KEEP THE HOUSE OF PRAYER: Facilitation Without Commercialization
The church is at a crossroads.
On one side, we have faithful men and women of God who are tired, underpaid, and carrying burdens with little support.
On the other side, we see a growing temptation to run ministry like a business — where attendance, offerings, and balance sheets have become the only proof of “success.”
Both extremes hurt the Body of Christ. So how do we walk the middle road that honors God, honors workers, and protects the sheep?
1. MINISTERS MUST BE FACILITATED
Let us say this plainly: “The laborer deserves his wages.” Luke 10:7
Paul was clear — “Those who preach the gospel should get their living from the gospel.” 1 Corinthians 9:14
A pastor with school fees to pay, rent to clear, and a family to feed cannot pour out fully if he is constantly stressed. A church that wants to grow must budget for the people God has called to serve.
Facilitation is biblical. It is not a favor. It is justice.
When we honor our priests, prophets, teachers, and servants, we honor the God who sent them. A well-facilitated minister is a focused minister.
2. BUT MINISTRY IS NOT A BUSINESS
Jesus entered the temple and was angry: “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a den of robbers.” Matthew 21:13
What makes a “den of robbers”?
When people become customers. When prayer is sold. When the poor are ignored because they “have no seed.” When sermons are crafted to trigger giving instead of repentance. When success is measured only by what came in, not by who was transformed.
Saul did the same in 1 Samuel 15. He spared the best and called it “sacrifice to the Lord.” God called it disobedience. “To obey is better than sacrifice.” 1 Samuel 15:22
When the balance sheet becomes our scorecard, we have missed the point. The church is not a company. It is a family. It is a hospital. It is a house of prayer.
3. THE BALANCE: HONOR WITHOUT EXPLOITATION
To Church Leaders:
1. Budget for people first. Pay your workers well and on time. Don’t spiritualize delay.
2. Be transparent. Let the church see where money goes. No “fat” hidden for personal gain.
3. Measure fruit, not just funds. Are marriages being restored? Are addicts free? Are disciples making disciples? That is success.
To Church Members/Followers:
1. Honor your leaders. Give cheerfully, not under compulsion. 2 Corinthians 9:7. Don’t wait for government to pay teachers while we expect pastors to work for free.
2. Give to God, not to impress man. Your giving is worship, not a transaction.
3. Guard the altar. If you see manipulation, fear tactics, or “pay to be prayed for,” speak up in love. The church belongs to Christ.
CONCLUSION: RETURN TO THE ALTAR
The early church was marked by 4 things: “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” Acts 2:42
No marketing team. No fundraising drives. Just prayer, Word, community, and the Spirit. And “the Lord added to their number daily.” Acts 2:47
Let us facilitate our ministers generously.
Let us also keep the church a House of Prayer, not a marketplace.
When we get the heart right, God will take care of both the souls and the resources.
“Shepherd the flock of God… not for shameful gain, but eagerly.” 1 Peter 5:2
For God and My Country.
Pastor Godfrey Tinka
Hillside Church Katalemwa
godfreyrevival@yahoo.com
