Should a preacher be paid through accounts payable or payroll, and how are his taxes handled?<\/p>\n\t
“Even so the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel<\/em>” (I Corinthians 9:14).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Paul argued in I Corinthians 9 that those who preach the gospel have the right to be paid. There is nothing in the Scriptures that specifies what accounting practice needs to used to make those payments. A congregation may select whichever means works best for their situation.<\/p>\n
The Scriptures do affirm that governments have the right to collect taxes and that Christians are to pay their taxes. “Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience’ sake. For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God’s ministers attending continually to this very thing. Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor<\/em>” (Romans 13:5-7). How those taxes are collected is up to the government.<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Question: Should a preacher be paid through accounts payable or payroll, and how are his taxes handled? Answer: “Even so the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel” (I Corinthians 9:14). Paul argued in I Corinthians 9 that those who preach the gospel have the right to be…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_seo_schema_type":"","footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[20],"tags":[154,1511],"class_list":["post-27630","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-answer","tag-church-funds","tag-preachers"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":17966,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/is-it-right-to-deduct-contributions-from-your-taxes\/","url_meta":{"origin":27630,"position":0},"title":"Is it right to deduct contributions from your taxes?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"February 23, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Is it okay to deduct\u00a0the money\u00a0that is\u00a0given\u00a0to the church each week from your taxes when you file\u00a0each year? Answer: The Scriptures teach that Christians should pay their taxes. \"Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":33031,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/i-lied-about-my-taxes-what-should-i-do\/","url_meta":{"origin":27630,"position":1},"title":"I lied about my taxes. What should I do?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"March 6, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: About 3 years ago I received a tax credit that I shouldn't have. I was claiming kids that I was legally allowed to claim but received a childcare credit for them also. Their mom paid the childcare fees and the daycare owner admitted to me that she altered the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":1433,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/should-a-preacher-be-paid-to-hold-a-gospel-meeting\/","url_meta":{"origin":27630,"position":2},"title":"Should a preacher be paid to hold a gospel meeting?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"May 11, 2004","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: One brother raised an objection that he believed that a preacher shouldn't be paid anything for holding a gospel meeting! The reason being that it would be paying to hear the gospel preached. What do you think? Answers: \"My defense to those who examine me is this: Do we\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":93183,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/why-dont-preachers-follow-pauls-example-and-not-accept-pay-for-preaching\/","url_meta":{"origin":27630,"position":3},"title":"Why don’t preachers follow Paul’s example and not accept pay for preaching?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 13, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: In I Corinthians 11:1, we are commanded to follow the example of the Bible, so why don't preachers today follow Paul's example and not take money for preaching so as not to hinder the Gospel of Christ? Reason I ask this question is because from 1950s-1970s preachers were ranked\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":30789,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/is-it-wrong-to-report-less-than-what-something-costs-so-as-to-pay-less-tax\/","url_meta":{"origin":27630,"position":4},"title":"Is it wrong to report less than what something costs so as to pay less tax?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"November 28, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I have some questions. Part of my job is running an importing business for my small shop. My supplier asked if she can lower the invoice price to make my tax smaller. Is this a sin? The people at the customs office offered me a cheaper solution to the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":45770,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/does-god-hold-us-responsible-when-we-pay-taxes-to-a-government-that-uses-the-money-for-sinful-purposes-such-as-funding-abortions\/","url_meta":{"origin":27630,"position":5},"title":"Does God hold us responsible when we pay taxes to a government that uses the money for sinful purposes, such as funding abortions?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"August 18, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I live in a State where Medicare covers abortions. Since our taxes pay for Medicare, will God hold us responsible for this? We are told in the Bible to pay taxes, but as citizens, we don't have control over how the money is spent. 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