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Seemed like a simple question to me that only required a simple answer.... so I'll take that as a no. I feel I need the Full Armor of God to engage you in conversation.
Bless your Heart
Scripture shows us the Christian Church doesn't have "A" Pastor but many in the form of Teaching Elders, Bishops, Overseers and so on. This has been repeated
So you are not even asking the question right. Yet you demand a yes or no answer to an unanswerable question. It must be corrected first, then answered
Too much for you??
That'll be $150 for the Gospel Lecture Now Can I sell you a full Armour of God??
.
Last edited by californiawomann5; 12-30-2013 at 10:55 PM..
In a perfect world, absolutely no. They should not. I'm going to have to go back to the KJV to demonstrate the point. More recent translations were generally made by folks with a vested interested in having a paid clergy.
The English word "lucre" originated from a French word, lucre, which itself originated from a Latin word, lucrum, which meant to gain, or to profit (the English word "lucrative" is merely an adjective form of the noun "lucre").
1 Timothy 3
1This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. 2A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach; 3Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous; 4One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; 5(For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)
1 Peter 5
1The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: 2Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; 3Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock
So if you profit from your work in the ministry you are violating scripture. At no point in the New Testament (and therefore new covenant), do we find any basis for a paid clergy and there are quite a few passages speaking quite strongly against it. The above passages are just some examples.
The problem comes down to human laziness. People would rather have a "professional religious person" go read the Bible for them, pray to God for them and to inspire them every week. They are willing to pay money for it and the ministers of religion are willing to take their money. Perhaps this is inevitable, but it is certainly not how God would have it done.
All of the arguments for it come down to "they have to live and pay bills too".
But that is NOT a valid answer as Mormons' and Jehovah's Witnesses (and several other churches and home churches) also have to: "live and pay bills too".
So if over 500,000 JW "pastors" (Actually based on what I have read it is more for JW's; don't know how many Mormons there are) do it without pay around the world, why do pastors of other churches need to be paid for .... essentially the same work?
How do they motivate people to do the same work and yet no pay is asked for or offered, aside from the love of God, His Son and the "flock"?
(Note: Can't be fear of Hell as JW's don't believe in eternal punishment; now Mormon's do, but that does not appear to be a motivating factor.)
That's what the arguments come down to? I think it comes down to ... people/congregations can make the choice to pay a pastor a salary or not. If you [general you] don't believe pastors should be paid, then don't go to a church where they are. Simple.
No, not lost. But there's a difference between someone being paid for what they do, and being greedy. There have been passages brought up which, in my mind, pretty clearly say that it's good/okay to provide for people for the work they do in serving. It also seems pretty common-sense. I rarely go to a church, I don't have a pastor, and I don't want one. But I have yet to hear any valid reasons why pastors musn't receive money.
As far as people being lazy, I'm sure some are, but that's a pretty broad brush GOT is painting with. They want someone to "read the Bible for them, pray to God for them and to inspire them every week"? When I was a church-going Christian I did my own praying, and bible reading and didn't wait for the pastor to do it for me. As far as being inspired by them ... yeah, I appreciated that aspect of it when it happened. How is that lazy?
That's what the arguments come down to? I think it comes down to ... people/congregations can make the choice to pay a pastor a salary or not. If you [general you] don't believe pastors should be paid, then don't go to a church where they are. Simple.
Scripture shows us the Christian Church doesn't have "A" Pastor but many in the form of Teaching Elders, Bishops, Overseers and so on. This has been repeated
So you are not even asking the question right. Yet you demand a yes or no answer to an unanswerable question. It must be corrected first, then answered
Too much for you??
That'll be $150 for the Gospel Lecture Now Can I sell you a full Armour of God??
.
I don't know of any pastor who sets a price for the things they do. The local congregation decides on the amount they wish to allocate for a pastor's provision.
That's what the arguments come down to? I think it comes down to ... people/congregations can make the choice to pay a pastor a salary or not. If you [general you] don't believe pastors should be paid, then don't go to a church where they are. Simple.
Hi, well that may work for some if money or lack of same is the issue. However it is clear in Scripture such pay is a no-no, except to those wanting it.
The key is what the Bible says, not what any "Church" wants to do.
We know it can be done, thus no NEED to pay anyone. A salary opens another can of worms as one wonders why the recipient is unwilling or unable to provide the service out of love.
Now some churches like it as it gives them control over the pastor and he has to teach what they want. Some pastors like it as they can avoid working to support their families. Some like it because they believe they can become rich (and some do). This is not to paint all paid pastors with a broad brush, but a salary is not necessary at all.
Now an individual giving a gift to a pastor, it is their business, paying a salary IS a business transaction. Big difference.
Right avoid what Scripture says and .... humm; "mercantile" analysis says give them money for what should be done in love.
Who says it's not being done in love? Why do you make that leap?
Maybe the problem is that some of you think of pastoring a church as somehow different, more special, than other work. Like you're putting pastors on a pedestal and want to worship them as somehow different. Do Christians who work in the world do their jobs and serve others in love? Are they supposedly representing Christ to the world? If not, why not? Shouldn't they?
And do they do their work for free? If they're getting paid, then I guess they are just greedy for filthy lucre.
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though I like tenmaker better
... so I'll take that as a no. I feel I need the Full Armor of God to engage you in conversation. 
As far as being inspired by them ... yeah, I appreciated that aspect of it when it happened. How is that lazy?
