Most churches simply ignore this requirement and take financial advantage of their ministers. Let me share a humorous saying about the prayer many churches offer when they hire a new preacher. "Lord, you keep our new preacher humble, and we, here at the church, will keep him poor."
Notice how different the above prayer is from God's instructions.
"Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially they who labor in the word and doctrine. For the scripture, saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The laborer is worthy of his reward" (1 Tim. 5:17-18).
Notice it doesn't say your minister should receive just a living wage. Neither does it say he should receive an average wage. It clearly states that ministers of the gospel who handle the Word of God are worthy of double honor.
That means at least twice as much money as the average wage-earner in your community.
There are good reasons God wants your minister to receive ample funding. First of all, your minister has the most important job in your nation.
He watches for the souls of people, while civil authorities merely watch for their bodies and possessions.
Second, your man of God cannot lead you into the abundance you need to do all God wants you to do if he, himself, is walking in insufficiency. It's difficult for your minister to take you where he has never been.
Just as a lost pastor cannot produce a saved church, if your pastor walks in insufficiency, it will be difficult for him to bring you into the abundance you need to do all that God requires of you.
Just how much money will be enough for you to meet God's financial requirements for tithing with real joy, giving offerings large enough to do your fair share of preaching the gospel simultaneously to every corner of the globe, as well as giving your part for your minister to have a better-than-average income?
Excerpt permission granted by HIS Publishing Company
John Avanzini was born in Surinam, South America in 1936. He preaches the message of financial prosperity and teaches that God wants believers to be wealthy. He speaks in conferences and seminars worldwide about biblical economics.
