1 Corinthians 9:1-18
Paul Gives Up His Rights
9 Am I not as free as anyone else? Am I not an apostle? Haven’t I seen Jesus our Lord with my own eyes? Isn’t it because of my work that you belong to the Lord? 2 Even if others think I am not an apostle, I certainly am to you. You yourselves are proof that I am the Lord’s apostle.
3 This is my answer to those who question my authority.[a]4 Don’t we have the right to live in your homes and share your meals? 5 Don’t we have the right to bring a believing wife[b] with us as the other apostles and the Lord’s brothers do, and as Peter[c] does? 6 Or is it only Barnabas and I who have to work to support ourselves?
7 What soldier has to pay his own expenses? What farmer plants a vineyard and doesn’t have the right to eat some of its fruit? What shepherd cares for a flock of sheep and isn’t allowed to drink some of the milk? 8 Am I expressing merely a human opinion, or does the law say the same thing? 9 For the law of Moses says, “You must not muzzle an ox to keep it from eating as it treads out the grain.”[d]Was God thinking only about oxen when he said this?10 Wasn’t he actually speaking to us? Yes, it was written for us, so that the one who plows and the one who threshes the grain might both expect a share of the harvest.
11 Since we have planted spiritual seed among you, aren’t we entitled to a harvest of physical food and drink? 12 If you support others who preach to you, shouldn’t we have an even greater right to be supported? But we have never used this right. We would rather put up with anything than be an obstacle to the Good News about Christ.
13 Don’t you realize that those who work in the temple get their meals from the offerings brought to the temple? And those who serve at the altar get a share of the sacrificial offerings. 14 In the same way, the Lord ordered that those who preach the Good News should be supported by those who benefit from it. 15 Yet I have never used any of these rights. And I am not writing this to suggest that I want to start now. In fact, I would rather die than lose my right to boast about preaching without charge. 16 Yet preaching the Good News is not something I can boast about. I am compelled by God to do it. How terrible for me if I didn’t preach the Good News!
17 If I were doing this on my own initiative, I would deserve payment. But I have no choice, for God has given me this sacred trust. 18 What then is my pay? It is the opportunity to preach the Good News without charging anyone. That’s why I never demand my rights when I preach the Good News.
I was talking to an Anglican Bishop a few months ago about some of the challenges facing the Church of England at the moment. I asked about Synod and the divide between orthodox and liberal vicars. However, I was surprised when he told me that the greatest challenge facing the Anglican Church is not the growing moral division, as worrying as that may seem, but the lack of people stepping into full time ministry. There are less leaders than ever and young people seem to be less inclined to lean into leadership. Why is this?
Firstly, leadership is not seen as a place of honour in our society in the way that is used to be. They work incredibly hard for very little reward. There are a lot of pressures on leaders. The challenges inside and outside the church are intense and more and more leaders are stepping away from the pressures of ministry.
Leadership can feel lonely, not because you are unable to share your emotions (although finding an appropriate context can be a challenge) but because it can feel like you are the only one who can not quit or mess up. Conversely, if the leader says the wrong thing or has a bad day then people will leave the church, often without an explanation. This means that leaders feel the pressure to perform and be at their best all the time. Their activity has an effect on the experience of every member of the community.
Church leaders are also paid low salaries. Don’t believe what social media tells you about Evangelists with planes, they are incredibly rare. Most leaders earn very little and are dependent on their church members to give generously and tithe. However, it is hard for them to talk too much about money because they directly benefit and they don’t want to make people think that the church is greedy. So, many leaders are silent about the pressure, the distance, the disappointments and the challenges they face.
In this passage, Paul encourages us to treat our leaders well. This looks like:
- Showing them honour and respect.
- Being faithful with our tithes.
- Being generous with our encouragement.
- Being consistent with our prayer. (I did not find this in the passage but think that it is a good addition)
If we want the church of our generation (and the next) to flourish, it will need strong, secure and supported leadership. However, just like Paul, leaders should not minister for or due to these things. It is the call of God on our lives that is the driving force and the fruit of ministry is worth more than every challenge combined. It is such an honour to serve God daily, to see lives transformed in such radical ways and to be part of such an amazing community. There is truly nothing else quite like it.
