Should ministers charge for guest ministrations

Ministers often receive requests to provide guest ministrations, such as officiating in church programmes. However, the question arises: should they charge for these services? While some argue that compensation is necessary for time and expertise, others believe that ministry services should be provided freely, as a gift to the community. If it is a ministry, it is never to be charged for. Matthew 10:8 says: “Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.” The gifts and graces of God are not meant to be charged wholesomely for. It is to serve The body of Christ. And The Lord who called you into it, will reward you. Telling the hosts about all the kinds of honorarium you want is totally wrong. What if they don't even have to give you and just want the brethren to be blessed? Does it mean you won't minister? If they have, beautiful. If they don't. Awesome. As this is a controversial topic, let's explore some arguments for and against charging for ministry services. Let's consider the perspectives of those who oppose charging for ministry:

The Gospel singer, Pastor Nathaniel Bassey has shared why he doesn't charge churches for his ministrations stating that “If a church invites me to come and minister, they are doing two things. They are inviting me to minister to God and His people. Let me just say this to my own understanding, when you tell me to minister to God, I can't charge God to minister to Him. How much did he charge me for His blood on Calvary? The blood is the very reason for my ministry. It's a personal thing for me and it has worked for me, so why leave what is working?”

 Pastor Femi Lazarus, who ignited controversy about the gospel music industry by challenging the financial expectations of gospel ministers. He insisted that music ministry is for those who were called into it as a ministry and should not be commercialised. He added that those who charge for performances are not music ministers but music artists and are doing business not ministry. He said, “A music minister is one who expresses his ministry through music. A music artist is not a kingdom-based minister, hence is not for the church. Churches, we don’t have music artists, although there’s nothing wrong with being a music artist, what we have is a music minister.

However, a controversial pastor, Abel Damina of The Abel Damina Ministries faulted churches that groom gospel music ministers. He also compared those music ministers to singers like Davido, Tiwa Savage and Burna Boy. He said there was nothing like a gospel music minister in the Bible and lamented that the only thing the gospel music ministers do is to hype the congregation. “Yet they charge $50,000 for one night. Those of them they call A-List gospel ministers – they charge that kind of amount. N10 million for one night? These are businessmen using the Bible as a meal ticket,” he added. 

Let's also consider the perspectives of those who support charging for ministry services:

The popular singer, songwriter and music producer, Timi Dakolo, also spoke on the matter. He disagreed with Pastor Femi Lazarus, stressing that music is an art as much as it is spiritual. “You should be paid what you deserve. Studio sessions, production and promotion cost a lot. You have family to feed, you have rent to pay, you have more songs to put out. We should stop all these attacks on people's work, as much as it is spiritual, music is art. Dakolo said, if you can't pay people, use your choir members and pay them what you would have given the guest artist.”

Evangelist Victoria Orenze weighed in, arguing that churches should pay guest ministers whatever amount they request since they've chosen to invite them. She suggested the motive behind these invitations is often to draw crowds and boost offerings. Given this, she questioned why churches hesitate to compensate ministers fairly. If a church invites a minister who sets a fee, they should be prepared to pay it.”

Over time, the Church has faced countless criticisms—about things like wearing trousers, paying tithes, and many other debates I personally find a bit tiring and uninteresting. A quick search on X and you’ll likely find a pastor or a Gospel artist trending for one controversy or another.

This particular conversation about Gospel artists—or more broadly, Christians in the music ministry—has sparked a lot of reactions. So, let’s talk about it.

Should Ministers Charge for Guest Ministration?

This is purely my opinion.

Over time, the Church has faced countless criticisms—whether it’s about wearing trousers, paying tithes, or other ongoing debates that, frankly, I find a bit tiring. Social media platforms like X are filled with controversies involving pastors and Gospel artists. One of the more recent and recurring debates centers around Gospel artists—or more broadly, Christians in music ministry—charging for guest ministrations. This conversation has sparked a wide range of opinions, and I think it’s worth addressing.

In my view, we must draw a line between ministry and industry. The gifts God has given us were never meant to be commodified or turned into business ventures. Years ago, this conversation probably wouldn’t have existed, but in today’s age of “woke Christianity,” people try to apply logic, business models, and economics to spiritual matters. Ministry is not meant for the rich or for those who can “afford” it—it is about obedience and impact. Treating ministration like a secular performance, with invoices and rider requests, undermines its spiritual value. True ministration is about the move of the Holy Spirit—not vocal range or musical excellence, but the presence of God. When we start placing a price tag on that presence, we reduce a spiritual encounter to a transactional experience.

That said, I strongly believe ministers should be honored and appreciated. They should be given decent accommodation, treated with dignity, and offered a reasonable honorarium—not as a condition for service, but as a token of gratitude afterward. Ministers also have practical needs: they pay bills, travel, maintain equipment, and sometimes come with a team. These realities should be acknowledged. However, the idea of an “honorarium” loses meaning when it becomes a fixed charge dictated by the recipient. To preserve the spirit of ministry, this appreciation should be freely given, not demanded. In fact, I believe ministers should have alternative sources of income so their service to God is not driven by financial pressure.

At the end of the day, many matters in Christianity are conviction-based. Some Christians wear trousers, others don’t. Some speak in tongues, while others remain silent. Some tithe faithfully, and others challenge the practice. Personally, I believe everyone should follow what works for them—led by the Holy Spirit. But if we feel uneasy when a pastor charges for preaching, why does it seem acceptable when a Gospel artist does the same? That inconsistency is worth reflecting on. Ministry, whether in word or music, should never lose its essence to the pull of profit.

The debate over charging for ministry services continues. What are your thoughts on the matter?