The past co
uple of days I have been wondering about when Christianity and ministry became such a money making business. I realize that even the Pharisees of the New Testament wanted their finery to show everyone how “blessed” they were of God. What started my thinking is the fact that it can be difficult to find a speaker to help raise money for our local pregnancy resource center. We have wanted to invite several “big” name speakers, but they have priced themselves out of our market. I realize that they use a speaker bureau and the prices are set by the manager. My question is “where is the ministry?”
It is aggravating to try to host a concert only to be told that you have to provide X number of dollars. It is just as aggravating to invite someone to come to speak and be told he requires so much money. Yes, everyone is entitled to make a living. I understand that. I want to make a living just like the next person. I like some of the “finer” things of this life as well. Yet that cannot be my motivation of why I do what I do.
Please believe me when I say that I am not judging anyone. I am simply asking the question about the ministry in general. I am in favor of individuals making as much as possible. I just wonder if the money has become the motivation instead of the Love for God and the Love for His people and causes. I can ask these questions because I make a salary. I wonder if I would do what I do for free and then get a job somewhere else. Paul made tents so that he would not be a burden to a church in the New Testament. As I am rambling again today, the main point of the ramble is “Is the Love of God the main motivation?” If we set our own amounts that we have to have are we saying that we do not trust God for our provision? I do know that the bills have to be paid. I have plenty of them and each one has a specific due date attached. Without money to pay those bills, I would be in trouble. If I am to trust God for my provision, than I am to demand what I need? (or what I think I need?) These questions are for me more than anyone else. I am asking myself as I have been over the past several months, Is God enough? I want to scream out with a might YES. Do I live like that now or not? I don’t know.
I can tell you that I believe my motivation is Love for God and His people. I am not sure I would do what I am doing otherwise. I just truly want to never be accused of being motivated by money as it seems so many Christian leaders today can be accused of that.
Scripture teaches that at the point of Regeneration, the Holy Spirit gives all Christians particular Spiritual “gifts” to be exercised for the exhortation of the Church as a whole. When a Christian begins to set a minimum price (or minimum audience) he will take to exercise these gifts — is he not, in some way, being egotistical and miserly with regard to gifts that find their source in *God?* I’m not at all saying that someone should fly from (say) California to Texas for an audience of perhaps ten; we all have to be good stewards with what God has given us, but many Christian “luminaries” will not come for an event with an expected attendance of less than *one thousand.*
This is the point I was attempting to make. I guess these have their reward here.