Should Youth Ministers Get Paid?

Some church members see youth ministry as glorified babysitting. Others, parents especially, see youth ministry as a critical asset to the spiritual growth and development of their children.

Here’s what the Bible says about paid ministry…

3This is my defense to those who sit in judgment on me. 4Don't we have the right to food and drink? 5Don't we have the right to take a believing wife along with us, as do the other apostles and the Lord's brothers and Cephas? 6Or is it only I and Barnabas who must work for a living?
7Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its grapes? Who tends a flock and does not drink of the milk? 8Do I say this merely from a human point of view? Doesn't the Law say the same thing? 9For it is written in the Law of Moses: "Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain. "Is it about oxen that God is concerned? 10Surely he says this for us, doesn't he? Yes, this was written for us, because when the plowman plows and the thresher threshes, they ought to do so in the hope of sharing in the harvest. 11If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you? 12If others have this right of support from you, shouldn't we have it all the more?
13But we did not use this right. On the contrary, we put up with anything rather than hinder the gospel of Christ. Don't you know that those who work in the temple get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in what is offered on the altar? 14In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel.
15But I have not used any of these rights. And I am not writing this in the hope that you will do such things for me. I would rather die than have anyone deprive me of this boast. 16Yet when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, for I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! 17If I preach voluntarily, I have a reward; if not voluntarily, I am simply discharging the trust committed to me. 18What then is my reward? Just this: that in preaching the gospel I may offer it free of charge, and so not make use of my rights in preaching it. 1 Cor. 9:3-18

Paul makes a strong stand about being paid to serve as a minister. What soldier, or shepherd, or farmer works without getting blessed from his labor? Great point. It’s odd that we would never ask a policeman to work for free for guarding lives, but we would ask a minister to work for free while guarding souls.

Paul goes on to say that the Lord COMMANDS that those who preach the gospel should make their living from it. It's not optional! Are churches that argue about paid staff sinning?

The only restriction in the passage is a matter of the heart. If you are doing ministry because it’s a job/employment then you need to quit and move on. Ultimately the greatest reward or payment is the honor of sharing Jesus and shaping lives through His message.

So should youth ministers be paid…

Yes, if they dedicate their lives to the gospel among young people.

No, if they are looking to just make a living and don’t know what else they would do.

Article Source: http://youth-ministry-resources.com

Paul Evans is the co-developer of Teen Life Ministries. Teen Life is a youth ministry membership resource center for youth workers.

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