A Perfect Plan

In the late 60s my Real Husband and I were living in the country parsonage and serving the Three-Point-Circuit (three small, country churches) and commuting one hundred miles daily to Emory University in Atlanta (the cultural equivalent of visiting another planet.)

Despite all of our differences we learned to love and respect our parishioners and they loved us as I'm sure they did every preacher's family. Since all they ever had were student pastors they were the ones who did the on the job training.

My Real Husband was frustrated with the amount of time he could give these people. They deserved more than "very" part time ministry. They had tremendous needs - spiritual, emotional, physical and financial.

We were both humbled at how much they came to us for answers. I'm not equating myself with being the minister here but my husband (at this point) was as clueless as I was. We felt like we didn't have the time, theological education or cultural background to be of much help.

So my Real Husband came up with this plan. Even though the church's income barely covered outgo (he received a salary of $2,500 per year) he believed that they could afford a full time pastor if they had faith and believed in God and in themselves.

Part of plan was that WE double our tithe for six months which meant that we would be giving back about 25% of his salary. This would help the church members see that they could do it.

What???

We did. It worked. The next year they had a full time "country preacher." As far as I know they have had a full time minister ever since - almost 40 years.