Unpaid pastors?

Post has been moved to the appropriate thread.

This thread is about the history of the practice, not whether it is correct.

Thanks,

rsr

[ November 01, 2005, 06:56 PM: Message edited by: rsr ]

 

Again, this thread is about the history of the practice, not its correctness.

If you want to comment on whether it's right, wrong or indifferent, please go to:

http://www.baptistboard.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi/topic/3/2964.html?

[ November 01, 2005, 06:58 PM: Message edited by: rsr ]

 

Speaking of "Faithway Baptists", several years ago (late 1980's) I assisted a Faithway Baptist preacher conduct the funeral service of a mutual friend. My friend had often cited the fact that his Faithway preacher friend did not receive a salary. He lived by faith, depending on the designated offerings from his church members. In fact, his church had three offering boxes: one for missions, one for the church, and one for the pastor. Whatever was in the box for the pastor was his for the week. I had never met the Faithway preacher before the funeral. I expected to see a bedraggled, poor, beggarly preacher. What a surprise I received when he drove up in a new Lincoln Towncar. He was wearing a fine tailored suit and carrying one of those genuine leather Bibles...not to mention the alligator shoes and belt. At the time the church I pastored was paying me a $350 weekly salary. I wore a $69.00 ill-fitted suit from Sears. My shoes were from Walmart. My Bible was one of those "almost-paperback" kind. Briefly, I thought..."My, I think I need to live by faith, too!"

 

dh, you might be interested in this as a frame of reference. According to the minutes, in 1988 the annual pastoral support of pastors in the Interstate and Foreign (Faithway) Association ranged from $660 in a seven member church in Louisiana to $31908 in a 300 member church in Mississippi.

 

I am an ordained minister in a volunteer capacity at my church, but the senior pastor is paid.

 

I was raised Soiuthern Baptist, attended a Nazarene church for a while, and now attend a Freewill Baptist church. All of these churches paid their pastors.