Which would be better?

Being a preacher, or being a popular Las Vegas Entertainer?



Okay, well, I've done the preacher thing. And it's not half bad. I believe the whole Christian deal, and I get really excited about it, so I think that came through in my preaching. I like to talk about it, and I think my people liked to listen.

However, in the 13 years I've been ordained, there's only been a period of about 2 years when I made a living wage at it. I don't buy the whole "Do it for the love of the Lord" garbage people try to give you when they're declining to pay you enough to pay your bills, or the mountains of student loan debt you got into just so you could get this job that doesn't pay enough to pay the loans back.

Do popular Las Vegas Entertainers make more money than preachers? I guess it depends on the preacher and the entertainer.

Celine Dion and, say, me? Yeah...

Lunch shift show-girl and Joel Osteen? Not so much.

Now, does it matter which one makes more money? Yes and no. There's no shame in choosing a career that will allow you to support your family and give back to the community, and maybe even have a few nice things every now and then. Sometimes, preachers do attain that, and there's nothing wrong with it.

But being a preacher isn't in itself morally superior to being a singer, dancer, or magician. The question in the book is trying to lead the readers to ask, "Is it better to be popular or to do God's will for your life?" Well, what if God's will for your life is for you to be a popular Las Vegas entertainer?

Nobody ever considers that possibility...