Share in all things

Let him who is taught the word share in all good things with him who teaches. – Galatians 6.6

There is a lot of debate about payment of pastors and other Christian workers. There is a pretty strong movement about that says there is no need for pastors and teachers and other who say they need to support themselves and ‘let God take care of them.’

The Old Testament and the New have a different notion though. God’s people are responsible to take care of those who teach and shepherd them. ‘A workman is worthy of his hire’ the Bible says.’ God gives us pastors and teachers to equip us to do the work of the ministry and we need to make sure that our equippers have their needs met.

While this does means that I think it means a whole more. The context here is that of bearing and sharing burdens. If we are judging by context this passage says that those who are taught and shepherded by a pastor/teacher need to help bear his load of the ministry. It means that the work of the church is not the pastor’s alone. That doesn’t negate the need to meet his physical and financial needs, but it is also to lighten is load in general.

It means that all the church and the pastor share in all things to make sure that all of the Lord’s work is accomplished.