuing the ministry as a way to get rich. A true servant will preach the truth whether or not he is supported, he will endure hardship for the sake of Christ, and he will care more about the salvation of souls than about his own comfort.

Ministers who are in it for the money take the glory of Christ and exchange it for the cheap temporary satisfaction of wealth. They may win a large following, but they will lose the blessing of God. And one day they will give account to the Chief Shepherd for every word and every dollar that has been entrusted to them in false pretenses. The gospel is priceless, and it must never be for sale.

 

[JohnDB]

Do not muzzle the ox while treading out the grain.

The workman deserves his wages.

Now when the salary is exorbitantly high....that might be a problem.

 

[PS95]

Absolutely, they should be paid by us--

1 Cor 9:13-14 --could not be more clear--
Do you not know that those who perform sacred services eat the food of the temple, and those who attend regularly to the altar have their share from the altar? So also the Lord directed those who proclaim the gospel to get their living from the gospel.

Paul chose to support himself when in Corinth as he took no pay there, but he said he used the pay from the other churches to do so.

2 Cor 11:7-8
Or did I commit a sin in humbling myself so that you might be exalted, because I preached the gospel of God to you without charge? I robbed other churches by taking wages from them to serve you;

Most are not wealthy but taken care of, as it should be.

We also need to remember in the USA where you live vs. the cost of living widely varies.
You can live in a mansion with acreage in many parts of the South, while that same amount of money in California just buys a small rancher on a small plot.

 

[IndianaRob]

Preachers today are worthless. You’re hard pressed to find a preacher that even believes the inerrant word of God exists today.

 

[PS95]

Preachers today are worthless. You’re hard pressed to find a preacher that even believes the inerrant word of God exists today.

There are plenty of false teachers around. No doubt. The scriptures said there would be, and so they are. They had false teachers back then as well.
That does not mean that all preachers today are worthless. Good grief.
There are half a dozen churches in any given town and to you they are all worthless?
I have never met one in person who doesn't believe the scriptures.

 

[IndianaRob]

There are plenty of false teachers around. No doubt. The scriptures said there would be, and so they are. They had false teachers back then as well.
That does not mean that all preachers today are worthless. Good grief.
There are half a dozen churches in any given town and to you they are all worthless?
I have never met one in person who doesn't believe the scriptures.

When you hear a preacher say “a better translation is…” he’s saying that he does not believe the word of God is inerrant. He’s there for the paycheck.

 

[PS95]

When you hear a preacher say “a better translation is…” he’s saying that he does not believe the word of God is inerrant. He’s there for the paycheck.

By inerrant you must mean by the translators?
I have heard some say that when a word has various meanings in Greek, and they use the one they see as the clearest without changing the meaning... it's just a fact of languages.

 

[IndianaRob]

By inerrant you must mean by the translators?
I have heard some say that when a word has various meanings in Greek, and they use the one they see as the clearest without changing the meaning... it's just a fact of languages.

Yes, I do mean by the translators. There are thousands of places in the Bible where the translators had to interpret what they believed the passage meant and then translate the words based on that interpretation. So either God inspired the translators, or we have nothing even remotely close to the Word of God.

 

[PS95]

Yes, I do mean by the translators. There are thousands of places in the Bible where the translators had to interpret what they believed the passage meant and then translate the words based on that interpretation. So either God inspired the translators, or we have nothing even remotely close to the Word of God.

Well, I don't necessarily agree with that. If it changed the meaning of the sentence that would be different, but when done for clarification I have no issue, as long as the concept has other scriptural back up, and it is in keeping within context. I always check everything as we should.
I was raised jw so I know what you are talking about.
Are you kjv only maybe?

 

[David Lamb]

When you hear a preacher say “a better translation is…” he’s saying that he does not believe the word of God is inerrant. He’s there for the paycheck.

Not necessarily. It depends what he is claiming is a better translation. As you will know, the bible was originally written in Hebrew and Greek, so all Engish bibles are translations. Suppose the preacher was preaching on Acts 21. He comes to verse 15, which in the KJV says:

15 And after those days we took up our carriages, and went up to Jerusalem.

What does the word "carriage" mean today? A wheeled vehicle. So it is quite right for the preacher to say something such as, "A better translation would be, "And after those days we took up our luggage, and went up to Jerusalem." I don't think pay cheques come into it. A preacher who is only in it for the money is unlikely to be concerned with the truth of God's word at all.

 

[IndianaRob]

Well, I don't necessarily agree with that. If it changed the meaning of the sentence that would be different, but when done for clarification I have no issue, as long as the concept has other scriptural back up, and it is in keeping within context. I always check everything as we should.
I was raised jw so I know what you are talking about.
Are you kjv only maybe?

Yes, I am KJV-only. For the first 15 years of my Christian life, I mostly read the NIV and NASB, and I also dabbled in Greek and Hebrew dictionaries. When I discovered the significant differences between those translations and the KJV, I became KJV only and have been for about 16 years.

 

[David Lamb]

Yes, I am KJV-only. For the first 15 years of my Christian life, I mostly read the NIV and NASB, and I also dabbled in Greek and Hebrew dictionaries. When I discovered the significant differences between those translations and the KJV, I became KJV only and have been for about 16 years.

