What practical steps can we take to ensure church workers are supported? Seeing the Problem (Nehemiah 13:10) “I also discovered that the portions for the Levites had not been given to them; so that the Levites and singers performing the work had each gone back to his own field.” When ministry workers must abandon their calling to make ends meet, the worship life of the people suffers. The passage pushes us to act so that servants of the church can stay focused on their God-given tasks. Build a Culture of Faithful Giving • Teach the tithe and generous offerings regularly (Malachi 3:10; 2 Corinthians 9:6–7). • Make giving simple—envelopes, online platforms, recurring drafts. • Share testimonies of how faithful giving fuels ministry. • Offer financial discipleship classes so households can budget to give. Set Church Budgets That Prioritize Workers • Allocate first dollars, not leftover dollars, to salaries and benefits (1 Timothy 5:17–18). • Provide adequate health coverage, retirement contributions, and cost-of-living adjustments. • Build a sabbatical line item so long-term staff can rest and return refreshed (Mark 6:31). • Fund continuing education to sharpen gifts for the body (2 Timothy 2:15). Create Practical Support Teams • Administrative volunteers to reduce clerical load. • Meal trains and childcare for busy seasons or crisis moments. • Property and tech crews so pastors aren’t changing light bulbs at midnight. • “Aaron and Hur” intercessory groups who pray specifically for staff (Exodus 17:12). Honor and Encourage Publicly and Privately • Schedule appreciation Sundays and milestone celebrations (Romans 13:7). • Send handwritten notes or texts of gratitude after sermons, visits, or events. • Encourage children’s classes and youth groups to create cards or videos. • Guard leaders’ reputations—refuse gossip; address concerns biblically (1 Timothy 5:19). Maintain Transparent Accountability • Elect a finance committee that includes non-staff members. • Provide quarterly giving and expense reports to the congregation. • Conduct annual external audits to build trust (2 Corinthians 8:20–21). • Rotate counters and require dual signatures on checks. Offer Ongoing Spiritual and Emotional Care • Pair staff with mature mentors for confidential counsel (Proverbs 11:14). • Subsidize Christian counseling when burdens grow heavy. • Encourage regular days off and enforce vacation time. • Host retreats where workers can worship without leading. Model Generosity in Leadership • Elders and deacons lead the way in visible, sacrificial giving (1 Peter 5:3). • Leaders share stories of God’s provision to inspire faith. • Invite younger believers to participate in benevolence projects alongside seasoned givers. Keep the Mission in View • Remind the body that supporting workers accelerates gospel advance (Philippians 4:16-17). • Celebrate baptisms, testimonies, and mission reports so people see the fruit of their investment. • Pray corporately that God will “raise up and send out laborers into His harvest” (Luke 10:2) and that every need of those laborers “will be supplied according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19). |
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