Paid clergy

[dispirited]

I don't like talking on in church. I get anxiety, my bowels go crazy, I end up doing a ton of research, planning and writing a few weekends before, practicing over and over, timing it a few times, etc. Then I have two or three paragraphs or stories available just in case I need to fill the time. Of course when it comes time to give it a read it lake me a mad man forgetting everything I've practiced. I don't enjoy any part of it. Why can't we pay professional speakers to do it? We need paid clergy! It would make sacrament meeting better.

[Give It Time]

I don't like talking on in church. I get anxiety, my bowels go crazy, I end up doing a ton of research, planning and writing a few weekends before, practicing over and over, timing it a few times, etc. Then I have two or three paragraphs or stories available just in case I need to fill the time. Of course when it comes time to give it a read it lake me a mad man forgetting everything I've practiced. I don't enjoy any part of it. Why can't we pay professional speakers to do it? We need paid clergy! It would make sacrament meeting better.

The ones I've he heard deliver better sermons. I'm with you on the paid clergy for many reasons.

[2bizE]

We do. All of the brethren who talk in GC are paid....but you mean at the local level.

[Random]

We do. All of the brethren who talk in GC are paid....but you mean at the local level.

Ditto.

I thought this was going to be a post about the guys at the top who are paid "a modest stipend" with a few perks thrown in.

I don't think local speakers should be paid, but I think people who want to speak should be invited to speak (on any topic they think God wants them to speak on, but limited in time, because some people can go on and on and on and on), and those who don't like it should not be guilted into it. Example: a sign-up sheet passed around every month or so. If no one wants to talk, the congregation can sing some hymns and get out early.

[Mad Jax]

There's a reason I don't attend any church, even for social value. Flamboyant, self important hallelujah-mongers are a big part of the reason.

[Korihor]

I've really been enjoying this christian church, the pastor does a good job at studying and delivering a very thoughtful and intriguing sermon. A paid clergy does seem to have some benefits.
I'm torn on the matter as well. I think it is a great learning opportunity to give a talk in church. Helps us do something we wouldn't normally do and give us public speaking experience.

There are pros and cons. I think it can be very helpful but shouldn't be a foregone conclusion that everyone will give a talk and they should have a pastor/bishop/etc on clean up that actually knows how to give a good talk instead of just filling up time.

[redjay]

The closest village church has a paid minister. I get to hear her at my child's school events. TBH her sermons do not inspire me, at all. Her delivery is very poor.

However, I was saying to Mrs RJ on Sunday that the 3 local wards should have one paid minister/bishop,someone trained in counselling - marriage, bereavement etc.

We could afford it if the money never went to COB, and we could afford the upkeep of the buildings (UK here).

[Hagoth]

If my ward would hire John Hamer to preach I'd be there every week.

[el-asherah]

I should point out that the current Mormon mantra of an unpaid clergy (bishops) is in violation of the scriptures. The church used to have paid bishops.

D&C 51
13 And again, let the bishop appoint a storehouse unto this church; and let all things both in money and in meat, which are more than is needful for the wants of this people, be kept in the hands of the bishop.

14 And let him also reserve unto himself for his own wants, and for the wants of his family, as he shall be employed in doing this business.

Per D&C the bishop and his family are suppose to be compensated for his service to the church.

But what has happened is the apostles and first presidency have confiscated all the funds of the church so they can centrally control everything from Salt Lake.

If I remember my history correctly, this happened right around the time of the manifesto (~1890-1910), at the time tithes went to the local bishop and the local bishop also held the title on the chapels. The GAs was concerned that rogue fundamentalist bishops would take the tithe money, the chapels, and their congregations as they split from the church. So they consolidated the power in one central Presiding Bishop over the whole church.

To justify the power and money grab the apostles created the myth that the mormon church has an unpaid clergy. There is NO revelation voted upon by common consent of the church that says the church has an unpaid clergy.

The real heros on the front lines, doing battle, for countless hours, sacrificing everything, including their families and even their health are the bishops. The local bishops are now just pawns and expendable.

[Enoch Witty]

I should point out that the current Mormon mantra of an unpaid clergy (bishops) is in violation of the scriptures. The church used to have paid bishops.

D&C 51
13 And again, let the bishop appoint a storehouse unto this church; and let all things both in money and in meat, which are more than is needful for the wants of this people, be kept in the hands of the bishop.

14 And let him also reserve unto himself for his own wants, and for the wants of his family, as he shall be employed in doing this business.

Per D&C the bishop and his family are suppose to be compensated for his service to the church.

But what has happened is the apostles and first presidency have confiscated all the funds of the church so they can centrally control everything from Salt Lake.

If I remember my history correctly, this happened right around the time of the manifesto (~1890-1910), at the time tithes went to the local bishop and the local bishop also held the title on the chapels. The GAs was concerned that rogue fundamentalist bishops would take the tithe money, the chapels, and their congregations as they split from the church. So they consolidated the power in one central Presiding Bishop over the whole church.

To justify the power and money grab the apostles created the myth that the mormon church has an unpaid clergy. There is NO revelation voted upon by common consent of the church that says the church has an unpaid clergy.

The real heros on the front lines, doing battle, for countless hours, sacrificing everything, including their families and even their health are the bishops. The local bishops are now just pawns and expendable.

Sheesh, that is a quality first post. Welcome to the board.

[el-asherah]

Sheesh, that is a quality first post. Welcome to the board.

Thanks, I've been lurking for years, figured it was now my time to start giving back to the community

[1smartdodog]

Paying someone to do something does not necessarily get you a better product. I think the real problem is they try to fit every speaker into a box by detailing what they are to take about. Last talk I gave I really struggled to put my spin on the subject matter. But in reality I am a decent public speaker given some lattitude.

[Rebel]

This very point helped my shelf crash two years ago !!!!!!!! I was shocked to learn the truth after I had been lied to for 35 years !!

[Dravin]

Why can't we pay professional speakers to do it? We need paid clergy! It would make sacrament meeting better.

Honestly I think why the church needs paid clergy is so you have trained people acting as counselors rather than Randy McPharmacist doling out marital or post-rape counseling. This is assuming that if you're paying for clergy you're paying for trained clergy, take Randy McPharmacist and giving him a salary doesn't magically give him training.

If they can snag someone who gives a nice sermon it'd be a plus, but honestly if they wanted sacrament meetings to be more entertaining and palatable they could probably manage it with volunteers but they'd have to give up consistency and I'm not sure that's palatable to the church at this point.