Financial Martyrdom

This post is inspired by some profound words of Renee Hammond, and Curt Harlow's big screen TV

As someone who's income is based upon support given by a team of individuals, it is really easy to feel that part of the Call into ministry includes carrying the cross eternal poverty and financial martyrdom. Simply put to be in ministry means you will be poor.

Always.

But this is not true and it's not biblical. Full time vocational ministry is a worth-while career, and it is worth being paid to do. Paul wrote to Timothy, a young pastor, that "the scripture says, 'You shall not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain,' and, 'The laborer deserves to be paid'" (1Tim 5:18) quoting from Deuteronomy 25:4 and Jesus' teaching in Luke 10:7. Jesus lived and funded his ministry on support (Luke 8:3). Paul lived on support, and only did tent making when the people were too immature (new) in their faith to properly support him. (1 Cor 9:1-14)

As ministers we should not live or work with this thrifty, cut-corners, cheap poverty mentality. We are not called to be poor. We are called to be good stewards with our resources, but that call is for all followers of Christ. James writes that those who teach will be judged harsher (James 3:1) but is in regards to how we are viewed by others, and does not mean ministers should be poor, but that they should set a good example in how to wisely spend money. A poverty mentality is not beneficial to God's call on our lives.

Honestly we have this concept of ministers being financial martyrs not based on scripture, but our own uneasiness with money and our belief in the American Dream. I have found that our hesitancy is rooted in our insecurity of humbling ourselves and asking others for help; of being dependent on others rather than being autonomous and self-sufficient. But as much as America may preach that message, when we examine God's word He says the exact opposite. Even in the OT (Old Testament) the priests and Levites lived off of the sacrifices of the people offered to the Lord.

So while everything in my flesh tries to discourage and resist, I choose to live on support, to provide for my family on support, and not to be poor.

Group Genetics

Back at the beginning of March the students in DCF's sister group at Woodland Community College, WCF, hosted their first outreach on campus. On March 3rd we gathered by the Library and gave out about 50 free slices of pizza as a way to bless the WCC community. It was a hit! Once people realized that we were seriously giving away pizza they gladly received.

What is funny is that free pizza was how WCF began. Back in August when Will and I were founding the group we started by giving away free pizza as a way to meet people and introduce ourselves to the WCC community. We met several of our students that way and it was great. Six months later when we were brainstorming for our March outreach the only idea that came up, and was brought up by several students, was free pizza.

It seems that free pizza has become a part of the WCF DNA, part of who the group is, what the group does. A precedent has been set, something good to be aware of.

This setting of a precedent, this genetics of a group can also be seen within Protestant denominations.

For example the conditions of the Catholic Church that Luther, Calvin, and other great reformers were reacting to still has effects upon these Reformed denominations. At the time of the Reformation the Catholic Church was causing some abuse and distortion of the Gospel to which the Reformers reacted against.

Also though there was great reason for the Protestant Reformation, there are some deleterious genetics born from such actions. Protestantism with all of its benefits started as a reaction to what they did not approve of. Though much of the Reformers' disapproval was based upon solid biblical truth, it introduced the precedent of reactionism into Protestantism. Ever wonder why there are so many Protestant denominations today while there is still only one Catholic Church? (there is variation within Catholicism as within any group that size, but unlike Protestantism it seems to be without the cost of unity) Protestantism started by breaking away from the establishment, and it has continued to splinter.

So it seems that there are many significant precedents and a lot of group genetics established whenever a group forms. The founders and pioneers can have a greater impact upon the entirety of the group than one would initially think, introducing group DNA or thoughts and precedents that carry on afterward.