New Testament Commentary

The other day, I had the privilege of meeting with one of our church’s longtime members. In the course of our meeting, she asked if I had a consulting business. I found the question surprising and amusing. Surprising in that I have no idea what led her to think I was in involved in any kind of consulting work. And amused, because if I were consulting, I’d like to know where my paychecks are going.   Seriously, the question did get me thinking about the issue of pastors making money. And that’s what I’d like to take a few moments to blog about here.

Is it wrong for pastors to make extra money? By “extra money,” I mean money in addition to their church salary. That’s the question we’re going to explore. And the best way to explore such a question is by going to the Word of God. Although, in order to answer that question, we must look at the overall principles concerning pastoral compensation. What does the Bible say about pastors making money? 

1. Calling vs. Career

Even so the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel. –I Corinthians 9:14

First, no one should enter pastoral ministry in the same way he might enter the field of medicine or law or engineering or business. Being a pastor is not a career. It’s a calling. When God calls a person to be a pastor, God is setting that individual apart for Kingdom work. Of course, all Christians are to be about Kingdom work, but, in the case of pastors, they are to be fully devoted to Kingdom work and that is how they are to make their primary living.

2. Seek God First

The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want. –Psalm 23:1

“Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. –Matthew 6:31-34

Whether the person is a pastor or not, anytime an apparent need for additional money arises, the Bible continually points us to rely on God. We must see the Lord as our provider and not our own hands, minds, credit cards, savings accounts, etc. This doesn’t mean we should throw caution to the wind or dodge our responsibilities in stewardship and/or planning, but it does mean that we shouldn’t let worry, emotion, and/or a lack of faith drive our thoughts and/or our decision-making processes when it comes to money matters. We are to, first and foremost, trust God.

3. Greed is NOT Good

And He said to them, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.” –Luke 12:15

A bishop then must be….not greedy for money. –I Timothy 3:2-3

The sad truth is that some pastors are constantly on the lookout for ways to make more money, drive nicer cars, own bigger houses, etc. It’s not that these things are wrong in and of themselves. After all, God poured such blessings on Solomon. But the acquisition of money must not be the pastor’s primary focus.

4. No Dishonest Gain 

Shepherd the flock of God which is among you…not for dishonest gain but eagerly. –I Peter 5:2

If a pastor does determine prayerfully that extra money is necessary, he must not resort to dishonest gain. Examples of dishonest gain would be charging church members for services that he should render to them as part of his ministry and cheating on taxes. I also remember a former pastor telling me how one of the revival preachers he had in followed up his church visit by calling members of the church about some kind of shady investment deal. Not good. Based on my reading of Scripture, I’d have to add gambling and investments in sinful industries to the list of things that fall under “dishonest gain.”

There’s nothing wrong with a pastor doing something on the side to make a little extra money. That’s what Paul did, after all, when he made tents. But Paul performed his work honestly. He made sure that whatever he did, he did to God’s glory.

5. The Ox Must Not Be Muzzled

Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock? Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also? For it is written in the law of Moses, thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen? –I Corinthians 9:7-9

It’s a straightforward biblical teaching that local churches should, to the best of their ability, financially provide for those who ”feed the flock.” Pastors should be paid. But what happens when the pastor’s financial needs exceed the ability or desire of the church to  meet them?

One of the most disturbing things in some churches is the idea that a pastor who desires additional money is automatically guilty of greed. In some churches, the whole concept of the pastor having financial needs raises a great deal of controversy. In some churches, it’s as if people don’t even want to think about it or face the issue. And when someone (usually the pastor) makes them confront it, they react in a very accusatory and sometimes hostile manner.

(I must add, as a disclaimer, that I’m thankfully NOT speaking from direct, personal experience here. But I have done a lot of reading on this subject and have seen some pretty crazy things written by deacons, pulpit committees, and everyday church members when it comes to pastor pay. What’s more, I have several pastor friends who have shared some “horror stories” from their experiences. Fortunately, I’ve been blessed in that the churches I’ve served understood the pastors need to be paid just as any other worker needs a wage. Other pastors, sadly, aren’t so fortunate).

