The Defrayal Equivalency
defrayal = payment of some or all charges or expenses
I was on a Christian Worship forum recently & the hot topic was whether or not Church musicians should be paid. Over the last 30 years I've heard passionate arguments on both sides of this:
Pay them! In the world no one works for free, they're compensated, why does the Church expect free labor? (Inside this camp it's split down the middle between those who think that only applies to the pastor while others think it applies to all who minister, even those in song & music ministry)
If they accept money then they don't have a true servant's heart, they don't truly care about the flock & are a hireling (in the broadest sense), their motives are suspect, serving for free keeps them honest & accountable, etc.
Paying in-house musicians is the ideal (after all, the worship team usually shares up to half the platform/ministry time w/ the pastor/speaker, so integrity, character & relationship are vitally important) but like most fellowships, it's just not feasible.
Then where does this verse come in? “Those who preach the gospel should earn a living by it”. I've heard this used in defense of paying pastors but not in paying anyone else. If people really, truly believed this verse then evangelists would be the highest paid people in the global Church.
I once saw a video on Youtube of a pastor vehemently stating that they would never pay their musicians as it's an honor to play before the Lord yet he defended his paycheck.
Yes, it's an honor to play before the Lord.
It's also an honor to shepherd the people.
It's also an honor to share the gospel.
It's also an honor to teach & equip the saints.
Before I retired from worship ministry, I was never paid one red cent or compensated for strings, effects pedals, gas back & forth to multiple practices, hours learning songs... it was just expected that I (& others on the team) worked a full-time job & served voluntarily & joyfully.
As a rule, the Church has no problem paying a plumber, electrician or carpenter for their skills. Even in my last two fellowships the janitor was paid (& paid very well) while the worship team was not; that speaks volumes there...
Thoughts?
I was on a Christian Worship forum recently & the hot topic was whether or not Church musicians should be paid. Over the last 30 years I've heard passionate arguments on both sides of this:
The “Worthy Workman/Muzzling the Ox” Camp:
Pay them! In the world no one works for free, they're compensated, why does the Church expect free labor? (Inside this camp it's split down the middle between those who think that only applies to the pastor while others think it applies to all who minister, even those in song & music ministry)
The “Hireling/Servant's Heart” Camp:
If they accept money then they don't have a true servant's heart, they don't truly care about the flock & are a hireling (in the broadest sense), their motives are suspect, serving for free keeps them honest & accountable, etc.
Paying in-house musicians is the ideal (after all, the worship team usually shares up to half the platform/ministry time w/ the pastor/speaker, so integrity, character & relationship are vitally important) but like most fellowships, it's just not feasible.
Then where does this verse come in? “Those who preach the gospel should earn a living by it”. I've heard this used in defense of paying pastors but not in paying anyone else. If people really, truly believed this verse then evangelists would be the highest paid people in the global Church.
I once saw a video on Youtube of a pastor vehemently stating that they would never pay their musicians as it's an honor to play before the Lord yet he defended his paycheck.
Yes, it's an honor to play before the Lord.
It's also an honor to shepherd the people.
It's also an honor to share the gospel.
It's also an honor to teach & equip the saints.
Before I retired from worship ministry, I was never paid one red cent or compensated for strings, effects pedals, gas back & forth to multiple practices, hours learning songs... it was just expected that I (& others on the team) worked a full-time job & served voluntarily & joyfully.
As a rule, the Church has no problem paying a plumber, electrician or carpenter for their skills. Even in my last two fellowships the janitor was paid (& paid very well) while the worship team was not; that speaks volumes there...
- So, should you pay everyone or pay no one?
- Should you muzzle the ox regardless of where the ox is treading out grain?
- Who defines & determines that?
Thoughts?
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