It’s a statement I use to “rib” my ministry friends. To be clear, I don’t mean it, but at one point or another most ministry folks have heard it from some short sighted person who either says or implies that the person who brings them the Word of God is over paid.
I remember a live event I did at an art gallery. I did a speed painting and told a story. When I was done, I got a lot of really kind words and then the inevitable happened. (Keep in mind, before I say this next part that I was literally surrounded by works of art ranging in price from hundreds to thousands of dollars.) A man walked up to me asking how much I would sell the three foot by four foot painting I had just completed. It really wasn’t about the money for me, and I wanted to be a blessing, so I said $50. I probably had $20-$30 in supplies. He looked at me like I had just grown a second head and I could tell what he was thinking, “It only took you 10 minutes.”
He was right, I can paint that piece in 10 to 12 minutes, but there’s a reason for that. I’ve painted it over and over again. I refined it. I’ve toiled over it not to mention a lifetime of developing my gift. It’s taken countless hours to allow me to be able to do that ten minute painting and that needs to be taken into account.
I’m not saying this to whine, I’m saying this in defense of pastors. It’s true, their big thing, the thing most people see, is an hour on a Sunday morning and in that hour they need to “bring it” but the reason they can “bring it” is because of hours and hours of study and practice, not to mention prayer and the myriad of other things they do. Ministry is a huge job, and more than a job a calling, something for which they will one day give an account. Your pastor is not your employee. Let me say that again, YOU PASTOR IS NOT YOUR EMPLOYEE. Your pastor is not hired by your church to take you where you want to go. Your pastor is your leader called by God to take you where God wants you to go. He or she is on call most of life, because life is unpredictable. Pastors need our help and support.
The workman is worthy of his hire.