I struggled when I was in undergrad. I struggled with a belief of mine that felt fairly strong, a belief of mine that has its roots back into the earlier days of the restoration movements. A belief that has morphed, evolved…
I think perhaps my understanding was based on a misunderstanding of principles expressed in sacred texts that Community of Christ holds as scriptures. It was also not a fully embraced belief, for in many ways I applied it only to myself. That is receiving payment for ministerial services. I had no problem with the campus minister being paid, the denominational leaders…. But I struggled greatly with the $17.25 I received for each week I served as Head Deacon at Graceland University in my last two years there. I struggled as I started to understand that part of my calling was to peruse graduate education in theology and ministry, and that ministry was my calling, and likely it would have to be paid, in order to provided the basics and be able to place all my energy and focus into serving with others in seeking the peaceable community.
Community of Christ has a strong history of self-sustaining, multi-vocational ordained ministers and an understanding even the un-ordained are called to ministry and service as well. At times we pushed away from anyone being paid for their official ministerial duties which sometimes led them to be paid for other jobs they had for the church in addition to those seen as their ministry (I would argue it all was part of their ministry) eventually over time we did develop a system and acceptance of a paid ministry, though primarily at the denominational and mid-level jurisdictions, very few at the congregational level. In recent times however it also seems to be that many of the ministers who have received formal theological training and employed by the church have ended up in heavily administrative ministry roles rather than missional ministry… in some places shifts are being done to move them back into the field of missional ministry and move the administrative duties and roles to self-sustaining ministers. In part leading to hopefully a better use of the resources, and a better alignment of persons gifts and callings and the roles they serve in.
Today as I was struggling with the sermon I am trying to write I read the lectionary passages, one of which was from II Nephi (I thin 11:95-110 or close to that) some of the verses (106-109) drew my mind to reflecting upon this issue of paid ministry. Those verses slightly adapted for readability and inclusivity are:
The Holy commands that there shall be no priestcrafts, for behold, priestcrafts are that people preach and set themselves up for a light unto the world, that they may get gain, and the praise of the world; but they seek not the welfare of Zion. Adonai has forbidden this thing; where for the Holy One has given a commandment, that all should have charity, which charity is love. And Except they should have charity, they were nothing, wherefore if they should have charity they would not suffer the laborer in Zion to perish. But the laborer in Zion shall labor for Zion; for if they labor for money they shall perish
As I read this my mind wonder back to those struggles and conversations I had as I was seeking things out. Pondries which I think I never turned to the written word for guidance or inspiration, but rather relied upon myself, prayer, and others to aide me through the journey. However here on this day as I struggle with a sermon, I found myself reading these words as I sat and watched people and ate, and found perhaps finally a path to understanding for me regarding this belief of mine that had been shifting for some time. Here in these words I find today the Holy speaking out to me. it is not the “payment” that it at issue it is the reason.
If one is seeking to be a minister because they want the focus, attention…. that rightfully belongs to the Holy One, than one is doing it for the wrong reason pay or not. If one is laboring for Zion, but only for the pay rather than for the cause, then it is wrong. However if One is seeking to honor the Holy One, is laboring to share the Peace of Christ and building the peaceable community,and receives payment so that she or he may have food, shelter…. It is a different story, and in that case I find acceptance.
Or in other words, I currently have a job to pay the bills, I do it for the money primarily so I can pay the bills, and also to encounter and interact with others, as I seek something in my field. If someone was to do ministry for the reason I do my paid work that would be wrong, however if they did it because they cared for people, felt called by God, and were seeking to build the peaceable community and accepted the payment because without it they could not give fully of themselves and their time to that which they are called to, the building of the peaceable community, then it is in those places I find acceptance. Most of the paid ministers I know personally, or who are seeking that route, those who i went to school with and others, fall in that category though their understanding of mission and goal may be different depending on the tradition they are part of.
I’ve got more to think about, more to reflect. I also know that in some ways I wish that when the day comes that I find someone to spend my life with, she will have a job or resources that could potentially lead me to be a full time self-sustaining minister, though I know the reality is I will probably have to receive some payment to ensure the bills are paid and food, shelter, healthcare, clothing are available as we seek to ensure and strive for the day the the same is true for all 6 billion plus people around the globe.
Peace,
Lyle II
— Lyle II