Should Ministers be required to hold employment separate from the Ministry?

Answer 1

If they want to yes but they don't have to. The word of God tells us that if they have sowed spiritually, why not reap material wise? Read 1Corinthians 9 and pay really close attention to verses 11-14. So its not a should of if it is in their possibility to do so, they can. But then that means that they will not be able to dedicate 100% to the work of the Lord. The members that dislike the idea of a pastor/minister not working are those members that disobey the word of God and don't like to bring the offerings and tithes to the Lord.

I believe they should. In our church there is no paid ministry. We call this priest craft where men use the Word of God to get gain. The gosple of Jesus Christ should be free for all people. We are required to learn the scriptures and understand them and teach each other. We can be asked to take a leadership role in the church, teach classes, and perform other duties. We are not paid. I currently teach a class, and our Bishop works long hours to make sure members get what they need and that the meetings run as they should. Many members working in many places, from financial to the baptism of members. All have a regular job to provide for their own support. Even the prophet and apostals, are not paid. We tith money to pay for church builings and such. You can accully donate money to help our missionaries who are not paid and donate that time as well 2 years to serve The Lord. We give a fast offering and fast every 1st Sunday to help the poor. This provides for our church welfar system that helps members get back on their feet, by providing food for their families, help finding new or better emplyment. All this work and resources provided by volunteers.

Ordained clergy have been given the task of shepherding their flock, so to speak. This, ministry, is a full-time occupation and should never be impeded with other employment. Clergy, at least in the Protestant religion, are normal people like everyone on earth - their chosen field is also time limited - they are entitled to earn a wage, and therefore save money, buy a house, cars, etc, and generally enjoy life as does anyone else. Once they retire, they are on their own - the church they served no longer supports them - so YES, ordained clergy should be paid and paid well for their chosen field.

Another AnswerIf they want to yes but they don't have to. The word of God tells us that if they have sowed spiritually, why not reap material wise? Read 1Corinthians 9 and pay really close attention to verses 11-14. So its not a should of if it is in their possibility to do so, they can. But then that means that they will not be able to dedicate 100% to the work of the Lord. The members that dislike the idea of a pastor/minister not working are those members that disobey the word of God and don't like to bring the offerings and tithes to the Lord.

YET ANOTHER ANSWER...

Wouldn't it be practical to take a look at how the apostles and their associates handled financing when the Christian ministry first began? In that way we can see what methods the apostles used and then follow the examples they set. (1 Corinthians 11:1; Philippians 3:17)

The apostles and other Christian ministers of the first century did a great deal of traveling and like today, it was expensive. Lodging, food, clothing and sailing from one place to another--all this needed to be paid for by someone. So then, who paid for these things?

The apostles and their associates took care of expenses in two ways. The first way was by accepting the hospitality of fellow Christians. (Romans 12:13; Hebrews 13:2) The second way was by earning their own money and caring for their expenses personally by working secularly. (Acts 18: 1-4)

It can be good to remember that in the first century there was only "one" version of Christianity; it hadn't yet branched into the differing groups known today as "Christendom". Sense that was the case, the first century church could function like a large "extended family" in which all the congregations looked out for each other. Money needs were readily passed back and for the between congregations. (Acts 2:44-47; Hebrews 13:16) All Christian members could ask for and receive financial help from the congregations. (2 Corinthians 8:14, 15) Then, when an individual didn't need to be helped any longer, he or she became a contributor again, willing to share what they had with fellow Christians. (2 Corinthians 9:7; 1Timothy 6:17, 18)

The apostles and their minister companions conducted themselves in much the same way. When traveling, if they needed help, they gratefully accepted the hospitality of others. If on the other hand, they were to stay in the same area for an extended period of time they took care of their own physical needs and, like their fellow Christians, shared what they had with others (Acts 20:33-35) as Paul said, not wishing to become an "expensive burden" to fellow Christians. (1 Thessalonians 2:9, 10)

Encyclopedia check shows us that the clergy didn't start being paid a wage for preaching until the middle of the third century which was also when a distinction between the laity class and the clergy class started. So the, scriptural history combined with secular history shows us that there is no basis for ministers today to be paid.

The notion that ministers have more stresses and more complications in their lives then did first century ministers is put in question when one looks at the ministry of the Apostle Paul. For despite being: stoned and left for dead (Acts 14:19), shipwrecked (Acts 27:41-44), beaten and imprisoned (Acts 16:22-24) to name but a few, he had a secular occupation and still managed to be a major contributor in the founding of Christianity while writing more books of the New Testament then any of the other writers. Thus within a mere three decades he could say with confidence that the gospel had been preached in all creation under the heavens! (Colossians 1:23). Hardly a feat that any of us today can say we have surpassed.

(The contributor of the above segment has added scriptural references so that the public will be able to follow the contributor's reasoning and recognize the material as objective rather then subjective in nature. (1Timothy 2:3, 4)