Pentecostal Pastoral Leadership and Global Missions — Unit 5: Pastoral Leadership, Ethics, and Finances

Key Verse

"Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock." (1 Peter 5:2-3, NKJV)

Learning Objectives

When you finish this unit, you should be able to:

1. Describe the biblical qualifications of a pastor and explain why character matters more than gifting or fame.

2. Name the main ethical dangers for pastors (money, sexual temptation, power) and the practical safeguards against each.

3. Explain the biblical teaching on the support of ministers and on the giving of the church.

4. Describe sound habits for handling church money openly and honestly.

5. State fairly the objections that arise about pastoral authority and pay, and give the Pentecostal answer.

The Voice of This Unit

This unit is written from inside the classical Pentecostal tradition, for pastors who belong to it. It is Trinitarian and conservative. In Unit 4 we asked how churches are governed. Here we ask what kind of person should lead, and how he or she should act with people, with money and with power. Pentecostal churches have been blessed with leaders who prayed, sacrificed and served for a lifetime. They have also been hurt by leaders who fell, or who used the church for themselves. We speak plainly because the flock deserves it, and because the Lord is merciful to pastors who walk in the light. Teaching on wealth is taken up in Unit 6.

The Call and the Task

A pastor is a shepherd. Peter writes to the elders to shepherd the flock willingly, "not for dishonest gain but eagerly," and as an example (1 Peter 5:2-3). Paul told the elders of Ephesus, "Take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers" (Acts 20:28). Notice two things. The Holy Spirit makes overseers, so ministry begins with His call. And the first warning is to take heed to yourselves, before the flock.

What does a Pentecostal pastor do? He prays and teaches the Word. He trusts the Spirit for guidance, healing and gifts, and he tests everything by Scripture. He visits the sick, comforts the grieving and counsels the troubled. He disciples new believers. According to Ephesians 4:11-12, the work of pastors and teachers is to equip the saints for the work of ministry. A pastor who does everything himself is not a better shepherd, but a tired one, and the church stays small.

Character First

Paul gave Timothy and Titus lists of what an overseer must be (1 Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:6-9). The lists ask for a man who is above reproach, faithful in marriage, temperate, self-controlled, hospitable, able to teach, not violent, not a lover of money, a good manager of his own household, and well thought of by outsiders. He must not be a new convert. Most items on the list are about character. Only one is about teaching ability.

This matters greatly for Pentecostals. Our churches value the gifts of the Spirit, healings and powerful preaching. But gifts are not proof of character. Jesus warned that some will say, "Lord, Lord," and speak of prophecy and wonders, yet be told, "I never knew you" (Matthew 7:21-23). Paul wrote that tongues, prophecy and faith without love amount to nothing (1 Corinthians 13:1-3). The fruit of the Spirit, which is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23), is the proof of a life under the Spirit.

A pastor should ask, honestly and often: Does my private life match my public life? Am I growing in prayer? Do I have friends who tell me the truth? Do I take a day of rest, and time with my family? Many falls begin long before the public scandal, with exhaustion, loneliness and secret compromise.

Three Great Dangers

Pastors have long been warned about three dangers: money, sex and power. This is a traditional saying, not a text of Scripture, but it gathers real biblical concern.

Money

Paul warns that "the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil" (1 Timothy 6:10). An overseer must not be greedy for gain. Safeguards for money are described below.

Sexual temptation

Pastors counsel people in times of weakness, and some counselees may be drawn to the pastor. A man of God is not beyond temptation. The wise pastor builds protections before they are needed.

• Keep private counseling in places where others are nearby, with an open door or a window, and when possible have another adult present or within reach.

• Do not counsel a person of the opposite sex alone and in secret over many sessions. Refer the person to a trusted woman or man in the church.

• Treat other believers "as sisters, with all purity" (see 1 Timothy 5:2).

• Tell your spouse and your elders about any growing attraction, early.

• Honor your marriage with time, attention and prayer.

