28 July 2007
column
Kampala — THEY preach the gospel. They nourish people's souls. They lead and guide the flock. Religious leaders do the work of God faithfully, and in many cases it's the Christians, through church collections, who financially support them in executing church duties and meeting their expenses.
Looking after God's servants is biblical, as seen in 1 Corinthians 9:14. "In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel."
However, can't religious leaders be financially independent of their churches?
Pastor Stephen Ssenfuma of United Christian Centre, Kasubi believes they can. He says that although it is their right to be supported by the churches, church leaders can as well live without reliance on churches. "They can work. God is not against work," he says, stressing that some pastors are educated and therefore have skills which they can apply and work to earn a living.
In the Protestant church, there are priests who are formally employed, but who continue to carry out their priestly functions. According to the Rev. Can. Alfred Kweteisa of St. Andrew's Church, Bukoto, these are called tentmakers.
Kweteisa says their role is deeply rooted in the history of the Anglican Church.
"They derive their name from St Paul who was a tentmaker and a preacher of the gospel. Like him, they do their private work and still dedicate themselves to the work of God," he says.
Kweteisa says priests should set up income-generating projects like businesses so that they have a private income source.
Financial independence from churches helps priests not to be perceived as being burdens to their churches.
Paul observed that this burdening can hinder the spreading of the gospel.
"If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you? If others have this right of support from you, shouldn't we have it all the more? But we did not use this right. On the contrary, we put up with anything rather than hinder the gospel of Christ," (1 Corinthians 9:11-12).
Ssenfuma says writing books has boosted his finances and urges other religious leaders to apply their skills and abilities to earning some money.
He, however, warns that when doing such work, priests should not forget their primarily function of serving and seeking God.
Preaching the gospel can also be done voluntarily. As Paul says in 1Corinthians 9:16-17, even voluntary work is rewarded in God's kingdom.
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