Support for pastors

Pastors play a critical role in our lives, a role well beyond Sunday services. However, many pastors face difficult circumstances when it comes to compensation, education and health care benefits.

The Rev. Billy Carter is one pastor facing daunting medical bills due to the lack of health insurance. Carter, an evangelist, was recently diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. In an effort to support Carter, several churches in Southeast Missouri are joining together to help with his medical expenses through a 4 p.m. fundraiser on Oct. 2 at the Church of God in Chaffee, Mo. One hundred percent of the donations will go toward covering Carter's medical expenses.

Some churches are moving toward hiring bivocational pastors due to financial constraints. Often times, these pastors often do not have a divinity education. Lynwood Baptist Church has launched a new ministry to support these pastors, the Midwest Center for Spiritual Transformation. Lynwood is partnering with Hannibal-LaGrange College to provide a three-year, 60-credit course associate of divinity degree program. Classes will be taught by accredited area pastors at the Lynwood campus. Pastors of congregations of 200 or fewer members may be eligible for a scholarship.

We commend these churches for their leadership in supporting pastors.