BUSINESS OR SERVICE

                                                                              BUSINESS OR SERVICE

    In America, we think of accomplishing things through business or services. The explanation of business is easy to understand, but service gives us a more complicated situation. Usually we receive
services for a fee. That is the equivalent of a businessman's bill. A fee is just another word for a bill. You pay a doctor, a dentist or a financial adviser a fee. Some fees are absolute, according to  cost of material needed for work performed for you. It's really not  much different than wages paid a carpenter, or the cost of a bus or  taxi.  We can summarize this by concluding that a business purchase and a service fee are much alike, right?

    Actually, no. There are some services you may receive that do not have a charge or fee. While some firemen have a salaried job, there are many volunteer firemen that receive no pay. There are
care givers who are volunteers with no pay. These people work because of compassion and because they do want to make the  world a better place. Since everyone needs the necessities of life, most people work at a job (business) or as a professional skilled to perform certain tasks. A military person does receive pay for his service, but that service carries a penalty none other does. He pledges his/her life. We can't put a material value such  as money or goods on a person's life. Jobs in business and
professions need to provide pay because they are based on the carnal world, not the spiritual world. 

    Now we need to look at a specific type of service few people understand. We go to church services, wedding services, funeral services and baptisms. These should be carried out as services
for the Lord. Are they, or are they part of a job? Is there a salary involved? Is there a stated fee for a wedding or funeral? It is almost impossible to find a situation where a salary or fee is not required. After all, everyone must have a means to live, especially if a family is part of the mixture.

    There are some Christian denominations whose clergy sustain themselves and their family without any salary or fees. They may accept a collection, but can't rely on regular income from their service. You might say they work for free. You may also say that isn't possible for a pastor of a church. Of course there are many ministries on radio and television that collect very handsome income and have paid staff as well as speakers. In America, there really isn't much choice if you desire to serve the Lord or are called to His service. Everyone has to make a living.

    We can dissect these two situations and see how the flow of  money has a huge impact on Christianity in America. But, before we do, let's look at scripture. In 1 Thes. 2:9, the Apostle Paul is
reminding the church he did not receive financial or material support for his work there. "For you remember, brethren, our labor and toil; for laboring night and day, that we might not be a burden
to any of you, we preached to you the gospel of God." Paul was carefully pointing out they actually did work day and night. Paul and Silas preached at night, but in the day they labored to earn their living. Paul was a tent maker. Paul accepted absolutely no pay, fee or tithe. He demonstrated that he was beholden to no man or organization. He depended on God and the earthly skills he was given. He had a marvelous education and was a skilled speaker, but he was only God's man.

    We talk about a person receiving a "call" from God to become a minister or pastor. Some say they answered a call, others enter ministry work because of influence from relatives; I have been told
the ministry beats working, and there are many other reasons given by those working in the field. In times past, men devoted their lives to serve God and became monks. They spent their time in study
and worked to sustain themselves. Some denominations require priests to practice celibacy. We see how this sometimes doesn't work out. Some denominations have established regulations for
pastors, priests or bishops. The defining test for ministry service exists at the priest or preacher level. The church needs many types of workers to support the preachers-teachers, and they should be
able to make a decent living doing their work. Now, to the level of the preacher, things become more interesting.

    If you profess to be a Christian, you have a model given you for the selection of priests in the four gospels. Christ did not administer any tests and established no rules except to follow His teaching. The apostles were not an easy group to teach, and He lamented many times about their inability to understand. Things haven't changed, and many pastors today don't seem to have a clue. Rather than work together to teach Christ's message, many pastors push the rules and regulations of their denomination. These tend to separate Christians and enable Satan to diminish God's work. When I was hospitalized, I talked with people of many denominations. I found members of some "Christian" denominations would not even discuss scripture because their denomination had the only truth. If you are Holy Spirit led, you should be able to read or study anything. If you won't do this, it is a sure sign you belong to a strict denomination. Any group that fits this mold is a forerunner to a cult. A cult is a group of believers who are "entranced" by a charismatic leader who they follow as their "pied piper." This is how we get church organizations such as the Westboro Baptists, or the groups in Waco, or the Jim Jones people who perished in South America.

