I've been preaching in Upstate New York for over 25 years. Throughout that time many congregations have had to adopt this idea and one thing sticks out more than any other. Churches, (up here at least), do NOT grow without stability in the pulpit. (Full time preacher). Preaching is a calling not a part time hobby. I fear if we head farther in this direction we will have even less of the next generation willing to give their lives to preaching the Gospel.
The fact that you reduced preaching while tent-making, a practice done by apostle Paul himself, to “a part time hobby” shows you are not engaging this debate in good faith.
We have Biblical precedent for preachers supporting themselves with external work.
Show me the precedent for churches depending on the subsidies of bigger churches to pay bills.
Who was the "Full time preacher" or "Pulpit Minister" in the church at Corinth? The precedent put in place by Paul utilizes a plurality of men speaking to the church for learning and exhortation (1 Corinthians 14). The modern "pulpit minister" is absent in the New Testament. No epistle to a church includes any salutation to the "Full time preacher/pulpit minister." The evangelist was a proclaimer of the gospel, not on Sunday to the assembled congregation, but in everyday efforts to reach the masses (cf. Acts 8:4ff). The local church was exhorted by the men of the congregation, each in turn according to the limitations explained by Paul. The overseers would have had their weekly opportunity to address the church in this format, fulfilling the saying, "Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching" (1 Timothy 5:17).
I disagree with this. Timothy and Titus were both clearly tasked with instructing and correcting the congregation and appointing elders. It's typically said they were the "evangelists" of their congregations but their roles were more inward-facing than outward.
The word "entrusted" in the letters to Timothy is very informative to this end. Not everybody is entrusted with that work.
Bro Jack, really interesting article. I'm engaging this issue from the other end. I graduated a school of preaching 20 years ago, but went into secular work. Now I'm am considering getting back into full-time preaching. Kind of reached the point where I don't want to be doing things for 8-10 hours a day that aren't directly related to the work of the church. I've banked a bunch of life experience that I think would be value-added in a full-time role. All that said, I would be completely down with doing a support group thing for tent-making preachers. I've tried to preach wherever we've been so I'm sympathetic to those efforts. Take care!
I think you brought up some good points. With the culture going awry and the strong possibility of coming persecution and financial problems for Americans looming (already here for some), paying preachers a good salary may diminish dramatically in the near future. Your remarks about the culture are serious and our need to support each other, to be knit together, is needed. It’s scary what’s going on in our culture. When I was growing up, our lives revolved around the church, life wasn’t as busy. We all need to evaluate our priorities. I must decide what is the most important thing to me. I sure enjoy reading your articles.
Sorry to sound confrontational, I didn't mean too, I certainly am not reducing preaching in any way. My main observation is that we have not held up preaching or preachers in a way that glorifies God and now we are faced with a shortage of men willing to step up and give their lives over to God no matter the cost. Many, many years when I quit my secular job for fulltime ministry, a college professor said to me and the rest of my class, "If you can do anything else, leave and go do it, but if preaching and ministry is the only thing you can think about doing, you're in the right place." We need men to commit their lives as Paul and the other disciples did. I am not against preachers finding extra income. I am not against tent making if that gets men in the pulpit. I am afraid of losing men willing to commit their whole lives, no matter the cost as Paul and the disciples did. Our colleges and Preaching training schools are seeing huge shortages in men. Still, I believe God is still calling men to leave it all behind and we, (the church), need to get behind these men and support them in every way.
I agree with you that we're facing a great shortage. But some churches will never be able to pay someone full time, and raising support from congregations across the country isn't always feasible. As we continue to decline statistically, fewer churches will be able to pay preachers, and fewer will be able to send support. So for those congregations, their only options are having a tentmaker or having nobody. Discouraging tent-making is the quickest way to make the preacher shortage worse.
Also, I don't think it's fair to speak as though full-time ministry is a greater commitment. Working all week just like everybody else, and THEN making time to write lessons and make visits takes even more commitment.
I will never discourage tent making. It has it's place and is needed. The only reason I commented was I felt your article was stating Tent making is the only way we can go. I am not ready or willing to give up on men giving their full lives to the service of the Lord. I believe it is still a better way to see our churches increase spiritually and physically.
As far as who is more committed, I will let others figure that out. However, we need to hold up and honor those who give up everything for the ministry of Christ. If we did, maybe just maybe we wouldn't have such a shortage of men to fill our pulpits.
May God continue to bless your ministry and continue to use your writing to spur conversation in the church.
I've thought about some of these same things before - sometimes I wonder if I could do more good for the kingdom by working a job out in the community.
I've been working hard on the online income side of things. The internet has created a lot of opportunities out there - especially for writers.
