Two Sides to the "Koinoneo"

I have to laugh when people outside the church think I am in the ministry for the money. Some people, believe it or not, think that those who receive an honourarium for preaching or pastoring are automatically "in it for the money". I recently saw this expressed in a short post on social media. It had no context, and no names mentioned. It was just a general statement: "IF YOU'RE PAID AN HONORARIUM TO PREACH STOP SAYING GOD SENT YOU. YOUR POCKETS SENT YOU!"

This proves that the person who posted this does not have a balanced understanding of the Word of God and clearly has no understanding of most pastors. I have met a lot of pastors, and very few of them, if any, are in it for the money, let me tell you. It also shows that this person has no idea what an "honourarium" actually is.
Now, to be fair, there have certainly been some who abuse the role of pastor or minister. They treat it like a money-making scheme and that is not the heart of God. It is tragic and should never be the case.

BUT.... Ohhhhh Boy. If you think I am in it for the money, you better laugh hard at me. I would be one of the world's worst money-makers if that were the case. My honourarium is not even a part-time wage. My cheque is, in accounting terms classified as a "travel expense". It is based on whatever little is left at the end of the month after all other expenses are paid for. Yet I am VERY grateful to God for it. I give way more back than I receive. And I am grateful to Jesus for that ability. Most of my income comes from my full time work as a department manager in the retail world. That makes me bivocational. I am grateful to Jesus for every cent I get. But I can assure you, if you knew what amount I get from church, (we get paid AFTER all other expenses are covered and it varies from month to month- it's how to survive as a small church) then you would laugh at anyone who thinks I am in it for the money. Nope. I am in it for JESUS! Jesus sent me to preach and teach the word at Church On The GO, in Newmarket, Ontario, Canada.
 I always have been focused on the call and continue to be. The little bit of money I receive each month is just another small side benefit. But the REAL meat is doing God's will... the will of my heavenly Father, just like Jesus. In fact, I actually started off as a volunteer minister, 17 years ago. I only started getting an honourarium after years of faithful service and it was in line with 1 Timothy 5:17-18.

SO for a person on social media to blatanly paint all ministers/preachers with one absurd brushstroke is quite ridiculous. I mean does this person even understand the definition of
"honourarium"? According to http://www.thefreedictionary.com/honorarium it means:
"A payment given to a professional person for services for which fees are not legally or traditionally required."
Did you catch that? This means that honourariums are VOLUNTARY in nature, not REQUIRED.
This is the heart of the issue. And did such person even stop and wonder why so many of us are bivocational pastors now? WHY? Because pastoring does not pay much these days and many pastors need a second job in order to make ends meet! Perhaps this poster, God bless them, should get up-to-speed with the times in which we live.

When it comes to any topic, including money, balance is key. Don't go from ditch to ditch, but stay centered on the Way, the Road, Jesus Christ. Extreme views are neither helpful nor Biblical, especially coming from those who hide from church and are out of touch with all that God is doing in His local churches.
There are two sides to the "koinoneo" (sharing money/goods).
Today we have a word in English: coin. That word refers to a small usually metalic disc with two sides on it used as a basic form of currency in most countries. It is interesting that Koinoneo and coin sound so similar and are on a related wavelength. Especially here in Canada, (where we have $1 and $2 coins) those are often what we give when we want to help someone or donate to a cause.

So let us briefly discuss two sides of the coin, or the two sides of the "koinoneo".
------------------------
One side of the "coin":
One ditch to avoid is asceticism: or imposed poverty and complete denial of any luxuries in this life. It is the belief that being poor is the only way to gain God's approval and those who hold such views IMPOSE poverty on ministers and Christians. This is wrong and out of balance and it is unbiblical.
ONLY JESUS is the Way to God, not poverty. Now if one minister CHOOSES voluntary poverty, that is just fine. God can and does call some people to such a lifestyle. BUT it is never Biblical or right to impose poverty on others. Jesus promised to SUPPLY OUR NEEDS if we seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. (Mat 6:33) Such supply is the opposite of poverty.
Colossians 2:18 ESV Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind,
Colossians 2:23 ESV These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.

1 Timothy 5:17-18 NKJV
17 Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double HONOUR, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine. 18 For the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain,” and, “The laborer is worthy of his wages.”

From Blueletterbible: "HONOUR" is "TIME (ti-may)" in the Greek and is G5092 in the Strongs concordance. It means:
"a value, i.e. money paid, or (concretely and collectively) valuables; by analogy, esteem (especially of the highest degree), or the dignity itself:—honour, precious, price, some."

So to double the "TIMAY", as Paul wrote, means that the elders should receieve TWO kinds of "honour", the reverence of being a faithful and true minister, and also monetary compensation that allows him or her to live. That's what DOUBLE HONOUR is about and it is what inspired the term "honourarium". It is given voluntarily by the people in the church. There is no requirement placed on them. But an exhortation is given here, and this is where "koinoneo" comes in:

Galatians 6:6 KJV Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things.

"Communicate" is an old word meaning "share" or "give". The Geneva Bible is older than the King James Bible by 51 years, but actually makes this point more CLEAR:

Galatians 6:6 GNV Let him that is taught in the word, make him that hath taught him, PARTAKER of all his goods.
 
