To be a millionaire of itself is not wrong. If the pastor of a church makes wise investments with his own money, he can enjoy it and use it wisely—it is a gift from God (Ecclesiastes 5:19).
Bible-Based Questions
However, if he is paid millions from what the church provides in a salary, the question may be how it got to that level.
A church should be looking out for their pastor, but is paying a pastor millions necessary for his lifestyle?
What does it look like to people outside the church (cf. Colossians 4:5)?
Is it a good testimony, paying a pastor so much (cf. 1 Thessalonians 5:22)?
Does it create an enticement for those who are not Christians to enter the ministry (i.e. hirelings, cf. John 10:12-13)?
A pastor should also be considering those points. It is also worth asking how or why a pastor would allow his pay to be well beyond what is necessary for a comfortable life.
Could not that money be used to further the kingdom of God elsewhere?
A Pastor's Office Is Not for Money
Peter tells us not to take the office of pastor for the money (1 Peter 5:1–3) but to feed the sheep and be an example to them. Paying a pastor millions would be a strong temptation to take the position for the wrong reason (cf. Romans 16:18).
Conclusion
It is not for me or anyone to condemn this pastor or the church, but we are called to question practices in matters of the Christian faith (i.e. judge; cf. John 7:24, 1 Corinthians 6:2, 5 and 10:15, Luke 12:57, 1 John 4:1).
By Jerry Smith
Feature image: Photo by Dmitry Moraine on Unsplash
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