The Thessalonian Road to Self-Support – David Alan Black

A couple of days ago Dave Black said he was working on this essay and now it’s complete and available at Dave Black Online.  I think it’s a wonderful essay and certainly points in the right direction.

I would add two notes:

1)  I don’t think being paid for ministry is excluded.  Paul didn’t.  He didn’t give it many positive words either! In terms of both mission and pastoral ministry, there is a great deal of room for improvement in the modern church.

2)  I think the problem extends to what we think paid ministers can and should accomplish.  First we make pastors professionals, then we give them an impossible job description.  The mission of the church is large enough to require the work of all; it cannot be accomplished by a few, paid or self-supporting.