What is profit? Now, there's a subject for debate! In the business world, profit is the amount of revenue earned that exceeds gross cost. Before "net" profit can be claimed, the cost of operating a business including salaries must be considered.

In Paul's day there were many who saw an opportunity to take the message of salvation and sell it. That is, like any entrepreneur worth his "salt,", they discover creative ways to extract money from those for whom the message is given. Well, you know as well as me that it wasn't just in Paul's day that such a thing occurs. Turn on the radio to a gospel station any hour of the day and you'll most likely hear a plea for money from those who preach the gospel.

Are they wrong? Would Paul have included these modern preachers and ministries in his condemning statement accusing some of peddling the good news for money? Before you go off thinking collecting money for spreading the gospel is a bad thing, Paul himself did that. It takes money to do God's work. So then, what does it mean to peddle the gospel? As a minister, exactly when do you know you've crossed the line?

Many will disagree with me, but I believe the giving (and receiving) methods within the modern church have become a sort of peddling. It starts when a benefit is earned by giving, such as offering tax incentives to measure what you give and when. If you think I'm off-base, ninety percent of churches catch-up their annual budgets in December. Why? It's because those who personally earn a great deal of money would rather give it to the church rather than pay it to the government when it comes to declaring taxable income. Some incentive for loving the Lord's work, wouldn't you say?

Then there's the issue of public disclosure and sending contribution reports to members in January. What happened to giving in such a way only God knows the gift? Then there's radio ministries who sell materials to finance their work. It's been shown that sometime that a person is expected to give money in order for someone to intercede for them. Or what about the fact a larger giver earns a greater blessing. These atrocities have to be a stench in God's nostrils.

What did Paul do in order to avoid falling into this ministerial trap? First he declared no one was obliged to give. Second, he took what he had and used it to deliver what the gift(s) afforded. Thirdly, he never attached even indirectly, the necessity of being a giver, to receiving ministry. Fourthly, he minimized the importance of large gifts from large givers and instead focused on sacrificial, secret gifts from small donors.

Finally, Paul never used ignorance or the emotional vulnerability of someone to line his pockets with ministry "perks." Bottom line: if Paul had it, the ministry had free access to it. If the ministry needed it and Paul didn't have it, God took care of it through the willing gifts of God's people without a "special" plea. And if God didn't provide it, then Paul declared he didn't need it. Thus, he used the resources he had wisely, thanking God for the abundance and giving Him glory from the return, if any. That my friends, is how Jesus multiplied the bread and fed the multitudes and that is the way to run a ministry in His name.

1 Developed from Read the Bible Thru ( Jb. 28:1-30:31 2 Co. 2:9-17 Ps. 42:1-11 Pr. 22:7 )
2. Scripture comes from the Holy Bible, New International Version; (c)1978 by New York International Bible Society

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