BECAUSE HE DIVIDES HIS TIME BETWEEN THE VARIOUS CHURCHES IN HIS DISTRICT, THE PASTOR SPENDS VERY LITTLE TIME AT THE LOCAL CHURCH. SINCE LOCAL WORK IS PERFORMED BY VOLUNTEER MEMBERS, SHOULD THE PASTOR RECEIVE INCOME FROM TITHE ?
The Levites and even the priests from Aaron’s family dedicated much less time to the Tabernacle or Temple than a pastor dedicates to the church today, and that did not take away their right to tithe income. If tithe income is based on the time dedicated to the service of the church, the pastor’s dedication is much greater than the Levites’ was. On the other hand, the pastor ministers to several churches, and he does not get a salary from each one; a single salary takes care of all. As for the working time of the Levites, even when they were still a small tribe, they totaled thousands of members (Num. 4:47- 49; 1 Chron. 23:1-4), who lived in their “cities of refuge” (Num. 35) and only went to work in the service of the temple following a schedule system which did not include working every day or every week. Not all of them had priestly duties. Thousands served as judges, administrators, and other officials. Some served throughout their entire lives as gatekeepers, wood providers, musicians, keepers of part of the sanctuary, etc. (Read 1 Chron. 23:4 up to chapter 25.) They worked for 25 years but received wages from tithe all their lives, before and after they reached 50 years of age, when they became counselors of the younger generation (Num. 8:24, 25). In fact, their pay was not based on what they did in the temple, but on their total and exclusive dedication as ministers for life. They taught, administered, and represented their God before the people—they were doctrine-keepers. This is the type of ministry God expects as described in the Bible and in the Spirit of Prophecy. Despite its imperfections, that is how the Adventist ministry is. It cannot be measured using the same criteria as other common duties.
General Conference Ministerial Association
