Muzi, a millennial college graduate, once gave up studying theology due to a fear of the hard life of a preacher and denied the call of God. Later, she went to the workplace but soon she quit her work and enrolled in a seminary. Now, she is about to be a theology graduate, what does she think of the inevitable topic of the salary of grassroots pastors?
“I have made certain psychological preparations for choosing this path.” For the topic of the salary of pastors, Muzi had thought about it before going to the seminary. She experienced it in the process of studying theology, and now she can calmly face it. In fact, it is not easy for her to have such a mindset.
Muzi grew up in the church because her mother is a Christian. Her faith in God took root when she was in college and desired to study theology. However, this idea was put off when she saw the hard life of the pastoral couple in her fellowship. “The missionary couple had such a hard life, and I thought I could wait until I earned ‘enough’ money, then I can start to serve God. I didn’t want to live such a hard life,” she said.
After graduation from the university, Muzi found a satisfactory job, and planned to complete her dream of “earning enough money”. She still insisted on participating in church services during that period. After such a period of time, she fell into a painful and confusing situation, not knowing what to do in the future. It was then a sermon about money from a pastor that opened her eyes.
She thought to herself, “When will I make ‘enough’ money and how much money will I be satisfied with? Do I have to wait until I’m 70 or 80 years old to start to serve God? I don’t have much money, but I want to dedicate my precious youth to God. As for life, as the book of Proverbs says, I shall neither be poor nor rich, but God will give me enough.”
In this way, Muzi entered her dream seminary at her own expense. It was the beginning of a time of great memories and money struggles.
In a few years of study, Muzi got to know many schoolmates, learned a great deal of theological knowledge, and realized the importance of continuous learning. She also experienced two sicknesses and was successfully treated. She had been out of school for a year and a half due to illness and had been disappointed in love, but after all these experiences, she felt there was a divine grace in everything.
Studying at her own expense, she had to experience the financial pressures some pastors are facing while she was on campus. At first, it was her parents who supplied her, which made her feel guilty. After all, it was embarrassing for her to rely on her parents when she was already an adult. Besides, those two years of being sick cost much money. In response, she wanted to find some way to make money.
Muzi tried to write articles to earn some contribution fees, and the church also began to give some subsidies to her. She has hardly spent any of her parents’ money in the past two years, thanks to subsidies and work-study jobs.
Now, in the face of the choice after graduation, for Muzi, salary is a part of her decision process, but not the biggest aspect. She concerns more about how to apply what she has learned. As what she learned in school is mostly book learning, and what she needs after graduation is practical practice. She feels a little nervous about this and also feels that the real beginning of learning is to serve the church.
“All things happened until today are full of God’s grace.” In the face of the uncertain future, Muzi said, “When a few choices are in front of me, there will be some confusion, and I may not know how to choose. I hope that God can help me choose, and lead me to the most appropriate place. But I feel quite at peace because I feel that wherever I go, I’ll serve there at ease. I trust that God will have the best guidance for me.”
- Translated by Nicolas Cao
沐子姐妹，一位90后的大学毕业生，曾因害怕过传道人的苦日子而放弃了读神学的感动；后来，走上工作岗位的她却辞职进入了神学院；如今，即将神学研究生毕业的她，是如何看待传道人待遇这一不可回避的话题呢?
