In the Old Testament, tithing was good news to the poor, because it was the poor who profited from the tithes. Tithes worked like income taxes today, the rich give so that the poor can have. However, in our modern day churches, tithing has become oppressive to the poor. As a result, many poor Christians have been thrown into deeper debt and poverty because they felt obligated to “give beyond their means.” In such cases, the gospel is no longer “good news to the poor.” Rather, it becomes a heavy burden. Instead of liberty, it becomes oppression. Such thoughts rip at the heart of the New Testament gospel.
“It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’” (Matthew 21:13)
Elders (shepherds) in the first century were not salaried. They had regular jobs for earning a living. They gave to the flock, rather than taking away from it. Paul writes this message to the Elders (shepherds) of the Church:
“Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing. You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions. In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: .’It is more blessed to give than to receive‘ ” (Acts 20:32-35)
Giving a salary to a pastor elevates him above the rest of God’s people. It creates a clerical caste that turns the living body of Christ into a business. The paid minister becomes the “professional” who is responsible for the ministry of the Church, while the rest of the Church lapses into a state of passive dependence. Why do you think it is so hard to find volunteers for things? There is a saying that “80% of the work is done by 20% of the people”. Do you think there might be a connection here?
Many pastors like to quote 1 Corinthians 9:14 as proof that preachers should be paid, but if we look at the rest of that Scripture, we see that is not what Paul was saying at all.
They read “In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel.” and stop there, but when you read further, you will see that Paul did not make his living by preaching, nor did he have that expectation.
“But I have not used any of these rights. And I am not writing this in the hope that you will do such things for me… If I preach voluntarily, I have a reward.. What then is my reward? Just this: that in preaching the gospel I may offer it free of charge, and so not make use of my rights in preaching it.” (1 Corinthians 9:15-18)
Paul was not saying “make sure you pay your preacher.” He was saying that even though the work of evangelism is deserving of payment, he chose to preach free of charge. A man who has a true heart for the Gospel does not worry about payment, because his heart is for the Gospel, not the money. Paul was a great example of this. We know that he was a tent maker by trade, and that is how he supported his ministry. The collections that he took up from churches was charity that he then gave to help the poor. He did not take up collections for himself. He preached the gospel “free of charge”.
When a Church functions as it should, the need for a professional clergy becomes unnecessary. Suddenly the thought “that is the pastor’s job” seems heretical.
Unfortunately, one of the lingering roots behind keeping “tithe” as a church practice is due to clergy salary. Many pastors feel the need to preach about tithing to remind the congregations of its obligation to support them. But consider this - paying a pastor encourages him to be a person pleaser. His meal ticket is attached to how much his congregation likes him, and if he says things that make them too upset, he might even lose his job for it. As a result, the paid pastor becomes a slave to the Church. Consider what the scriptures say about this.
“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.” (1 Timothy 6:10-11)
“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” (Matthew 6:24)
“For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.” (2 Timothy 4:3-4)
Just as Judas traded the Messiah for a bag of silver, some pastors have traded the truth of God for compensation. By trying to please their tithing audience (and grow a larger audience) rather than trying to please the LORD, they are preaching what the people like to hear, rather than what the LORD wants them to say. I am not saying that all preachers do this, but I know that there are some who do.
“Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.” (Galatians 1:10)
However, it is difficult for many pastors to acknowledge the lack of scriptural support for their office, simply because they are financially dependent on it, and it takes tremendous courage and faith to step out of the pastorate. “It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends upon his not understanding it.” - Upton Sinclair
I believe that this system has caused many pastors to experience burnout. Ministry becomes little less than a job, but its demands and requirements are so much more than most other careers. The business of Church has become a system that is bent on chewing up and spitting out its own.
The pulpit encourages the pastor to perform for a passive audience, but the New Testament Church encourages every member to participate in the life and ministry of the Church.
Paul said that, “Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.” (1Cor 12:7) “But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body” (1Cor 12:24-25) “When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church.” (1Cor 14:26) “Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said. And if a revelation comes to someone who is sitting down, the first speaker should stop. For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged.” (1Cor 14:29-31) “Did the word of God originate with you? Or are you the only people it has reached? If anybody thinks he is a prophet or spiritually gifted, let him acknowledge that what I am writing to you is the Lord’s command. If he ignores this, he himself will be ignored.” (1Cor 14:36-38)
Paul did not teach that one person was to speak while everyone else listened. He taught that two or three should speak, and that if someone else had a word from the LORD that the first should stop to listen to the next. All members are encouraged to use the gifts. All members are to bring a song, teaching, revelation, tongue or an interpretation. Paul says that these things must be done to strengthen the Church.
I believe that our current model for Church is a weakened form of the original Church. I believe that a major transformation in the church needs to take place, and it should start from the Pastor being willing to make this change. However, if the pastor refuses to make this change, the Church still must change.