Power

Peter forbids elders to be "lords over those entrusted to you" (1 Peter 5:3). The danger is a pastor who demands obedience in matters where the Bible gives no command, who punishes those who ask questions, or who uses the language of "anointing" to silence criticism. Jesus said that the leaders of the Gentiles lord it over others, but that among His followers the greatest must be a servant (Mark 10:42-45). A pastor is a servant who is held to the Word of God.

Protecting children and the vulnerable

A pastor must protect children and the vulnerable. A church should have clear rules: two responsible adults present with children, careful choice of those who work with young people, and a clear path to report a concern. In many countries the law requires a report to the authorities when a child has been harmed, and a pastor must obey the law and must never hide abuse to protect the church's name. Confidentiality in counseling is important, but it does not cover the harm of a child.

When a leader falls

Paul told the Galatians that those who are spiritual should restore a person overtaken in a fault "in a spirit of gentleness" (Galatians 6:1). The church should deal with sin with both truth and mercy. Repentance, confession and healing are possible. But we must also say plainly that restoring a person to fellowship is not the same as restoring him to leadership. Where a leader has abused others, or has shown that he cannot be trusted with power, the church may need to remove him from pastoral office, perhaps for a long time or for good. The protection of the flock comes first.

Honest Reporting and Humility

Unit 2 reminded us that early reports from the field sometimes grew in the telling. A pastor today may be tempted to enlarge attendance or to claim healings that have not been confirmed. Paul wrote that he had renounced "the hidden things of shame" and did not handle the word of God deceitfully (2 Corinthians 4:2). We should report what God has done, with truth. When a healing has been reported, we give thanks, we say what we know, and we do not claim more.

Support of the Pastor

Does the pastor have the right to be paid? Scripture says yes. Jesus said that the worker is worthy of his wages (Luke 10:7). Paul wrote that elders who rule well are worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine (1 Timothy 5:17-18), and that the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel (1 Corinthians 9:14).

Yet Paul also gave up that right at times. In Corinth he supported himself by his own work, so as not to put an obstacle in the way of the gospel (1 Corinthians 9:12, 15; see also Acts 18:3). To the Ephesian elders he said that he had coveted no one's silver or gold, and he reminded them of the words of Jesus, "It is more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts 20:33-35).

Both patterns are biblical. In much of the world, Pentecostal pastors work during the week as farmers, teachers or traders. Others serve full-time, supported by a church that can afford it. The goal is a fair provision, set by the church leaders openly.

Giving in the Church

The people of God give. Under the law the tithe was the first tenth, and many Pentecostal churches teach tithing as a good way to give regularly, with offerings beyond it. Paul's teaching for the church is this: "So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver" (2 Corinthians 9:7). Giving should be willing, joyful and regular. A pastor should teach giving as worship and as an act of trust, and never as a tool of pressure. He should never promise that a gift to the church will certainly bring riches in return. We take that teaching up in Unit 6.

Handling Church Money Honestly

Paul was careful with money. When he collected the offering for the poor in Jerusalem, he arranged for brothers chosen by the churches to travel with him, so that no one could blame him for the way the gift was handled; he wanted to be honorable "not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men" (2 Corinthians 8:20-21). If an apostle took such care, so should we.

Sound practices include these.

1. Keep personal and church money separate. Never use church funds for personal needs without the knowledge and approval of the board.

2. Count offerings with two people who are not close relatives, and record the total in writing at once.

3. Have a written budget approved by the board or the church.

4. Require two signatures or two approvals for large payments.

5. Do not set your own salary. The board or the church leaders should set it, and the church should know in general how its pastor is supported.

6. Give regular reports to the church, so that members can see how the money was used.

7. Arrange a review of the accounts each year by trusted persons who are not the treasurer.

8. Follow the law of your country on registration and taxes (Romans 13:1-7).

9. Keep records of foreign gifts, and put partnership terms in writing (see Unit 3).

10. Care for the poor. Keep a benevolence fund and report on it, since the early church gave to those in need (Acts 4:34-35).

None of these practices shows distrust. They protect the pastor from accusation, the treasurer from temptation and the church from loss.

Fair Objections and Pentecostal Answers

Objection 1: A true pastor should never be paid, because Paul worked with his hands.

