“Be shepherds over the flock God has entrusted to you. Watch over it as God does: Don’t do this because you have to, but because you want to. Don’t do it out of greed, but out of a desire to serve” (1 Peter 5:2 GW).
Modern translations of 1 Peter 5:2 encourage pastoral leaders to avoid the characteristic qualities of greed (CSB), “shameful profit” (NET), or “dishonest gain” (NKJV). However, the King James Version of this passage employs an archaic (but highly illustrative) phrase to express that idea. That phrase is “filthy lucre.” This word-picture helps convey the sordid nature of an attitude that compels someone to enter a position of ministry for the sake of financial gain.
While most pastoral ministers undoubtedly recoil from the slightest hint of a profit motive, this idea is worth exploring in a modern-day context. For instance, virtually every minister seeks to reach a wider audience in pursuit of the Great Commission. From the Apostle Paul’s first-century missionary journeys to contemporary video presentations, every reputable shepherd desires to take the ministry of God’s Word as far as He will permit. Nevertheless, there are two factors that warrant closer scrutiny in this regard: motives and tactics.
For example, a ministerial leader must guard against the impulse to monetize or commercialize his area of ministry. Such abuses are most evident in ministries that employ overt fundraising tactics and prioritize financial solicitations. We can find similar expressions in religious organizations that offer some object of alleged spiritual value in return for a financial donation. Anyone who is not seeking to peddle the Word of God for profit (2 Corinthians 2:17) will reject such tactics.
That being said, there is a difference between marketing techniques that honor God and those that do not. You see, it is good and appropriate for ministries to make their financial needs known in a respectful and God-honoring manner. The same is true for chargeable resources, for “…the laborer is worthy of his wages” (Luke 10:7). However, there is no place for coercion, manipulation, or compulsion in these areas. Leaders who follow that path risk violating the Scriptural tenet we find here in 1 Peter 5:2.
A good general guideline involves an appraisal of what a church or ministry charges for and what it does not. Many trustworthy ministries offer a selection of resources that are freely accessible. Additional materials are then made available for purchase, or to those who desire to invest in that ministry. This approach can help us identify those who exploit the work of the ministry for profit and those who have higher aspirations.