The word "communicate/partaker" in Greek is G2841 "Koinoneo" and according to the Strongs concordance on Blueletterbible means:
"to share with others (objectively or subjectively):—communicate, distribute, be partaker."

In the old days of the church, sharing goods was a common way of making sure everyone's needs in the church were met, especially the pastors. So the act of "koinonea" has a physical and literal sense to it in this context. It requires action. Giving money ("coin") in order for that person to buy these goods is just as valid. But it is something that is done willingly by the giver, and of their OWN FREE WILL. The pastor/minister never compells or requires people to pay for his service, for that would be out of step with Scripture. The just shall live by FAITH. (Habakkuk 2:4) THIS is why honourariums are Biblical.... because by definition, an honourarium is voluntarily offered. It is never required or under compulsion.

That brings us to the other side of "koinonea":

-------------The OTHER side of the coin:----------------
The OPPOSITE ditch to avoid is GREED and MAKING MERCHANDISE of the Word of God. God gives to us freely the gift of salvation. Money cannot buy the Gift of the Holy Spirit or the gift of Salvation. ONLY the Blood of Jesus has been accepted by God as payment for our sins. We should NEVER turn our messages or services into a money-making scheme that compels or guilt-trips people into giving money. Never. Always minister by faith, not by pay-cheque. If people cannot afford to give, then love them and serve them just the same. They may have OTHER ways to give to the work of God. And if you do walk by faith in the Holy Spirit, the Lord will supply your financial needs. Among all His inifinite numbers of ways of supplying us, one way He does this is through His churches. As Ephesians 4:16 says - every joint (believer) in the Body supplies the needs of the others. (Eph. 4:16)

Below we see examples of what God condemns: Greed and making merchandise of God's house.

John 2:16 And He said to those who sold doves, “Take these things away! Do not make My Father’s house a house of merchandise!”
 
Acts 8:20 NKJV
But Peter said to him, “Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money!
 
So we see here that Simon the sorcerer was trying to "Buy" the Holy Spirit. That is blasphemous. God cannot be bought. I am very certain that IF Simon had the idea that he could BUY the Holy Spirit with money, then he was planning to MAKE MONEY by selling the Holy Spirit as well. This is NOT what Pastors and ministers are called to do. We are called to what Jesus says:
Matthew 10:8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.

Somewhere in the middle of the road is the balanced Biblical model: church leaders should partake in goods and offerings of those they serve in the local church. Those offerings of goods or money should be offered freely by the giver and processed through proper accounting and legal procedures. The ministers are never instructed to "take". But the church attenders are encouraged to "give". Notice that distinction in Scripture.
If the ministers are faithful and true to the Gospel, then support them as you are able to with what you can give! Can you give them time and do volunteer work in the church? Do that! Can you help by doing gospel outreach on the streets? Do that! Can you give the church an extra jar of coffee for its machine? Go for it! Do you feel the church needs to pay it's lighting and heating bills and that the Pastor should eat? Then feel free to put money in the offering and be a joint that supplies the Body in faith - IN CHRIST. Do it as you are willing to. Do it out of what you have, not out of what you do not have. The Bible says:

2 Corinthians 9:7
So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.
The labourer is worthy of his hire as the Bible plainly says. A true labourer is not worried about how much people are paying, they are only concerned about preaching the Word of God correctly and about loving God and loving the people of God. The heart of the true minister always puts Jesus first, and also puts the people of God above himself. Yet they also gladly accept any help they can get so that they can live and pay the bills. Jesus is the supplier, always. And He supplies us through His Body many times.

As a side note, I have been in leadership ministry for 17 years. As a pastor myself, my advice to all people considering pastoring as a vocation is this: don't get into it for the money. Such a calling does not typically pay much so only get into ministry if you are willing to live by FAITH.
There is an incorrect notion floating around, a false "wind of doctrine" stating that pastors should not get paid at all. Well how are they supposed to live?
I was called of the Lord to enter the ministry, and that same pure calling motivates me today. My small honourarium cheque prove that. Anyone who had the dollar signs in their eyes would have abandoned my post years ago.
 So the calling of the Lord should always be your motivation. Besides, pastoring simply does not pay much for the average small church minister. So make up your mind to serve the Lord because He called you to do it. If your church can give you something in return, graciously accept it as part of their way of HONOURING you as per 1 Timothy 5:17-18.
But never let money be your motivation. It should always be the Lord who motivate and guides you. And don't refuse His help when He sends you money through His body. That simply is not wise or Biblical.

So let's shake off the legalistic notion that pastors should NOT get paid. And let's also shake off the false notion some people have that pastors should CHARGE for their ministry. Jesus did not charge money for His service. He only required FAITH as the currency of exchange for miracles and ministry. We know this is true. But His group had an actual money bag, kept by Judas Iscariot. How is this possible? I believe it is because Jesus accepted the free-will offereings of those who chose to give money. After all, Jesus had no house, no bank account, no earthly business. He was human as well as God. So He had to eat to live. It is just practical Biblical teaching to financially support the ones who freely minister to you. Serve by faith in Jesus. And then let the Lord supply your need through your congregation. He never fails!
God Bless,
Pastor Curtis
Assistant Pastor
churchonthego.ca
Sun May 20 2018 4:03pm EST