I've been preaching in Upstate New York for over 25 years. Throughout that time many congregations have had to adopt this idea and one thing sticks out more than any other. Churches, (up here at least), do NOT grow without stability in the pulpit. (Full time preacher). Preaching is a calling not a part time hobby. I fear if we head farther in this direction we will have even less of the next generation willing to give their lives to preaching the Gospel.
The fact that you reduced preaching while tent-making, a practice done by apostle Paul himself, to “a part time hobby” shows you are not engaging this debate in good faith.
We have Biblical precedent for preachers supporting themselves with external work.
Show me the precedent for churches depending on the subsidies of bigger churches to pay bills.
2 Corinthians 11
Who was the "Full time preacher" or "Pulpit Minister" in the church at Corinth? The precedent put in place by Paul utilizes a plurality of men speaking to the church for learning and exhortation (1 Corinthians 14). The modern "pulpit minister" is absent in the New Testament. No epistle to a church includes any salutation to the "Full time preacher/pulpit minister." The evangelist was a proclaimer of the gospel, not on Sunday to the assembled congregation, but in everyday efforts to reach the masses (cf. Acts 8:4ff). The local church was exhorted by the men of the congregation, each in turn according to the limitations explained by Paul. The overseers would have had their weekly opportunity to address the church in this format, fulfilling the saying, "Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching" (1 Timothy 5:17).
I disagree with this. Timothy and Titus were both clearly tasked with instructing and correcting the congregation and appointing elders. It's typically said they were the "evangelists" of their congregations but their roles were more inward-facing than outward.
The word "entrusted" in the letters to Timothy is very informative to this end. Not everybody is entrusted with that work.
Bro Jack, really interesting article. I'm engaging this issue from the other end. I graduated a school of preaching 20 years ago, but went into secular work. Now I'm am considering getting back into full-time preaching. Kind of reached the point where I don't want to be doing things for 8-10 hours a day that aren't directly related to the work of the church. I've banked a bunch of life experience that I think would be value-added in a full-time role. All that said, I would be completely down with doing a support group thing for tent-making preachers. I've tried to preach wherever we've been so I'm sympathetic to those efforts. Take care!
I think you brought up some good points. With the culture going awry and the strong possibility of coming persecution and financial problems for Americans looming (already here for some), paying preachers a good salary may diminish dramatically in the near future. Your remarks about the culture are serious and our need to support each other, to be knit together, is needed. It’s scary what’s going on in our culture. When I was growing up, our lives revolved around the church, life wasn’t as busy. We all need to evaluate our priorities. I must decide what is the most important thing to me. I sure enjoy reading your articles.
Sorry to sound confrontational, I didn't mean too, I certainly am not reducing preaching in any way. My main observation is that we have not held up preaching or preachers in a way that glorifies God and now we are faced with a shortage of men willing to step up and give their lives over to God no matter the cost. Many, many years when I quit my secular job for fulltime ministry, a college professor said to me and the rest of my class, "If you can do anything else, leave and go do it, but if preaching and ministry is the only thing you can think about doing, you're in the right place." We need men to commit their lives as Paul and the other disciples did. I am not against preachers finding extra income. I am not against tent making if that gets men in the pulpit. I am afraid of losing men willing to commit their whole lives, no matter the cost as Paul and the disciples did. Our colleges and Preaching training schools are seeing huge shortages in men. Still, I believe God is still calling men to leave it all behind and we, (the church), need to get behind these men and support them in every way.
A couple of considerations...
I agree with you that we're facing a great shortage. But some churches will never be able to pay someone full time, and raising support from congregations across the country isn't always feasible. As we continue to decline statistically, fewer churches will be able to pay preachers, and fewer will be able to send support. So for those congregations, their only options are having a tentmaker or having nobody. Discouraging tent-making is the quickest way to make the preacher shortage worse.
Also, I don't think it's fair to speak as though full-time ministry is a greater commitment. Working all week just like everybody else, and THEN making time to write lessons and make visits takes even more commitment.
I will never discourage tent making. It has it's place and is needed. The only reason I commented was I felt your article was stating Tent making is the only way we can go. I am not ready or willing to give up on men giving their full lives to the service of the Lord. I believe it is still a better way to see our churches increase spiritually and physically.
As far as who is more committed, I will let others figure that out. However, we need to hold up and honor those who give up everything for the ministry of Christ. If we did, maybe just maybe we wouldn't have such a shortage of men to fill our pulpits.
May God continue to bless your ministry and continue to use your writing to spur conversation in the church.
This makes good sense. Our preacher is a horse sale auctioneer. He is very effective on both “jobs.” Go for it!
I've thought about some of these same things before - sometimes I wonder if I could do more good for the kingdom by working a job out in the community.
I've been working hard on the online income side of things. The internet has created a lot of opportunities out there - especially for writers.