I'm seeing him by myself first, then probably my husband and I will go together at least once. I'm not an official member of this church (United Methodist) yet - I've been going now about 5 months. It will be on a weekday afternoon. I've never done anything like this and discussing fees and money makes me very uncomfortable. He just baptised my baby and I gave $50 to the church in her name. We're on a single income and money is really, really tight right now.
Help?
2007-11-28 14:18:46 · 24 answers · asked by Watermelon 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Whoa, I should clarify!
I've only emailed him asking to meet. He never brought up the subject of money. I'm just wondering and trying to find out before I meet with him.
2007-11-28 14:33:26 · update #1
Jesus M:
First, I am aware that not everyone follows the practice of infant baptism, but it hardly makes my pastor or his denomination "false". She can get dunked later if she wants.
And second, the money was given as part of the regular offering, not to the pastor as a gift or payment.
2007-11-28 14:51:42 · update #2
My experience as a pastor is that if I performed a wedding or a funeral then I was given something for it. Never did I receive or ask for money for counseling. I would have been offended to take money for that. My love for you would outweigh any monetary consideration. I once refused to take money for a funeral in the beginning of my ministry and found that I denied a husband one final thing he could do for his wife. I later accepted his money and he was very happy about it.
2007-11-28 14:25:40 · answer #1 · answered by Fish <>< 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I agree, tithe is biblical.
It is hard, I grew up doing it as a habit, but my husband didn't initially so when we started, it was VERY painful.
It kind of comes down to whether or not you trust God to take care of you. I understand, with a young married couple, 10% of your income could mean the difference between living comfortably and living paycheck to paycheck and maybe even bouncing once in a while.
Paying a pastor for counseling is not the norm though. That is part of his duty as a pastor.
2007-11-28 22:24:31 · answer #2 · answered by Elise 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Normally a Methodist pastor does not charge for counseling. That is part of the job for which he receives a salary from the church.
However you should give what you can to the church in the offering to enable him to continue to counsel others. But no Methodist pastor would refuse you counsel if you did not give, nor charge you for it.
2007-11-28 22:26:27 · answer #3 · answered by dewcoons 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Your pastor is a false paster who is in a false religion. In the bible, a young child should not supposed to be baptized because the child is still young to know what is right and what is wrong. He has not yet committed a sin to be baptized at young age. You know, baptism is the washing away of sin.
One more point against your pastor is his acceptance of payment of his services in batizing your chjild. It was stated in the bible that what was recived free should be given free. If he really received the grace to baptized men, he should not let you pay for it because he receive that grace to |God without any money considereation, whdy did he ask you to pay him.
I b elieve your pastor is also charging you fee of 10% f rom your income,, which is not allowed in the bible now. The 10% of your income was only addressed to the Isarael people during the time of Moses. You are no longer covered with that instruction of God to the Israel people. You read more the bible to udnderstand very well what it was w ritten.
2007-11-28 22:31:01 · answer #4 · answered by Jesus M 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋
I think providing counseling is part of a pastor's job, and you shouldn't pay him, or even offer to. I have never heard of a pastor being paid for counseling. I suppose you could make him or buy him something small for Christmas, or give him a card thanking him.
2007-11-28 22:23:14 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
OH MY GOODNESS!!! DO NOT PAY YOUR PASTOR TO COUNSEL YOU!! That's nonsense....He's after it for the money. Ask yourself this....would Jesus, or even, DID Jesus make anybody in the Bible pay Him to get healed, to get saved, to get free from their sin???? Did we pay Jesus to die on the cross for us so that we can have eternal life?
It's called ministry- service.. If you pastor cannot give you Godly counsel without charging you for it, you need to move to a different church, because God is not in that, at all. Shoot, I'll give you some Godly counsel and you don't have to pay me nothing. That's where the love of Jesus comes in.
2007-11-28 22:23:16 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I really think he would understand. I understand though, I would probably feel the same myself, but really, let him know you would love to give a gift to the church for his help but that you have none to spare at the moment. I'm sure he will understand. At least he should, being a Christian.
2007-11-28 22:23:47 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Most pastor's do not charge, and any lay counselor with in the church does not charge. It's perfectly to ask at the end of a session, "and, how much do I owe you for today's session?"
2007-11-28 22:23:13 · answer #8 · answered by ~ luv sis 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
One doesn't usually pay the pastor for counseling. It's part of his duty to the church.
2007-11-28 22:21:14 · answer #9 · answered by Justsyd 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I would think your tithe should cover any and all pastoral work he does for you.
Money is often tight, that's the reality in America. If you aren't giving anything to the church you attend, how tight do you think the money is for the pastor? I am not sitting in judgment over you, just posing the question.
2007-11-28 22:20:40 · answer #10 · answered by Ryan H 4 · 1⤊ 2⤋