“选择了这条路，是有了一定的心理准备的。”对于传道人待遇这个话题，沐子姐妹在准备进入神学院时就思考过，读神学的过程中也在经历着，如今她可以坦然面对。实际上，她能够拥有这样的心态并不容易。
沐子姐妹从小跟着母亲信耶稣，在大学时信仰扎下了根，那时她就想要读神学。然而，当时她所在团契的传道人夫妇的艰苦生活让她望而却步。“那对传道人夫妇生活的可苦了，我就想我要等自己‘赚够’钱再去服侍神，不想过那么苦的日子。”
大学毕业后，沐子如愿走上了工作岗位，想要完成自己“赚够”钱的愿望，期间她仍坚持参与教会的服侍。如此一段时间后，她陷入到痛苦、迷茫的处境中，不知未来何去何从。此时，一位牧师关于金钱的讲道开启了她的心窍。
她领悟道：“我什么时候能赚‘够’呢，多少钱我会满足呢？难道我要等七老八十了再来服侍神吗？我没有很多钱，我想把我最宝贵的青春献给神；至于生活，就是像箴言书说的那样，使我不贫穷也不富足，上帝给我‘够用’的状态就好。”
就这样，沐子自费进入了曾经梦想的神学院，开启了一段有着美好回忆，同时也有着在金钱上挣扎的日子。
在几年的学习中，沐子认识了很多的同学，学到了一些神学知识，意识到不断学习的重要性，还经历过两次病得医治；她也曾因为生病休学过一年半，还失恋过，但是经历过来之后，她觉得一切都有神的美意在其中。
因为是自费读神学，一些传道人要面临的经济压力沐子在读书时就经历了。起初是父母供应她，这让她心里有些愧疚，毕竟年龄大了还啃老，是挺不好意思的。而且，生病那两年又花了不少钱。对此，她想找一些赚钱的出路。
沐子尝试写文章赚些稿费，教会也开始给些补助。读研之后学校也有补助，加上在学校有勤工俭学的岗位，这两年她几乎没怎么花过家里的钱了。
如今，在面临毕业后的选择，对沐子而言，待遇是考虑的一部分，但不是最大的方面，她担心的是如何学以致用。因为在学校学的多是书本知识，毕业之后需要的是实操，她因此有些紧张。她觉得，进入服侍禾场才是学习的真正开始吧。
“一路走到今天，满满的神的恩典。”面对还有些不确定的未来，沐子说道，“当几个选择摆在面前的时候，会有些迷茫，不知道该如何选择，会希望上帝来帮我选择，带领我到一个最合适的地方；但心里还是蛮平安的，因为感觉去哪里都好，无论去哪里，就安心在那里服侍。相信上帝会对我有最好的带领。”
即将毕业的这位神学研究生，是如何看待传道人待遇的？
Muzi, a millennial college graduate, once gave up studying theology due to a fear of the hard life of a preacher and denied the call of God. Later, she went to the workplace but soon she quit her work and enrolled in a seminary. Now, she is about to be a theology graduate, what does she think of the inevitable topic of the salary of grassroots pastors?
“I have made certain psychological preparations for choosing this path.” For the topic of the salary of pastors, Muzi had thought about it before going to the seminary. She experienced it in the process of studying theology, and now she can calmly face it. In fact, it is not easy for her to have such a mindset.
Muzi grew up in the church because her mother is a Christian. Her faith in God took root when she was in college and desired to study theology. However, this idea was put off when she saw the hard life of the pastoral couple in her fellowship. “The missionary couple had such a hard life, and I thought I could wait until I earned ‘enough’ money, then I can start to serve God. I didn’t want to live such a hard life,” she said.
After graduation from the university, Muzi found a satisfactory job, and planned to complete her dream of “earning enough money”. She still insisted on participating in church services during that period. After such a period of time, she fell into a painful and confusing situation, not knowing what to do in the future. It was then a sermon about money from a pastor that opened her eyes.
She thought to herself, “When will I make ‘enough’ money and how much money will I be satisfied with? Do I have to wait until I’m 70 or 80 years old to start to serve God? I don’t have much money, but I want to dedicate my precious youth to God. As for life, as the book of Proverbs says, I shall neither be poor nor rich, but God will give me enough.”
In this way, Muzi entered her dream seminary at her own expense. It was the beginning of a time of great memories and money struggles.
In a few years of study, Muzi got to know many schoolmates, learned a great deal of theological knowledge, and realized the importance of continuous learning. She also experienced two sicknesses and was successfully treated. She had been out of school for a year and a half due to illness and had been disappointed in love, but after all these experiences, she felt there was a divine grace in everything.
Studying at her own expense, she had to experience the financial pressures some pastors are facing while she was on campus. At first, it was her parents who supplied her, which made her feel guilty. After all, it was embarrassing for her to rely on her parents when she was already an adult. Besides, those two years of being sick cost much money. In response, she wanted to find some way to make money.
Muzi tried to write articles to earn some contribution fees, and the church also began to give some subsidies to her. She has hardly spent any of her parents’ money in the past two years, thanks to subsidies and work-study jobs.
Now, in the face of the choice after graduation, for Muzi, salary is a part of her decision process, but not the biggest aspect. She concerns more about how to apply what she has learned. As what she learned in school is mostly book learning, and what she needs after graduation is practical practice. She feels a little nervous about this and also feels that the real beginning of learning is to serve the church.
“All things happened until today are full of God’s grace.” In the face of the uncertain future, Muzi said, “When a few choices are in front of me, there will be some confusion, and I may not know how to choose. I hope that God can help me choose, and lead me to the most appropriate place. But I feel quite at peace because I feel that wherever I go, I’ll serve there at ease. I trust that God will have the best guidance for me.”
- Translated by Nicolas Cao
What Does the Soon-to-be Graduate Seminary Student Think of 'Low Pastor Salaries' ?
