[Evangelical]

We should be careful of how we speak of God's servants, namely, to compare a full time worker who is supported by the church with the hirelings of denominations. A young man foregoes a university degree or graduate job, goes to the training, afterwards, needs support to work full time on the campuses. He lives in the meeting hall or with someone who opens their home for hospitality. A local church supports him to cover his basic needs. It is not much. This is mostly covered by members of the church. The support may end after a few months or 1 year, it depends. He does not intend to do this forever, but to serve God while young, and then later find employment, marriage etc. I do not see how the term "hireling" can be applied to this person.

Let's forget for the moment that he is actually preaching the gospel most of the time. Unlike most pastors who are organizing and conducting "services", wedding, funerals, baptisms, for unregenerate people.

Most differently, if that full time worker is not paid, and leaves, then the church does not close down (unlike denominations where loss of a pastor or priest often scatters the church). Having a full time worker in the church is a bonus, but not a necessity.

There is no paid position like pastor or priest in most (not all) denominations where there is an expectation to receive a regular income. A full time worker is not the same as the vocation of a pastor or priest.

I see a few ways in which the term "hireling" is appropriate for denominations, but not for the local church. Denominations will have an open position, like an employment job in a company, and they will seek people to fill that position. In the local churches it is a matter of having people willing to be full timers and the church agreeing to support them. There is no actual position to be filled.