Should pastors be part-time?
This week, we thought we'd link to another blog discussing this topic of pastors/businessmen and how they fit into churches and into the business world. Pretty cool that there are other folks out there talking about these same issues.
The guy who wrote this post has some interesting thoughts. First, he says many full-time church leaders should "step down to part-time." Second, he says "followers" need to increase their involvement in the Church. He bases his thoughts on Jesus' critique of the temple system saying "we all have access to God...no Christian needs another to mediate God to them. That's the curtain you can hear ripping."
What do you guys think? Is there Biblical basis for more pastors/paid church leaders to be part-time or is this guy adding some of his personal bias to Scripture? If you agree/disagree, what implications does this have on our role (whatever your role is) in the Church?
The guy who wrote this post has some interesting thoughts. First, he says many full-time church leaders should "step down to part-time." Second, he says "followers" need to increase their involvement in the Church. He bases his thoughts on Jesus' critique of the temple system saying "we all have access to God...no Christian needs another to mediate God to them. That's the curtain you can hear ripping."
What do you guys think? Is there Biblical basis for more pastors/paid church leaders to be part-time or is this guy adding some of his personal bias to Scripture? If you agree/disagree, what implications does this have on our role (whatever your role is) in the Church?
posted by Matthew at 12:28 AM
4 Comments:
If you want to talk Jewish culture, Rabbis and in particular, Rabbis with semikhah (Jesus had semikhah), were full-time positions. Actually, if you want to get specific, they probably would have laughed if you mentioned full-time/part-time in our generation's context. It was their life.
I think pastors, if they are indeed biblical pastors called by God to that position, should look at their position the same way. It's their life, not just a 40-hour/week job.
I think ideally (notice that word, ideally, this is my opinion) I think pastors should be single and actually make it their life to be a pastor. I think there's more of a purity that way. Obviously, too, this is shown throughout the Bible and Jewish culture. If you really study Rabbis in the 1st Century and prior, you'll see how different they were from our pastors now. I think that's the way it should be though.
Wow, Mr. Smith, this one hits a little close to home! Here are my opening thoughts:
1. I give little to no credence to arguments from the emerging church, and
2. I give even less credence to arguments that are not Scripturally based.
First off, I agree with many of the points made by hudson's dad except when it comes to the idea of marriage. 1 Timothy 3 refers to the "overseer" as the "husband of one wife" and "with all dignity keeping his children submissive." So, clearly, marriage and family weren't out of bounds to Paul. Further, I believe that you run a GREATER risk of sexual sin in men who are unmarried, "It is better to marry than to burn."
As far as the issue of part-time, full-time, Acts 6 is pretty clear that the Jerusalem apostles saw their vocation to teach and preach as full time as they would not even be distracted by the dole for the Hellenistic widows. Verse 4 says, "But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word."
As far as pay, check 1 Timothy 5:17 and Galatians 6:6.
As a final word, I do believe that some brothers have a full-time vocational calling, and some have a bi-vocational calling. First we are all given gifts and callings according to our faith, but I think that the words of Jesus to Peter and John in John 21:20 ff. can be applied to this argument as well. In v. 22, "...what is that to you? You follow me!" All believers are called to die to self and follow Christ, and all expressions of that will be different.
I believe marriage benefits you from a different perspective and allows you more anecdotes. But it's not necessary. If you're preaching what the Bible says, you're preaching truth. And truth about marriage and child-rearing is pretty well covered in the Bible.
As far as the issue of a single man struggling in sexual sin, I'd say it's just as easy for a married preacher to fall into any sexual sin. I believe the risk is the same, we're all sinful
I understand the impulse to utilize everyone's gifts and not to be solely dependent on one part of the body of Christ, but don't think the answer is part-time ministry. I think it would be more helpful to educate the congregation that it can take 25 hours to write a good sermon and think through the Sunday liturgy. This requires time, wisdom and sustained attention, as does pastoral care. A congregation needs to understand that they have to utilize their gifts precisely because the pastor's time isn't spent 'running the show', but putting time into things which require time.
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