Jesus called himself the Good Shepherd in John 10, contrasting himself with the “hireling.” This familiar King James word is rendered “hired hands” in other translations. Jesus said the hireling is afraid when the predator appears. He runs away and abandons the sheep. Thus the hireling is only interested in a job, not a calling, and doesn’t feel personal accountability.
This is the reason evangelical churches don’t talk about “hiring” pastors or staff, but about “calling” them. These ministers don’t work just for money but feel the leading of God and a congregation to a particular ministry.
This doesn’t mean pastors don’t need financial support. Of course they do.
One pastor lamented his meager salary.
“My people must think God rains down manna in my backyard and I don’t have to buy groceries,” he said.
I had a somewhat similar experience when I once met a church member in the grocery store.
“Well, pastor,” she said, “I guess you have to buy groceries, too!”
We live in a day when some well-known pastors make large salaries and flaunt their wealth. One media preacher boasts of three private jets. He said he doesn’t fly commercial since there are “demons” in the cabins. I suppose the rest of us are supposed to take an exorcist when we book flights.
I remember in one church we scheduled a guest musician on a particular Sunday. We talked by phone and agreed to his suggestions. A few days later I got a letter from him telling me what churches generally pay him for a day like this. I wondered why he didn’t mention this when we talked, and about why his one day was equal to my 30.
But certainly these ministers are in the minority. The overwhelming number of ministers work long hours for modest salaries and trust God to supply needs.
One of my mentors was the late Dotson Nelson of the Mountain Brook Baptist Church in Birmingham. He said his personnel team began to group staff salaries in one category in budget reporting. This is an acceptable guideline today, but at that time was uncommon.
Nelson insisted his salary be published separately and specifically.
“I told them if they didn’t put it in the monthly financials, I would print it in the weekly worship bulletin where I’m the editor!” he said.
We follow the same practice in our church with my salary in an effort to be transparent.
Money is a subject often debated in our churches, so we must strive for accountability.
We also need to show appreciation to our ministers and pray for them that they pattern their calling after the Good Shepherd who gave his life for the sheep.
