A hireling is a person employed to perform a task. There are a lot of pastors that pastor out of a love, not only for God, but also for the people they pastor. The true pastor puts his church and church people in front of his own needs. Here are 4 ways to tell if you are a hireling or a pastor.

1. A hireling will leave the church if for some reason the church can no longer pay their salary. I ask the pastor if they would be willing to support themselves and continue to pastor their church?
2. A hireling will continually look forward to the end of their position. They will look forward to retirement, or being able to move on to their next assignment.
3. A hireling is inaccessible. They will look for opportunities to avoid people in the church. They will not be involved in church meals and will disappear before and after services.
4. A hireling will be fearful of losing their position. They will fight to keep it. You know when a pastor is fearful of losing their position because they will:
   1. shut down any information that is not their own.
   2. discredit people that they deem as a threat.
   3. not allow others to have a voice within the church.
   4. speak often of his own self-importance.
   5. only speak messages that are easy to hear. They will never challenge people. The Bible speaks of people with itching ears; the hireling will only speak to those types.

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