THE MERCHANDIZING OF MINISTRY
Years back, someone called to invite me for a ministration. After informing him of my availability, he asked, "What are your charges"? I responded by saying I don't charge to preach or teach. I was not surprised because it is the order of the day in modern ministry.
We live in times when ministers give a long list of requirements you must meet before they can honour your invitation. Topmost on the list is money followed by the kind of hotel they must lodge, food they must eat, reception and publicity.
In fact, some of those gospel merchants have managers who negotiate the deal for them. Some preferred to be called speakers instead of bible preachers so they can have a wider acceptance among non christians. Little wonder why motivational speaking has replaced expository preaching.
Some ministers will not honour some invite the moment they perceive a church doesn't have the financial capacity to pay their charges. Another set of ministers charge to pray, prophesy, heal and do deliverance. In fact, someone told me about a prayer house where they'll give you receipt after payment. That's a business centre not a church.
I have not said giving and receiving of honourarium is bad neither should we invite a man of God to do ministry for us without being a blessing to him. In fact, the bible enjoins we honour those labouring over us in doctrine financially. We must do this well.
1 Timothy 5:17-18 says, "Elders who do their work well should be respected and PAID WELL, especially those who work hard at both preaching and teaching. [18] For the Scripture says, “You must not muzzle an ox to keep it from eating as it treads out the grain.” And in another place, “Those who work deserve their pay!”
However, you must understand what I am against is giving a charge to God's people before doing the work of ministry. It is totally against biblical order. Honourarium is given as decided by the people but charging to preach, teach or sing is deciding for yourself what you must be paid. That is totally against biblical order.
Jesus says, "Heal the sick, raise the dead to life, heal people who have leprosy, and force out demons. YOU RECEIVED WITHOUT PAYING, NOW GIVE WITHOUT BEING PAID" ( Matthew 10:8 CEV).
This implies that we should do ministry without laying a charge on God's people. It must be done willingly and joyfully. If they give us honourarium, it is not a sin but we must not charge for discharging the duties of our ministry. We are ministers not merchants.
The spirit of mercantilism in ministry is the reason we are not seeing true revival today. When a minister cannot trust God to meet his needs, he becomes a business man in ministry. He sees church as a business centre instead of a transformation centre.
What kind of minister are you? A gospel merchant or gospel messenger?