Bribed?

You will hear everlastingly that the rich man cannot be bribed. The fact is, of course, that the rich man is bribed; he has been bribed already. That is why he is a rich man. The whole case for Christianity is that a man who is dependent upon the luxuries of this life is a corrupt man, spiritually corrupt, politically corrupt, financially corrupt." G.K. Chesterton, Orthodoxy

I've read recently that 16,000 pastors leave the ministry every year. The pastor that discipled me as a new Christian is now out of the pastorate; he's working for a parachurch group and has a title of "church planting coach." I know enough about the finances of church planting to know he's probably not going to get rich in this position.

But he made that decision a long time ago. He left a good-paying job in corporate America, and with 4 children at home became a church-planting pastor for the PCA. Over the course of the last 15 years that church grew but apparently has shrunk back to meeting in a hotel lobby, his first grandchild was born severely handicapped, and his wife died a slow, painful death.

Other pastors I've known have also dared to give up wealth in exchange for a hard life in the ministry. Compared to them, I'm taking the bribe. The main reason why I plan to stay in my current good-paying job is because it's a guaranteed paycheck and in several years I can retire and draw lifetime benefits. Yet, I get praised by strangers for "serving my country" while pastors quietly serve a flock who gives more scorn than thanks.

Chesterton's judgment is just; I am corrupt and in need of courage to reject the bribe.