100 Days to a Healthier ChurchSample

Day 67

Today’s Big Idea: There are no part-time ministers. Are you a full-time paid pastor? No? Your ministry is still essential.

Key Verse: Paul went to see them, and because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them (Acts 18:2–3).

Thoughts to Consider: There’s a common misconception that to be a “real” minister, you need to have a full-time job in the church. But most ministers throughout history have not made a living wage from ministry, including the apostle Paul. While he did receive occasional gifts, the primary way Paul earned money was not from ministry, but from making tents (Philippians 4:15–18).

It’s not that Paul thought it was wrong to receive compensation for ministry duties. In fact, he argued strongly that it was his right to do so (1 Corinthians 9:1–19). But he turned down that right and made his living as a tentmaker so that “in preaching the gospel I may offer it free of charge, and so not make full use of my rights as a preacher of the gospel” (1 Corinthians 9:18).

Despite the fact that the church wasn’t paying him, no one would have referred to Paul as a part-time minister. The idea that any believer was a part-time minister was completely foreign to the early disciples, and it should be foreign to us. If you’re a believer, your first call is to worship, serve, and minister. It’s not something to do on the side. Even if you don’t get to spend a lot of time in efforts you’d consider ministry-oriented, every aspect of your life should be offered in worship and ministry.