     This troubling trend continues today on two fronts. One brings forth the mega churches where offerings are gathered in bushel baskets. Some of these churches combine Christian basics with
Islam teaching. They are opposites, so you understand Christianity has been sold out. Yet, the money pours in, and when you check the teaching of the lead pastor, you find he doesn't even know scripture, let alone understand it. But, he usually has an "emotional" push that registers with his followers. I watched a service where the pastor led his congregation in song, and the entire service was dominated by singing and dancing. I saw the faces of the younger people, and they had no idea why they were doing it. Praise is important, and this type of praise goes all the way back to David in the Old Testament. But praise does not replace study of scripture, which is work. If you don't know scripture, you won't be able to follow Christ's teaching. His teaching is found in just four books, the gospel of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. The organized church is not concentrating on this teaching. Our national leaders seem totally unfamiliar with these four books.

    While money seems to dominate the larger churches, business, as in the carnal world, frequently dominates the local and smaller  churches. These groups usually operate with budgets established
by the church board. Teaching frequently gets short changed because of a variety of programs including music, drama, missions, dinners and various other undertakings. None of these are wrong, except where time spent as opposed to scripture study results in little actual learning of the word. Both the congregations and pastors are at fault, but there is constant pressure because of funding needs. The church board usually controls the money, and frequently considers itself to be the
 representative of God. One board told the pastor he could live on a smaller salary because he received considerable fees for performing weddings and funerals. He refused, and left the congregation. Some church boards consider a pastor's salary is a charitable gift. Charity means love, and their action is anything but love. This is the opposite of the mega churches where money is lavished on the pastor.

    Many Christians don't seem to understand pastors are only the "front" man for tithes and offerings. The actual recipient is God, from whom all things come. Pastors at local and small churches face a very difficult decision when it comes to salary and benefits. If they are truly called, they must decide on the direction of the ministry and place teaching the word as first priority. Most congregations don't
want a lengthy teaching service. Some people fall asleep. This is a double problem for the pastor. It could be the sermon is too dull, or it could be there aren't many real Christians in the congregation.

    If the pastor can't stir up the congregation or faces a money  problem, the validity of his call may come into question. Disciples and early church leaders did not serve for monetary gain or standing.
Times have changed, but principles of Christ haven't. If a pastor is called, he must understand his life will not be easy. Satan works very hard to discourage and defeat called pastors. I know of not one, but many instances where a faithful pastor had to decide to leave a congregation or was forced out. Church boards contain some elite community leaders and professionals who consider themselves
superior to their pastor. After all, they are very successful in their occupation, and their position materially should give them the decision making role. Right? This couldn't be any further away from
the truth. Business is commerce. Religion is God. I knew of an elderly pastor in Wisconsin whose church had mostly elderly people. They eventually died, and the church was virtually empty. No one wanted a bible teaching old man as pastor, so he continued at that church. Every week he prepared his teaching sermon in the event he would have a congregation. He believed he was called, and remained  faithful to that call. He existed on social security, and served as an example much like the monks of old. He could spend his time in study and good works.

    For some pastors, it becomes a decision to stand up for Christ's teaching, or to conform to the wishes of a congregation or church board. If the decision is to stand for the teaching, the minister will
probably have to seek a different occupation, at least part time. If he has a family, this is serious business. Challenging denominational rules is daunting. Starting anew is difficult because most people want some emotional stimulus. When a minister takes the highway to teach the gospels without attempting to gather a congregation, you can be assured money is not an issue. Today Christian ministries and churches are pushing the envelop to collect money. Radio stations seek donations in return for crediting the giver. It's also a give and you'll be blessed with a big cash gift. 

    We have been misdirected in the use of the word charity. This type of giving is mostly recognized as helping the poor. Because of this meaning, much of the giving is resented, and considered a gift to those with serious social deficits--especially laziness. This attitude destroys the real original meaning of charity which was and still is love. If your gift is not given with love and without resentment, you may as well keep the money or material. God knows your heart, and He will mark the Book of Life or discard the entry. It's your choice. God always gives you the initial choice.

Rev. Walbear