ForSBCReform said: Certainly individuals make income in professional ministry. Pastors, church staff, counselors, et. al. All of the folks who write the books ultimately do it to make money. Is there a difference? What does the Bible say about making money? I know there are statements such as serving two masters and the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil, but what is truly out there with regards to making money? More than a couple of verses which can easily be misconstrued.
Does it go farther even? Is it wrong for the Christian to be in profit making business at all? Morally should there be money to made from healthcare? Construction? Groceries? All aspects of human life that can be constituted necessary, but we profit from those industries. Is that okay?
The workman is worthy of his hire (Luke 10:7) and the Lord has ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel (1 Cor. 9:14).
The executives of big corporations, the writers and translators they hire, and the proprietors of book stores that sell their merchandise are just earning a living. They have a right and duty to market and sell books that will earn the stockholders a profit including bibles. They are not living of the gospel; they are living off the marketplace. If they do not market or sell TNIV, it is only because they may lose an unacceptable number of customers by doing so.
The men who run church publishing houses, their writers, and book store managers operate under a completely different business paradigm. They serve one Master not many. They market and sell only books that are God pleasing no matter what the marketplace is calling for. They live of the gospel not the marketplace.
Last edited by speratus; Thu Jan 27, 200512:56 PM.
