Quote:
Originally Posted by Evangelical
If there is giving by free will to support someone it is not a salary.
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Do you mean giving by free will by the saints who offer money to the church knowing that the church has discretion over how that money is used, including using it to support elders or serving ones?
Or, do you mean giving by free will by the church to the serving ones?
Or, do you mean when certain saints or localities (outside of the locality in question) know of a serving one who needs to be supported and, of their own free will, "pledge" (for lack of a better word) to provide that support for a particular serving one for either a specified or unspecified period of time?
In your most recent response to Nell, which I read after I wrote the three paragraphs above, you contrasted a pastor receiving an ongoing salary of $56k with the local churches supporting elders "by free will giving". I cannot say that I see the difference without a further explanation of what you mean by free will giving. I'm not trying to belabor the point; I am really trying to understand.
I believe more often than not it is the norm for those elders or serving ones who receive support to be able to expect that support in a regular, ongoing, consistent (monthly? bi-monthly?) way until or unless funds run out (i.e. what we all would call "a salary")............just like in a denomination.