Supporting Your Pastor. Love, Law, Flesh, and Spirit. by Pastor Walter Snyder Q: Can you give Bible verses to our church on taking care of our pastor's physical and financial needs? He doesn't have a job other than being a full time pastor---always around when we need him, teaching and preaching very well, faithful to the church and the Lord. A: The ~Small Catechism~ includes a "Table of Duties," a series of Bible references gathered by Martin Luther on various subjects. I'll list the verses he cites on pastoral and congregational responsibilities and offer a few comments. In the section called, "To Bishops, Pastors, and Preachers," Luther uses the following verses: "An overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive. (1 Timothy 3:2-4)" Just because your pastor is not to be a "lover of money," there is no reason to deprive or short-change his income and ability to support and protect his family. "He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. (1 Timothy 3:6)" This protects the pastor from "condemnation" and the congregation from the teachings of one who hasn't grasped the fullness of God's Word. "He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it. (Titus 1:9)" The second part of this may trouble us since receiving God's reproach through His pastors is difficult for us to accept. Luther follows this section with "What the Hearers Owe Their Pastors." Here we see the view from the pew instead of the pulpit. "In the same way, the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the Gospel should get their living by the Gospel. (1 Corinthians 9:14)" Unless there are special circumstances, this makes it clear that God intends congregations to fully support their pastors in all financial areas. And lest one think that Paul is trying to "line his own pockets," remember that he regularly refused such support for himself so no one would think that he was making converts in order to enrich himself. "One who is taught the word must share all good things with the one who teaches. Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. (Galatians 6:6-7)" "Let the elders [pastors] who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching. For the Scripture says, 'You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain,' and, 'The laborer deserves his wages.' (1 Timothy 5:17-18)" I thank God that it's a rare time when the proclamation of the Gospel is drudgery , such as threshing wheat or performing "slave labor." Still, if one feeds his ox or pays his employees, how much more do we offer the one who feeds us God's Word, the Bread of Life, who pours the Living Water, and who regularly offers us the body and blood of Christ Jesus in the Lord's Supper? "We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. (1 Thessalonians 5:12-13)" "Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you. (Hebrews 13:17)" This reminds us of the awesome responsibilities that sit upon our pastors' shoulders. Faithful pastoral leadership is not domination, but lovingly speaking the correct word of God at the proper time, confronting, forgiving, and forgetting sins, and doing everything possible to shepherd each dear lamb from this earth to the heavenly pastures. Q: How do you love your brother? Do we commit sin? Are we in the flesh or in the spirit? Are we under the law? What is the law? A: You love your brother by doing what is best for him in all circumstances, even if it puts you at a disadvantage. You speak well of him, stop any gossip, take an active concern in his physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. The Law itself is all that God commands or forbids in human thought and behavior. To think, speak, or act otherwise is sin. We all commit sin, even if it's "only" not loving God with every fiber of our being and trusting absolutely in Him for everything. Sinners are under the Law. Redeemed Christians are free from its power. Since we are both, the Law corrects and reminds us when we are wrong and guides our decision-making and actions as we respond to God's love for us. The Law always accuses us, the Gospel always forgives us. Paul writes in Romans 10:6-10 about both parts of this relationship we have with God: "To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness." ONLINE EXTRA: I received the following response to my comments on the responsibilities of the Church and her congregations to her pastors. The comments are from Vicar (Pastoral Intern) Ray Parent, a student at Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, Indiana. After serving his one year internship at St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church, Lockport, Illinois, Vicar Parent plans to return to the seminary this fall for his final year of classes before, God willing, entering the pastoral ministry. Vicar Parent has given permission to quote him in this follow-up. ---begin quote Dear Pastor Snyder, I always enjoy your column and as a seminarian and budding theologian I find it edifying and very helpful in my pastoral formation. In a recent on-line column you answered the question: "Can you give Bible verses to our church on taking care of our pastor's physical and financial needs?" I enjoyed the answer which was very informative and easy to understand. I have always thought that Jesus was very clear about the support He expected the Church to afford her pastors when He commissioned the Twelve in Matthew 10 ("And as you go, preach, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.' Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give. Provide neither gold nor silver nor copper in your money belts, nor bag for your journey, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor staffs; for a worker is worthy of his food."), Luke 9, with Mark 6 being similar, ("Then He called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority ver all demons, and to cure diseases. He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. And He said to them, 'Take nothing for the journey, neither staffs nor bag nor bread nor money; and do not have two tunics apiece. Whatever house you enter, stay there, and from there depart. And whoever will not receive you, when you go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet as a testimony against them.'"), and later, the 70 in Luke 10 ("After these things the Lord appointed seventy others also, and sent them two by two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to go. Then He said to them, 'The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest. Go your way; behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves. Carry neither money bag, knapsack, nor sandals; and greet no one along the road. But whatever house you enter, first say, "Peace to this house." And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest on it; if not, it will return to you. And remain in the same house, eating and drinking such things as they give, for the laborer is worthy of his wages.'"). Surely Christ was expecting the Apostles to have faith in the power of the Word they preached, but He also is quite clear on what He expects from His people. As one studying for the Holy Ministry, I find great comfort in clear declaration to both His undershepherds and His Church. I never wanted to be rich. If that were the case, I have followed the wrong path. I find it reassuring, however, to know that my needs and those of my family will be taken care of through the power of the Gospel, which, the Lord willing, I too will one day be commissioned to feed His lambs. Thanks again for you wonderful column. In His service, Vicar Ray Parent ---end quote To Ask the Pastor, please write Ask the Pastor, PO Box 12, Emma, MO, 65327 or send email to askthepastor@aol.com. Walter Snyder is the pastor of Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Emma, Missouri and coauthor of the book "What Do Lutherans Believe." Scripture quotations, unless otherwise noted, are from ~The Holy Bible, English Standard Version~, © 2001 by Crossway Bibles. Ask the Pastor, © 2002 by Walter P. Snyder. It may be reproduced in totality, including this disclaimer, by anyone, provided that no profit is generated by said republication and redistribution. Translations into other languages should similarly note the United States and any appropriate international copyrights, as well as God's Scriptural injunctions concerning the property of others.