Judge not that ye be not judged...

[Nell]

Originally Posted by 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.

Be careful who you call names. With the same judgment you judge, you are judged.

Didn’t Lee to borrow money for “the work” on a note signed by a brother in The Church in Boston, then floating a loan to himself and a few of his buddies with that money to finance a for-profit business in the far east? Then Lee gets all huffy when the brother holds him accountable for the transaction. This brother signed the paperwork on the loan which puts him on the hook for what took place, then Lee tells him it’s “none of his business”.

And Lee points fingers at his brothers and sisters, denigrating them as "hirelings". Talk about hypocrisy.

Nell