Should Pastors Be Paid A Salary? A Bible Study

Should pastors be paid a salary at all? What does the Bible say about this?

What is a Pastor?

The word “pastor” is means “shepherd” which is derived from the Latin verb “pascere” which means “to lead to pasture, set to grazing, cause to eat” and in the case of pastor, he feeds the flock the Word of God and, like Psalm 23 says, a shepherd “leads them to still waters” and to green pastures and makes them lie down where they can rest, feed, and grow in the grace and knowledge of the Word of God and of the God of the Word. Today’s use of the word “pastor” also relates to the biblical image of shepherding a flock of sheep which is why Jesus commanded the Apostle Peter, “Feed my sheep” (John 21:17c).

Duties of a Pastor

I know that of the two lowest paid professional degrees, that of a public school teacher and that of a pastor, are usually jobs where they are overworked and underpaid; they are overwhelmed and under-cared for. That’s because a pastor’s duties are as long as anyone’s who holds a professional degree and includes duties such as attending various councils and com¬mittees of the church at regular intervals, as well as with the church board, and to provide counsel or support to church members in a variety of ways, offer advice or counsel during challenging times or for pre-marital couples, to regularly preach and teach the Word of God, administer the Sacraments in the congregation, officiate at special services such as weddings, funerals, nursing home services, oversees the administration and management of all areas of the congregation’s ministry, works with appropriate boards, committees and staff members, directs the assimilation of new members into the life of the congregation in conjunction with the boards, committees and organizations of the congregation, quickly responds to crisis situations which arise in the congregation, and so much more that isn’t even covered here. The typical pastor works from between 45-60 hours but a bi-vocational pastor, which is more common today than ever before, puts in roughly 65 hours up to 80 hours per week.

Why Pay a Pastor?

Why should pastors get paid? Is that even a relevant question because why does anyone get paid except for a job they do? Like any laborer, a laborer is worthy of his or her wages and that equally applies to the pastorate. In addressing this, the Apostle Paul wrote, “Do you not know that those who are employed in the temple service get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in the sacrificial offerings? In the same way, the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel” (1st Cor 9:13-14). Paul, in sending instructions to the church and in writing to Timothy, says “Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching. For the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain,” and, “The laborer deserves his wages” (1st Tim 5:17-18). Paul asks the rhetorical question, “Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard without eating any of its fruit? Or who tends a flock without getting some of the milk” (1st Cor 9:7).

Paul’s Word

Paul writes to the church at Corinth “This is my defense to those who would examine me. Do we not have the right to eat and drink? Do we not have the right to take along a believing wife, as do the other apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas? Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working for a living? Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard without eating any of its fruit? Or who tends a flock without getting some of the milk” (1st Cor 9:3-7). Obviously no other worker works and doesn’t get paid for their labor. A pastoral position is no different from any other laborer in the sense that they must work to earn a living and they are deserving of what they do for the church.

Conclusion

If you have a pastor in your church or you are a pastor, remember that it is the Lord for whom you toil and not man but they should be paid for their labor “For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do” (Heb 6:10) and if fact, Jesus said “whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward” (Matt 10:42) and as far as Jesus is concerned, “as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me” (Matt 25:40).

Article by Jack Wellman

Jack Wellman is Pastor of the Mulvane Brethren Church in Mulvane Kansas. Jack is also the Senior Writer at What Christians Want To Know whose mission is to equip, encourage, and energize Christians and to address questions about the believer’s daily walk with God and the Bible. You can follow Jack on Google Plus or check out his book Teaching Children the Gospel available on Amazon.