In 1 Timothy 5, Paul instructs Timothy on church leaders and states, “the worker is worthy of his wages” (1 Tim 5:18b). This verse, along with others, have long been used to support the concept of vocational Christian workers, including pastors and missionaries. The funds that these laborers receive are salaries or wages that are provided for ministerial work that is performed to serve the body. This is evident throughout the modern church. Local churches employee not only pastors, but a wide range of staff including, but not limited to, associate pastors, outreach coordinators, communications staff, and children’s ministers. These “employees” receive a salary for their work and so long as they continue in their position, their salary is unaffected by changes in their family or personal finances.
Can this be said of missionaries or is there a different standard? Are missionaries paid for their work or are they supported because of their needs? Here is a question to help us assess this issue. Suppose you are a missionary, receiving a salary derived from support raised funds. Suppose further that despite objections to lotteries, you nonetheless bought a lottery ticket and won several million dollars. Would you continue to receive support?
If an architect, or a waiter, or a pilot, or even a pastor won the lottery, but still came to work the next day, would they be denied wages because it was deemed that they did not need the money? Certainly not because their wages are for their work. This is no different for full-time vocational missionaries. They have dedicated themselves to a vocation, that is cross cultural evangelism or church planting or a related work, and they are worthy of their wages.
Missionaries should not be raising support because of their needs. There is nothing in the Bible to support the idea that capable men and women should be financially supported on a long term basis simply because they have “needs.” Paul is clear on this matter. Orphans and widows, and only widows who met specific criteria, are to be for cared on an ongoing basis. Those who are able to work should and those who choose not to work “should not eat.”
Church members should support missionaries, but not because of their needs, but because of their work. There should be no different judgement applied to the lifestyle of missionaries than that of the lifestyle of any other church member. The Bible makes no distinction between different roles in the church and the material benefits associated with each. Will missionaries make unique sacrifices for the Kingdom? Of course. But that is the nature of a body made up of different parts. Those different parts will have different experiences and different challenges. However, they will not be alone and those who are supported by the church for their vocational ministry work are worthy of their wages for the work they do.