In that case, I hope you are aware that the translators of the KJV (or "AV" as they would have known it) did not claim perfection for their translation.

 

[IndianaRob]

Not necessarily. It depends what he is claiming is a better translation. As you will know, the bible was originally wrotten in Hebrrew and Greek, so all Engish bibles are translations. Suppose the preacher was preaching on Acts 21. He comes to verse 15, which in the KJV says:

15 And after those days we took up our carriages, and went up to Jerusalem.

What does the word "carriage" mean today? A wheeled vehicle. So it is quite right for the preacher to say something such as, "A better translation would be, "And after those days we took up our luggage, and went up to Jerusalem." I don't think pay cheques come into it. A preacher who is only in it for the money is unlikely to be concerned with the truth of God's word at all.

On something simple like this yes, I agree with you. I’m speaking more about important doctrinal things.

 

[amigo de christo]

Preachers today are worthless. You’re hard pressed to find a preacher that even believes the inerrant word of God exists today.

reprobate silver . Many leaders today have no true concern for the flocks . ITs all about HOW to survive in this
ever changing world and continue to keep a paycheck .
This is why it keeps going from bad to worse .
They know if they speak against the tide . IF they correct sin and error
THEY fear they will lose their financial support .
There is no TRUST IN GOD for these leaders . Its became like a business to them .
When it did the flow of the ever changing culture became the concern .
Its went on so long now and the infiltration of this agenda grew and set in,
that many no longer have any idea what TRUE CHRISTANITY TRULY MEANS and ENTIALS .
They have no idea what the church has lost and they have no idea they themselves are lost .
TO MANY this is the image of God to them . THEY beleive in this god
In this image of what man has recreated into their minds .
And it has grown massively worse . And folks think satan cant wear wool
and appear as an angel of light
and that his own minstiris cannot appear wearing wool . OH BUT THEY CAN and THEY HAVE .

 

[IndianaRob]

In that case, I hope you are aware that the translators of the KJV (or "AV" as they would have known it) did not claim perfection for their translation.

I agree.

 

[David Lamb]

On something simple like this yes, I agree with you. I’m speaking more about important doctrinal things.

In that case the preacher doesn't even need to mention translations. He either avoids talking about the doctrines he doesn't believe, or he misrepresents them.

 

[amigo de christo]

When you hear a preacher say “a better translation is…” he’s saying that he does not believe the word of God is inerrant. He’s there for the paycheck.

Wanna hear what they are really saying when they say such things .
When you hear a preacher often saying a better translation of this passage is ...........
THEY may as well be saying , HEY I DONT LIKE What it means and says , YOU dont like what it means and says
SO LETS CHANGE IT TO FIT WHAT WE DO LIKE and WANT TO HEAR IT SAY .
sad fact friend . I Seen this far too many times .

 

[IndianaRob]

reprobate silver . Many leaders today have no true concern for the flocks . ITs all about HOW to survive in this
ever changing world and continue to keep a paycheck .
This is why it keeps going from bad to worse .
They know if they speak against the tide . IF they correct sin and error
THEY fear they will lose their financial support .
There is no TRUST IN GOD for these leaders . Its became like a business to them .
When it did the flow of the ever changing culture became the concern .
Its went on so long now and the infiltration of this agenda grew and set in,
that many no longer have any idea what TRUE CHRISTANITY TRULY MEANS and ENTIALS .
They have no idea what the church has lost and they have no idea they themselves are lost .
TO MANY this is the image of God to them . THEY beleive in this god
In this image of what man has recreated into their minds .
And it has grown massively worse . And folks think satan cant wear wool
and appear as an angel of light
and that his own minstiris cannot appear wearing wool . OH BUT THEY CAN and THEY HAVE .

Corporate Christianity has been hijacked. It’s been that way for years.

 

[amigo de christo]

Yes, I do mean by the translators. There are thousands of places in the Bible where the translators had to interpret what they believed the passage meant and then translate the words based on that interpretation. So either God inspired the translators, or we have nothing even remotely close to the Word of God.

BINGO . but then that is exactly why so many often love to say WE dont really have
THE ACCURATE TRANSLATION .
They make excuse its been lost , that these true men of GOD
could not possibly have translated it right .
But again would you like to know why they say this and why they do as they do .
They may as well be standing before the people
and saying , HEY YALL we dont like the old path and the old ways
COME let us recreate this into what WE REALLY DO LIKE and love . An interpretation
THAT Says WHAT WE DESIRE IT TO SAY .
MANY have NO LOVE for the TRUTH OF GOD and HIS HOLY INSPIRED words .
THEY had rather beleive men who say and re interpret such words
To fit exactly what it is they do so love . SIN .

 

[IndianaRob]

Wanna hear what they are really saying when they say such things .
When you hear a preacher often saying a better translation of this passage is ...........
THEY may as well be saying , HEY I DONT LIKE What it means and says , YOU dont like what it means and says
SO LETS CHANGE IT TO FIT WHAT WE DO LIKE and WANT TO HEAR IT SAY .
sad fact friend . I Seen this far too many times .

Doing that basically erodes trust in the words as they are written which leads to complete error. Every single word matters, line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little there a little. Each doctrine is a key to unlocking another doctrine.