Poster | Thread | sonofthunder Member
Joined: 2005/3/31 Posts: 419 Son Of Thunder i come from a land down under, due south at the bottom of your work globes
| Why Do We Preach For Free?? | | I don't get paid to write or to post! ( do you )?
Yet i do it for (no charge), and for free!
Paul said he would not be "chargable" to any
Or charge for the Gospel ( period ) full stop.
There is no - "pay off" in it...for us! yet we labour in the word, and on these web sites - constantly.
Shepherds on their "days off" usually avoid the office - and do their own leisure activities.
Shepherds go home from the office after being there all day, and turn on the T.V or do other lesuire activities i.e with the family etc etc
Shepherds on their "day off" don't seem to want to speak about the word or the scriptures, because it is a "day off"
Yet when i get home from work ... i study the word and pray ( VIRTUALLY ALLNIGHT )! and i don't get paid - to do this!
What is the difference? then ?
Paul said if against my will ( preaching ) that is, then a dispensation of the gospel is committed against me. !!!
We should be instant in season, and out of season
Work it out saints! Lovingly in Christ S.O.T _________________ Bro Stephen
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| 2007/10/30 20:11 | Profile |
| Re: Why Do We Preach For Free?? | | Because everyone on here is too "spiritual" to take what someone gives them. |
| 2007/10/30 23:17 | | FireinmyBones1 Member
Joined: 2004/1/17 Posts: 219 Michigan
| Re: Why Do We Preach For Free?? | | Dear brother, I'm not to sure I understand what you are trying to say... Are you speaking against "pastors" or those who are PAID full-time ministers (I emphasize the word PAID since we are ALL full-time ministers...) having "days off" or "time off"? You must understand that most in full-time paid ministry spend their entire day in the office in prayer and study. Therefore it is natural for them to desire time with their families and whatnot in the evening. It is not wrong or unspiritual to desire to take recreation time with their families. Very few people understand the stress of full-time ministry, the warfare, the prayer burden, the criticism etc... that comes with the job. Recreation means RE CREATION - there is rejuvenating, refreshing that takes place when one "chills" a little bit. Our chilling should never be done outside of a realization of God's presence but in the context of His presence. We do not "punch in and out" of spirituality (at least I don't).
However, if I come home from the office and immediately lock myself away in my prayer room for the night and ignore my wife and children - my prayers are doing precious little anyways. Recreation is extremely important - many great revivalists lives were cut short because of a lack of revelation on the importance of recreation. It is not spiritual to destroy onesself in the name of "doing the work of the ministry". A Godly man once said "I'd rather burn out than rust out" but to be honest I don't think God wants us to "anything out". This comes by taking care of the body and the family unit. If a preacher of the gospel is called to be more than just a charismatic orator, but also and example in life - then his family had better be in order. Yet if he never takes time to love on and spend time with his family that will be an impossibility. I think we very unhealthily separate the natural man from the spiritual man to much. We are slightly gnostic in our thought that the body is evil and the spirit is all that matters. The body should be cared for not destroyed in the name of holiness...you know what I mean.
I might be totally reading you wrong and be totally off here... just my thoughts... _________________ Jeff
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| 2007/10/31 0:47 | Profile | TonyS Member
Joined: 2005/1/29 Posts: 154 Kansas City, Missouri
| Re: Why Do We Preach For Free?? | | Not sure I follow this post either
But it is a shame if these are the only Shepherds you are acquainted with in Australia. Perhaps your circle of Shepherds needs to change? The Pastors I know predominately are on call 24/7 and have missed out on much wholesome family life because they have given of themselves unselfishly and unreservedly to their flock.
What you see from TV Preachers in no way should be construed as the norm but rather the exception.
And I also agree with the above post, in that I weary somewhat of the strict lines drawn between secular/sacred. All we do should be as unto the Lord. And little else compares to the spiritual and emotional nourishment of ones own family.
_________________ Tony Sexton
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| 2007/10/31 1:15 | Profile |
| Re: Why Do We Preach For Free?? | | sonofthunder, check out [url=http://www.globalopps.org/papers/whydid.htm]Tentmaking[/url] for information on working missionaries (missionaries who work everyday jobs to support them as they preach the word).
I love your attitude!
