The Call to Provide for Pastors

Even the New Testament has a specific call to provide for pastors, as listed in the following passages, aside from 1 Timothy 5:17-18:

6 But those who are taught the word should share all good things with their teacher. (Galatians 6:6)

7 Who serves as a soldier but doesn’t get paid? Who plants a vineyard but doesn’t eat any of its grapes? Who takes care of a flock but doesn’t drink any of the milk? 8 Do I say this only on human authority? The Law says the same thing. 9 Here is what is written in the Law of Moses. “Do not stop an ox from eating while it helps separate the grain from the straw.” (Deuteronomy 25:4) Is it oxen that God is concerned about? 10 Doesn’t he say that for us? Yes, it was written for us. Whoever plows and separates the grain hopes to share the harvest. And it is right for them to hope for this. 11 We have planted spiritual seed among you. Is it too much to ask that we receive from you some things we need? 12 Others have the right to receive help from you. Don’t we have even more right to do so?

But we didn’t use that right. No, we have put up with everything. We didn’t want to keep the good news of Christ from spreading.

13 People who serve in the temple get their food from the temple. Don’t you know this? People who serve at the altar eat from what is offered on the altar. Don’t you know this? 14 So those who preach the good news should also receive their living from their work. That is what the Lord has commanded. (1 Corinthians 9:7-14)

Carefully read these texts of scripture. Ask the Spirit of God to apply them to your own heart. It is shameful for a congregation if the pastor has to find other means to provide for his needs and his family’s material needs. If the church member has his own needs, so does the pastor. In the spiritual realm, it is the congregation that suffers when the pastor has to support himself.

Every local church must generously supply every need of the minister and his family so that he may be able to give himself fully to prayer, study, and preaching. His focus can be entirely on advancing God’s Kingdom when the material needs are already taken care of.

Experience the Power of Prophecy as a gift to open your mind to receive the Mind of Christ.