Growing up in the 70s in Nigeria , many of the priests doing fairly well were Orthodox Churches. They were often decked in colourful attires and lived in Vicarages. Many of the others struggled to feed themselves and send their children to good schools. It was not a time many wanted to be pastors. They were often seen as people to be pitied and given handouts. Many priests often visited members for the regular meals to entertain them and possible monies they might be given. Church members were not particularly generous to their men of God despite relying on Them for so many things. I recollect many broke men of God and their often rebelling children who didn't want to have anything to do with the church and their God. Maybe because they bore the brunt more than most.
The general contention was how was a man of God live? How much were they entitled to ? And who will determine that? Many pastors were under a board which were overbearing and often miserly when it came to remuneration of priests.
The general pattern was for the called individual to abandon all secular matters to oversee the affairs of the house of God and like Levites in the Bible, God was their portion. The problem was, nobody quite understood what that really meant. That translated to some churches lavishing their priests with lots and some paying them below the minimum wage. In the 70s in Nigeria, many didn't want to be pastors. What I'm trying to say is that it's been a pendulum and there was a time it was in a bad state. Many of these men of God struggled and many suffered in silence. Serving God was associated with living in penury. This was the accepted lot of men of God.
No comments:
Post a Comment