This is the standard for us. Would that people, the Lord’s servants were like this today. Would that ministers and evangelists today were all like these travelling preachers. Christian ministry is a sacrificial work. The Christian minister is not necessarily meant to be grindingly poor, but nor is he meant to be rich. I learn with astonishment of even some Reformed ministers in the USA, I do not know of any in England, earning a million dollars a year. It took my breath away. A million dollars a year to preach the Gospel. ‘Oh, but he is a good preacher, and he has a great work, and he believes the right thing’ – except for this – ‘and he is Reformed.’ A million dollars a year! One particular brother, who is a fine Reformed preacher, his kind of chief-of-staff – I thought only prime ministers and presidents had chiefs-of-staff – came to see me, and I asked him frankly how much he earned. His chief-of-staff earned more than a high court judge in this country. Astounding!
If a church has a television program, it should never appeal for money. ‘Taking nothing of the Gentiles.’ It is a great principle here in 3 John as it is elsewhere in the Scriptures. Even if it risks leaving them short, you cannot do that. You see it constantly today. Have you ever watched these God-channels, and you see so many of the prosperity people raking in money, money is everything. Do not listen to them, do not touch them with a barge pole, take no notice of them, they are self-disqualifying. This is the standard of the Scripture.