Should Pastors Be Paid? (1 Corinthians: part 18)

We all sacrifice something for the sake of something else — but what are you willing to give up for the sake of the gospel? In this message from 1 Corinthians 9, Pastor Alex Williams tackles a question that surprises a lot of people: should pastors and ministry leaders be paid for their work? Paul defends his apostleship against critics in Corinth who claimed that because he refused payment, he wasn't a legitimate apostle. Along the way, Paul lays out a clear, biblical case for why those who preach the gospel deserve to be supported — and then explains why he personally chose to give up that right.

This sermon walks through Paul's arguments from everyday life (soldiers, farmers, shepherds), from the Law of Moses, and from the example of the Old Testament priesthood, before turning to Paul's deeper purpose: becoming "all things to all people" so that the gospel could spread without obstacles. It closes with a challenge for every believer — not just pastors — about what we're willing to sacrifice for the sake of others knowing Jesus.