Comments on: Church, Money, Future . . . still going http://spiritfarmer.wordpress.com/2008/04/26/church-money-future-still-going/ Sun, 12 Jul 2009 14:50:58 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: church, money, and sustainability « beauty and depravity http://spiritfarmer.wordpress.com/2008/04/26/church-money-future-still-going/#comment-574 church, money, and sustainability « beauty and depravity Thu, 01 May 2008 00:03:13 +0000 http://spiritfarmer.wordpress.com/2008/04/26/church-money-future-still-going/#comment-574 [...] Church, Money, Future . . . still going « SpiritFarmer [...] [...] Church, Money, Future . . . still going « SpiritFarmer [...]

]]> By: Michael http://spiritfarmer.wordpress.com/2008/04/26/church-money-future-still-going/#comment-558 Michael Mon, 28 Apr 2008 16:46:32 +0000 http://spiritfarmer.wordpress.com/2008/04/26/church-money-future-still-going/#comment-558 I would agree that it's an old issue, going way back to even the first century. Right now in my NT class, were in I Corinthians and in chapter 9, Paul talks about how he doesn't take a wage from non-believers because that would be a stumbling block in sharing the Gospel with them (because in that time pagan priests didn't take a wage for their positions, they paid to be in the positions they were in). So because of that, Paul was bi-vocational working as a tentmaker and sharing the gospel. Though in that same chapter, he says that it's not wrong to take a wage, in fact they should be provided for (v. 14) and of course we know in his journeys that the Thessalonian church sent a gift of money so that he could devote full time to sharing the Gospel. The thing I took away from that in light of today's situation is this: There are certain times and places where being bi-vocational for ministers is what's required or needed. However, if there is a local body of believers that can support a minister full time, they should do so. If believers were doing that in the first century, I don't see why it can't be done in the 21st By the way, great challenging thought provoking ideas I would agree that it’s an old issue, going way back to even the first century. Right now in my NT class, were in I Corinthians and in chapter 9, Paul talks about how he doesn’t take a wage from non-believers because that would be a stumbling block in sharing the Gospel with them (because in that time pagan priests didn’t take a wage for their positions, they paid to be in the positions they were in). So because of that, Paul was bi-vocational working as a tentmaker and sharing the gospel. Though in that same chapter, he says that it’s not wrong to take a wage, in fact they should be provided for (v. 14) and of course we know in his journeys that the Thessalonian church sent a gift of money so that he could devote full time to sharing the Gospel.

The thing I took away from that in light of today’s situation is this: There are certain times and places where being bi-vocational for ministers is what’s required or needed. However, if there is a local body of believers that can support a minister full time, they should do so. If believers were doing that in the first century, I don’t see why it can’t be done in the 21st

By the way, great challenging thought provoking ideas

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