tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-97981409741282294.post7324052983359895657..comments2024-03-17T08:56:26.886-05:00Comments on TJ Addington - Leading From the Sandbox : It is really a very bad ideaT.J. Addingtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14201114842211013058noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-97981409741282294.post-56288939023100152162014-01-05T19:07:07.515-06:002014-01-05T19:07:07.515-06:00How can you blame a Ugandan pastor for looking for...How can you blame a Ugandan pastor for looking for the highest bidder? Word-faith is exploding across Africa because it appears to promise prosperity to the deeply impoverished. And biblically speaking the real life of Christ is never going to compete in terms of numbers with the glitz and glam. The world is lost, and that's not a metaphor. So if we put money into anything we should do some due diligence. The indigenous workers know their own culture and if they are truly born again will be very well suited to confront it with proper discipleship along the way.<br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-97981409741282294.post-70900061780914435512011-10-26T19:06:21.395-05:002011-10-26T19:06:21.395-05:00Jesse, you are correct that we are merely doing wh...Jesse, you are correct that we are merely doing what we do in the minority world. However, the question is not whether these pastors should be paid but whether they should be paid from outside their context where I would argue that the three issues in the blog become highly problematic. Even here in the states we have pastors who are paid fully, some partially and some are simply bi-vocational. Many are paid in the majority world by their own people even in contexts like Congo where it is in produce and eggs. Huge numbers of pastors are bi-vocational. Thanks for your comment.T.J. Addingtonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14201114842211013058noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-97981409741282294.post-70886772882686512422011-10-26T15:31:31.991-05:002011-10-26T15:31:31.991-05:00TJ: Aren't we just following the model we have...TJ: Aren't we just following the model we have learned from the beginning: you pay pastors to do the work of ministry (implicitly or explicitly expressed)? Some of this need to be digested in our "minority world" context as well!Jesse Changhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13680220160534198573noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-97981409741282294.post-51614147026107310122011-10-26T15:29:55.041-05:002011-10-26T15:29:55.041-05:00TJ: Aren't we just duplicating what we've ...TJ: Aren't we just duplicating what we've learned at home? Isn't that what we pay pastors for here in the "minority world"--to do ministry for us (whether implicitly or explicitly expressed)? These words need to be heard here too to some degree!Jesse Changhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13680220160534198573noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-97981409741282294.post-77763891001900810942011-10-26T12:59:13.854-05:002011-10-26T12:59:13.854-05:00There is one more point I would like to add, in ad...There is one more point I would like to add, in addition to some wonderful ones you have already put up. This comes from my personal experience, as related to pastors I have worked with, and some others that I know.<br />You have suggested that helping pastors with funds for micro-enterprise is helpful, but I would actually disagree with you. In most cases, this causes the pastor to devote time and effort on the business rather than ministry. It in fact entices you with the pull of money. It would be better to help the pastors organization set up the micro-enterprise with some ordinary people, who can then use the funds to support the pastors.Nish Barianoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-97981409741282294.post-7760891397292892192011-10-26T09:40:52.464-05:002011-10-26T09:40:52.464-05:00There should also be a warning for us regarding ou...There should also be a warning for us regarding our own attitude. I have often recognized that even though my giving is done with "no strings attached", at least not intentionally, I must beware of a pride related to being the giver rather than the receiver. It must be an age old issue for Jesus mentions those who perceived themselves as "benefactors."<br /><br />Luke 22:25 Jesus said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors.<br /><br />Bob NelsonBob Nhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12557948442576719405noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-97981409741282294.post-76350385302108863712011-10-26T05:45:01.426-05:002011-10-26T05:45:01.426-05:00Dear TJ,
This has been my mantra for many years! ...Dear TJ,<br /><br />This has been my mantra for many years! It makes for a tough love style of ministry but I wouldn't have it any other way. Some of the pastors that I am working with are beginning to understand this concept and are very committed to their ministries. Unfortunately some dont understand and they eventually move on! Thank you for being bold enough to publish this.<br /><br />I really hope that churches and missionaries take note and make appropriate changes to their way of minisrty abroad.<br /><br /> God Bless You, <br /> Tony FreitasTony Freitashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05008327397296331649noreply@blogger.com