Some believers hold that full-time paid ministry creates a professional class and that pastors should support themselves.

Our answer. Paul's example is honorable, and in many places bivocational ministry is the only possible pattern. But Paul himself taught that those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel, and he gave up that right only for the sake of the gospel in one place. Both models are biblical. The church should decide in prayer according to its situation.

Objection 2: Questioning a pastor touches "God's anointed."

Some leaders quote the words "Do not touch My anointed ones" (see 1 Chronicles 16:22) to silence criticism, and critics say this protects abuse.

Our answer. The warning is serious, and it can be misused. We note that the text in its setting speaks of God protecting His people, and does not say that leaders cannot be examined. The New Testament commands that an accusation against an elder be received on the evidence of two or three witnesses, and that those who persist in sin be rebuked before all (1 Timothy 5:19-20). The Bereans were praised for checking even Paul's teaching in the Scriptures (Acts 17:11). A true anointing welcomes the light.

Objection 3: Financial accountability shows a lack of faith or trust.

Some say that church money is a matter between the pastor and God, and that audits insult the pastor.

Our answer. Paul himself chose openness. Good accounts do not insult honest leaders. They protect them. Money scandals often grow where no one is allowed to look.

Objection 4: Wealthy pastors prove that God blesses faithful ministry.

Some point to the large incomes of certain pastors as proof that God rewards faithful ministry.

Our answer. The Bible does not allow us to read a pastor's income as a sign of God's favor or displeasure. Many faithful servants have lived poorly, and Paul knew how to be abased and how to abound. The test is whether the money was honestly received, openly handled and generously used. Unit 6 studies prosperity teaching and its critics in full.

Pastoral Application

Pastor Rafael leads a church of about two hundred in a town in western Mexico. The treasurer is his brother-in-law, who keeps the books at home. No receipts are given, and offerings are counted by the treasurer alone. Nothing has been proved wrong, but a few members have begun to ask questions, and Rafael hears rumors. He is hurt and wants to ignore them.

First, Rafael prays and reads 2 Corinthians 8:20-21. He sees that his answer should be openness and not defense.

Second, he speaks privately and kindly with his brother-in-law, saying that the change protects both of them, and does not suggest any wrong.

Third, he asks the elders to approve simple rules: two unrelated persons count the offerings and sign the count; receipts are given for gifts; the books are kept at the church; large payments need two signatures.

Fourth, the elders ask two respected members from outside the family to review the accounts and report to the church once a year. The pastor's salary is set by the elders and not by himself.

Fifth, Rafael teaches the church about cheerful giving from 2 Corinthians 9:7, and he asks the church to pray for the treasurer's work.

Within a year the rumors fade, and the brother-in-law says he is relieved to share the responsibility.

Summary

The pastor is a shepherd called by the Holy Spirit, who must first take heed to himself and then to the flock. Scripture's lists for overseers stress character: faithful marriage, self-control, hospitality, honesty with money and a good reputation. Gifts and anointing are not proof of character. Pastors face three great dangers: money, sex and power. Safeguards include open counseling arrangements, early honesty with spouse and elders, servant leadership, the protection of children and the vulnerable, and the obligation to obey the law. A fallen leader should be treated with truth and mercy, but restoration to fellowship does not always mean restoration to office. Scripture supports the payment of ministers and also honors the bivocational example of Paul. Giving should be cheerful and not pressured. Church money should be handled openly: separate funds, two counters, a budget, two signatures, salaries set by the board, regular reports and an annual review. We answer the objections that pastors should never be paid, that questioning a pastor touches God's anointed, that accountability shows no trust, and that wealth proves God's blessing. The honest shepherd welcomes the light.

Further Reading

• Donald E. Miller and Tetsunao Yamamori, Global Pentecostalism (2007).

• J. Kwabena Asamoah-Gyadu, Contemporary Pentecostal Christianity (2013).

• Allan Anderson, An Introduction to Pentecostalism (2nd ed., 2014).

• Douglas Petersen, Not by Might nor by Power (1996).

• Jonathan Edwards, The Distinguishing Marks of a Work of the Spirit of God (1741), on testing spiritual claims by their fruit.

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