This is my defense to those who sit in judgment on me. Don’t we have the right to food and drink? Don’t we have the right to take a believing wife along with us, as do the other apostles and the Lord’s brothers and Cephas? Or is it only I and Barnabas who lack the right to not work for a living? 1 Corinthians 9:3-6

            The apostle Paul faced this question as a preacher who went from city to city sometimes for years.  Many criticized him for raising support to survive.  Paul answered the critics:

Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat its grapes? Who tends a flock and does not drink the milk? Do I say this merely on human authority?  Doesn’t the Law say the same thing? For it is written in the Law of Moses: “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.” Is it about oxen that God is concerned?  Surely he says this for us, doesn’t he? Yes, this was written for us, because whoever plows and threshes should be able to do so in the hope of sharing in the harvest. 1 Corinthians 9:7-10

            He said that governments support soldiers to risk their lives, farmers eat from the fruit from their own harvest, even ox tread grain and take a little bit now and then—so why not pay for ministers, pastors and preachers to do God’s work?

If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you?  If others have this right of support from you, shouldn’t we have it all the more? But we did not use this right. On the contrary, we put up with anything rather than hinder the gospel of Christ. 1 Corinthians 9:11-12

            Paul felt that ministers of the Gospel deserved to get paid, however, Paul said that he worked (as a tentmaker) to raise his own support.  He didn’t want anyone to criticize his motives.  But, as for others, why shouldn’t they get paid to deliver the Gospel?