I wonder how often pastors preach and or teach on this text? I can tell you that just sitting down to write a couple thoughts on it feels uncomfortable – self-serving, even. That is not my purpose, though, nor is it Paul’s and he dives right in. So we do well to wrestle with this Word from the Lord.
Church workers deserve to be paid for their service to God’s people. Yes, there are times when missionaries, pastors, and teachers will choose to work two jobs the way Paul did. He worked as a tent maker in Corinth to earn a living so that he could preach the gospel. But even Paul at times set down the canvas and thread and worked completely off of the giving of God’s people as he focused on preaching and teaching.
He had a right – to live off the work he did in Jesus’ name – and chose for a period of time to put that right aside for the sake of the gospel and out of love for the Corinthians.
That’s Paul’s side of the equation. The Corinthian side of the equation looked a little different. They received a great service from Paul and his partner Barnabas. They brought a message of peace, hope, salvation, and gave forgiveness of sins to the people who believed the Gospel. The Corinthians then had a duty to support the ministry so that Paul and Barnabas could live and serve continuing to proclaim the Good News. But watch out! This duty was not just a matter of a command, it was the response of love and gratitude to the message they proclaimed – and as Peter once said, these are the words of eternal life.
Pastors, teachers, DCE’s, deaconesses, Directors of Family Life, etc. have a right to expect support from the congregations they serve so that they can live among their people focus on the work of the ministry. Will a teacher who has to supplement her income working a second job have the energy to invest herself into her children the way God has called her to? Will Youth Worker love giving his time and energy to the children of the congregation when he knows that his own wife and children are struggling at home to make ends meet? Will a pastor lead God’s people with joy and conviction, holding out the Word of Life to them, when he and his family cannot make ends meet at home?
In many instances the answer is yes, they will. They know the Gospel is what is eternally important. They love Jesus. They love the people. Many are very willing to become all things to all people so that they might win some. But church workers are people, too, and subject to the weaknesses we all share. Their struggles reflect against their work, and when their hearts are divided or bruised with cares it can certainly have an impact on the ministry.
What I believe church workers desire most, and this is the heart of Paul’s beef with the Corinthians, is that the people they serve would love them for Jesus’ sake the way that they have loved the people for Jesus’ sake. They want to be loved well enough that people will provide for them. They want their work to be valued highly enough that people will invest in it. They want the message they proclaim to be so precious to those they serve, that they’ll respond to it in faith and help the church worker continue to share the message of Jesus.
God’s people do not always do this perfectly – we are sinful people. That’s why Jesus died for us. We live in forgiveness together – church workers and members. But when the love of Jesus flows back and forth between church workers and people it is a beautiful thing.
During the Great Depression congregations often did not have enough money to pay their staff. In those days churches often provided a parsonage for pastors and teacherages for their teachers, so housing was not in jeopardy. Church workers struggled with their members to make ends meet. Many are the stories of God’s servants who came home not knowing how they were going to feed their families to find that someone had butchered chickens and brought one for the pastor. Some one had harvested vegetables and brought some of the teacher and her family. Some one had some milk and they shared it with the ones who shared the pure spiritual milk of God’s Word with them.
Love in action – inside and outside the church – is a beautiful thing.
Church workers deserve to be paid for their service to God’s people. Yes, there are times when missionaries, pastors, and teachers will choose to work two jobs the way Paul did. He worked as a tent maker in Corinth to earn a living so that he could preach the gospel. But even Paul at times set down the canvas and thread and worked completely off of the giving of God’s people as he focused on preaching and teaching.
He had a right – to live off the work he did in Jesus’ name – and chose for a period of time to put that right aside for the sake of the gospel and out of love for the Corinthians.
That’s Paul’s side of the equation. The Corinthian side of the equation looked a little different. They received a great service from Paul and his partner Barnabas. They brought a message of peace, hope, salvation, and gave forgiveness of sins to the people who believed the Gospel. The Corinthians then had a duty to support the ministry so that Paul and Barnabas could live and serve continuing to proclaim the Good News. But watch out! This duty was not just a matter of a command, it was the response of love and gratitude to the message they proclaimed – and as Peter once said, these are the words of eternal life.
Pastors, teachers, DCE’s, deaconesses, Directors of Family Life, etc. have a right to expect support from the congregations they serve so that they can live among their people focus on the work of the ministry. Will a teacher who has to supplement her income working a second job have the energy to invest herself into her children the way God has called her to? Will Youth Worker love giving his time and energy to the children of the congregation when he knows that his own wife and children are struggling at home to make ends meet? Will a pastor lead God’s people with joy and conviction, holding out the Word of Life to them, when he and his family cannot make ends meet at home?
In many instances the answer is yes, they will. They know the Gospel is what is eternally important. They love Jesus. They love the people. Many are very willing to become all things to all people so that they might win some. But church workers are people, too, and subject to the weaknesses we all share. Their struggles reflect against their work, and when their hearts are divided or bruised with cares it can certainly have an impact on the ministry.
What I believe church workers desire most, and this is the heart of Paul’s beef with the Corinthians, is that the people they serve would love them for Jesus’ sake the way that they have loved the people for Jesus’ sake. They want to be loved well enough that people will provide for them. They want their work to be valued highly enough that people will invest in it. They want the message they proclaim to be so precious to those they serve, that they’ll respond to it in faith and help the church worker continue to share the message of Jesus.
God’s people do not always do this perfectly – we are sinful people. That’s why Jesus died for us. We live in forgiveness together – church workers and members. But when the love of Jesus flows back and forth between church workers and people it is a beautiful thing.
During the Great Depression congregations often did not have enough money to pay their staff. In those days churches often provided a parsonage for pastors and teacherages for their teachers, so housing was not in jeopardy. Church workers struggled with their members to make ends meet. Many are the stories of God’s servants who came home not knowing how they were going to feed their families to find that someone had butchered chickens and brought one for the pastor. Some one had harvested vegetables and brought some of the teacher and her family. Some one had some milk and they shared it with the ones who shared the pure spiritual milk of God’s Word with them.
Love in action – inside and outside the church – is a beautiful thing.
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