It seems like this might be OT precedence for supporting full-time ministers and evangelical/humanitarian ministries:
26:12 "Every third year you must offer a special tithe of your crops. In this year of the special tithe you must give your tithes to the Levites, foreigners, orphans, and widows, so that they will have enough to eat in your towns. 13 Then you must declare in the presence of the Lord your God, 'I have taken the sacred gift from my house and have given it to the Levites, foreigners, orphans, and widows, just as you commanded me. I have not violated or forgotten any of your commands.Heavenly Father, please lead me to give generously in honor of the gift of your Son Jesus. I pray that I will give my life away for you and your Kingdom. May I be a good steward of the many resources you have given me. I pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Hmm…I want to clarify before my comment that I’m not opposed to full-time ministers and the tithes/offerings that I bring going to salaries for those ministers (as if I have a say as to where the Lord directs His money…).
ReplyDeleteBack in the OT days the Levites were not allowed to have jobs, nor were they apportioned land. They had nothing in their name except the Lord. So, I totally understand giving to the Lord’s work and the caring for Lord’s people then and now. I just know that I would have (and have had) difficulty receiving payment for the work I should’ve been doing anyway.
I also know the precedent from the OT is not continued with all ministers of the Word in the NT. For instance, Paul was fairly explicit in that he oftentimes refused payment for the assurance of proclaiming an unadulterated or unbiased gospel to the people. Also, Rick Warren stopped receiving a paycheck and repaid his church for every penny he received as salary upon the sale of his book. That leads me to believe that compensation is allowed but no longer required.