The Hirling

Bill Rood

About two years ago, I was driving north on highway 12, through the beautiful rolling countryside above Whitby, Ontario, to make a delivery near Sunderland. I saw a billboard that read "THE HIRELING IS THE HIRED MINISTER." It also gave a telephone number and three scripture references. It spawned some thought, so I decided to stop and write down the information on the way back. These were scripture references: Micah 3: 11, Isaiah 56: 11, and John 10: 11, 12.

It seemed obvious that whoever put the billboard there didn't like the idea of a paid minister. I've never had a problem with the fact that a minister receives payment from the con-gregation, so I wanted to find out who put the billboard there and what their scriptural interpretation was on the matter. When I got home, I dialed the number. The Bell Canada recording came back indicating that the number was no longer in service. A year later I drove by, and the billboard was promoting a furniture store.

Undaunted, I carried on with some research on the matter. I have had some exposure to churches in which this is part of the theology. There are some Mennonite churches, and the New Apostolic Church, in which there are unpaid ministers. I'm sure there are others. We had dinner with a family who are members of one of these churches. They commented on a "fire and brimstone" sermon they had heard recently, and concluded, "You'll never hear that from a paid preacher."

A statement like that makes some very strong assumptions. It suggests that the minister works for a pay cheque. He is influenced primarily by those who are responsible for him getting the cheque. The word of God is compromised by the people hearing what they want to hear. The ministry, then, is a career rather than a calling.

We contribute to this logic ourselves. Revenue Canada calls it "Employment Income" on the T4 that the church issues for the minister. The box on the tax return is also labeled this way. Our church budgets call it a salary. This suggests that it is a fee for services. This distorts the true reason a minister is paid.

The Book of Church Order has a form in it used by most churches to extend a call to a pastor. It is called, "Call to a Minister of Word and Sacrament." In it, the congregation promises to free the minister from "worldly avocation" while he is "dispensing spiritual blessings to us." This allows the minister to concentrate on the spiritual well being of the congregation without the worry of where his next meal or next mortgage payment will come from. This is a commitment from the congregation.

The minister is traditionally paid a stipend at the beginning of the month, rather than a pay cheque at the end. It sounds like the half empty/ half full glass, but there is a difference. We have to understand the difference.

In Matthew 10, Jesus sends the disciples out to preach His message. In verses 10 to 13, He tells them to not pack anything for the trip as they will be able to find some one to provided for them. In I Corinthians 9, Paul says that, as an apostle, it is reasonable for him to expect to be fed. In verse 14, he says, "those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel." In Galatians 6: 6, it is very clear. If we "receive instruction in the word," we "must share all good things with the instructor."

There are hirelings out there. The references on the billboard show that there are people who would bring the word only for personal gain. I dare suggest that there are ministers in Christian churches who do that very thing. I have heard of six figure salaries (although this is nearly impossible to confirm). This sounds a little extravagant. I dare suggest that you might find some of them on your television on Sunday morning.

Leviticus 2: 3, 10: 13, and Numbers 3: 48 all say that Aaron and his sons were to take some of what was offered to the Lord for themselves. Leviticus 27: 21 and Numbers 18 describe how the Priests and Levites were to make use of the offerings. This also could lend itself to corruption as the Priests and Levites had total control of the offerings. The references in Isaiah, Micah, and John, I believe, are pointing only to those few with a corrupt agenda.

Most of us mere mortals want to equate things from a standpoint of value. We want to make sure we get our money's worth. We should then look at what is involved in the minister’s calling. Many of us are only exposed to what we see on a weekly basis, which is about an hour and a half of his time. One minister once told me that it takes about eight to 12 hours to research and prepare a sermon for a Sunday worship. While the sermon is being prepared, people drop by the office unannounced for a visit. There are visits with people in the hospital, pre-marital counselling, consistory meetings, pastoral visiting, catechism, funerals, weddings, synod and classis work, and the seniors’ club who need him to fill a vacancy on their shuffle board team. Many evenings are spent out on church business. He, like all of us, also has a family at home who needs him.

If we could commit to our careers, what a minister is expected to commit to his calling, we would enjoy much worldly success along with its financial benefits.

Freeing the minister from worldly avocation is our duty. Our spiritual well being requires it. The ministry is a calling, not a career!