"And that ye study to be quiet, and [i]to do your own business, and to work with your own hands,[/i] as we commanded you; That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing." (I THE 4:11-12)
"Or I only and Barnabas, [i]have not we power to forbear working...?[/i] If others be partakers of this power over you, are not we rather? [i]Nevertheless we have not used this power[/i]; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ... [i]What is my reward then?[/i] Verily [i]that[/i], when I preach the gospel, [i]I may make the gospel of Christ without charge,[/i] that I abuse not my power in the gospel." (I COR 9:6-18)
"Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwellingplace; [i]And labour, working with our own hands:[/i] being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it: Being defamed, we intreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day." (I COR 4:11-13)
"Neither did we eat any man's bread for nought; but [i]wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you[/i]: Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us. For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, [b]that if any would not work, neither should he eat.[/b]" (II THE 3:8-10) |
| 2007/10/31 2:20 | |
| Re: | | This is a symptom of how unscriptural our Roman Catholic (um I mean protestant) clergy-laity system is...
For balance though, Paul did say that a man has the right to earn his living from the Gospel.
In Christ - Jim |
| 2007/10/31 8:46 | |
| Re: | | Quote:
FireinmyBones1 wrote: Dear brother, I'm not to sure I understand what you are trying to say... Are you speaking against "pastors" or those who are PAID full-time ministers (I emphasize the word PAID since we are ALL full-time ministers...) having "days off" or "time off"? You must understand that most in full-time paid ministry spend their entire day in the office in prayer and study. Therefore it is natural for them to desire time with their families and whatnot in the evening. It is not wrong or unspiritual to desire to take recreation time with their families. Very few people understand the stress of full-time ministry, the warfare, the prayer burden, the criticism etc... that comes with the job. Recreation means RE CREATION - there is rejuvenating, refreshing that takes place when one "chills" a little bit. Our chilling should never be done outside of a realization of God's presence but in the context of His presence. We do not "punch in and out" of spirituality (at least I don't).
However, if I come home from the office and immediately lock myself away in my prayer room for the night and ignore my wife and children - my prayers are doing precious little anyways. Recreation is extremely important - many great revivalists lives were cut short because of a lack of revelation on the importance of recreation. It is not spiritual to destroy onesself in the name of "doing the work of the ministry". A Godly man once said "I'd rather burn out than rust out" but to be honest I don't think God wants us to "anything out". This comes by taking care of the body and the family unit. If a preacher of the gospel is called to be more than just a charismatic orator, but also and example in life - then his family had better be in order. Yet if he never takes time to love on and spend time with his family that will be an impossibility. I think we very unhealthily separate the natural man from the spiritual man to much. We are slightly gnostic in our thought that the body is evil and the spirit is all that matters. The body should be cared for not destroyed in the name of holiness...you know what I mean.
I might be totally reading you wrong and be totally off here... just my thoughts...
I'm not sure what the aim of the original post is either, but this post spoke to me - thank you Brother.
Re spending the whole day in the office...What about visiting? The pastoral side of ministry is vital too. There are many wonderful Bible scholars/preachers, and many wonderful pastors, but it's rare to see both in one individual.
Maybe that's why ministry was originally intended to be corporate (1Corinthians 14 and Ephesians 4 for example, speak of this:
[color=CC0000]26 ¶ How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying..[/color]
Ephesians 4 [color=CC0000] 11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: [/color]
And for anyone who seeks to serve God, whether by "tent making" or "fully full time", there are always enormous pressures.
"Time out" - for normal folk - is essential. Not time out from walking with the Lord but to take the time He gives for relaxation, being with family etc.
And even going on holiday can lead to opportunities for the Gospel, as a friend who recently went abroad on holiday can testify (she has an incredibly pressurised "secular" job, as well as being in constant pain as the result of an accident some years ago). She had a number of opportunities to speak of the Lord - in a Muslim country!
I think that no-one who hasn't done the job of a (paid) minister has the right to criticise them. Many are doing far more than the Lord intended them to do, because they are expected to carry a church, (or more often - at least in the UK - several churches! single handed. Some suffer from burn-out or have nervous breakdowns as a result. And the pay here for ministers is normally [i]far[/i] below that of any other kind of professional worker.
To me the real need for anyone who seeks to work in this sphere is to do what the Lord requires - no more and no less. And the main problem for sincere servants of God (there are also the other kind, but for now let's forget them!) is usually how to say "No", and what to say "No" to, when everyone is demanding their time and attention at once!
Blessings
Jeannette |
| 2007/10/31 14:11 | |
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