Len Hjalmarsen has a wonderful post titled “tentmaking in the digital age,” regarding issues of financially funding ekklesial ministry and leadership. As he states; “something that will become more important in the coming years.” He shares some valuable thoughts regarding his reasons for not being paid for ekklesial based ministry…. well worth reading.
As one who left the professional clergy ranks a number of years ago and struggles with balancing and stewarding my own financial resources and sometimes the lack thereof alongside the responsibilities of ministry, I find this personally, a difficult issue to confront. I see a larger issue or better said a related issue that needs the same attention as to whether or not church leadership ought to receive money in exchange for service in God’s kingdom. This larger issue is: “how do we confront the God of Mammon that so dominates the most western church folk.” IMHO this is the larger issue. Statistics show that the average monetary giving per church person is two and a half percent, therein is at least a portion of the problem and ought to be a portion of the conversation. Can we address the one without the other?



