Prophets Can No Longer Afford to Profit

If you ever plan on speaking for God one day, and feel called to do so, don't ever plan on making a dime for your troubles.

Rather, plan on being like the apostle Paul and many of his companions, who seldom took so much as a dime to cover even their personal expenses.  Prefer to pursue your holy calling while you work as a janitor, mechanic, nurse, office worker, manager, accountant, banker, or some other profession.

There is no shortage of men and women who feel "called" to "full-time vocational ministry."  And while I have no problem whatsoever with men and women doing such, I feel it in my bones that such a calling should be exceptionally rare.  We should seek to persuade as many people as possible, as often as possible, away from such a pursuit.  Especially young ministers, who so easily glamorize the idea, and make it a personal goal.

Prophets can no longer afford to profit from their ministries.

There is too much at stake.  Hard times are coming, and difficult decisions will have to be made.  The decision to do the easy thing, and accept money as compensation for your labors, that will cost you more than you think.

A paycheck will cost you your reputation, and your loss of reputation will cost you influence, and your loss of influence will choke whatever words that issue out of your mouth, and cause them to fall on deaf ears.  And in the process, you'll make a liar out of God who said His Word would not return unto Him void.

Don't do that.  I've myself have made stupid choices myself over the years that have cost me such.  I've seen God's Word die because of my destructive actions.  And I don't want to see the same thing happen with you.

Instead of seeking vocational ministry, prefer to seek "bi-vocational ministry."  Consider it the new normal.

Learn about as much of the Word as you can from godly men and women.  Be a scholar.  Be active in the life of your church.  Pound the street as well as the pulpit.  And don't look at your career outside the church as "secular" employment, but rather, see your career as part of your "holy" calling.

And whenever possible, prophesy.