The important thing to keep in mind here is that the “ox” must not be “muzzled.” We muzzle the ox when we deprive it of that which it needs in order to live and serve. In the case of our pastors, churches should do all they can to make sure that their pastor and his family are housed, clothed, fed, healthy, etc. The specific dollar amount and the details of the compensation plan vary from church to church and area to area. The principle, though, is clear and it’s binding on all churches in all cultures and in all time periods.

**See “Baptist Pastor Salary Guidelines” (an article I wrote in March 2009 for Suite101.com).

6. Double Honor For Those Who “Rule Well”

Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine. For the scripture saith, thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer is worthy of his reward. –I Timothy 5:17-18

One pastor explained to me that the “double honor” principle in I Timothy 5 means that, if a church feels the pastor is “ruling well” (i.e., doing a great job), then they should figure out a suitable compensation for that pastor — and then DOUBLE it!  Now, as a pastor, I must admit that such an interpretation sounds good to me.   Unfortunately, such an interpretation doesn’t pass the good ole Sniff Test. It’s frankly poor biblical interpretation.

When we try to discover the meaning of a passage of Scripture, we must first understand the words (and that sometimes means looking at the original Greek – or, in the case of the Old Testament, Hebrew – vocabulary. Then, we must carry ourselves back to that time period to discern the context. In the ancient world, barter was a greater part of the economy than coinage. In Paul’s day, there were no W-2′s, direct deposits, signed paychecks, etc. In fact, if you trace church history right up to the pre-Industrial Age, you’ll find that ministers were often “paid” in crops!

When a church member brings me vegetables from their garden or offers to treat my wife and me to dinner (either at a restaurant or by inviting us over to their house), that member is showing “honor” in a way that’s very consistent with how pastors were supported in Paul’s day. You could add a whole slew of things to this, including babysitting, helping with household repairs, or whatever. When we were in Ohio, we lived in a parsonage on church property. The church covered all the utilities – and even mowed our lawn!

Certainly, pay is PART of the “honor” equation. After all, the deritative Greek word for “honor” means value and it’s where we get the word “honorarium.” All I’m saying is that it’s not just pay that Paul’s talking about. There are many ways that a church can honor (or double honor) its pastor.

And I’ve only addressed the compensation/support side of “honor,” there’s also the whole aspect of respect, kindness, moral support, prayer, etc. And, if I may say (as a pastor), that I truly believe God will smile greatly on a loving church, which shows respect and kindness to its pastor, even if that church is unable to provide much financially.

7. Can a Pastor “Make Tents”?

There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them, and because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them. –Acts 18:2-4

Now, we come to the question that started it all. What if the pastor and his family need or want more than the church is able or willing to provide? Perhaps the pastor needs extra money for retirement, to pay down debts, to save up for his kids’ college, to allow his wife to stay home and be a full-time homemaker, or something else.

Based on the above scriptural principles, I believe it’s perfectly acceptable for a pastor to earn money for work that’s in addition to and outside of his pastoral ministry, provided the following conditions are met: a) he’s not doing it for greed or to support a wasteful, covetous lifestyle, b) his work is honest, and c) it doesn’t detract from or undermine his primary calling.

In my case, my family and I would like to pay down our debt and also move closer to our church. And we both want Jane to remain a full-time mom. Accomplishing these goals will require some additional funds.  For this reason, I am engaged in freelance writing and trying to acquire some paid speaking engagements. That’s the main purpose of my BrianTubbs.com blog site — to promote my writing and speaking. I may also do some substitute teaching. I am NOT, however, involved in any consulting.   There is NO consulting business. For anyone at Olney Baptist Church who is reading this, I hope that clears up any confusion.

Of course, as Jesus makes clear in Matthew, my first task is to seek God’s Kingdom and turn my heart toward His righteousness. I am here to serve Him. The same is true for you. So, whatever financial situation we find ourselves in, we must remember that we serve a God who is greater than any challenge we face and who loves us more than we can possibly imagine. It is to that God that we must turn for direction, wisdom, and peace.