Contributed by a supporterNew Riverside Church pastor says his raise was Lord-approved – $600,000 in salary and perks during recessionBY Bill Egbert DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2009/04/27/2009-04-27_god_praise_for_raise_new_riverside_church_pastor_says_lord_has_told_him_i_got_yo.htmlMonday, April 27th 2009, 4:00 AMGiancarli for NewsRev. Dr. Brad R. Braxton, Pastor of The Riverside Church.Related NewsArticlesGonzalez: Riverside Church pastor’s $600K compensation prompts parishioners’ suit Gonzalez: Head of Riverside Church defends pastor’s heavenly windfallEx-Riverside pastor stays mum on new minister’s payThe incoming pastor of Riverside Church broke his silence over his massive pay package Saturday, saying God was behind him as he took the reins of the iconic Manhattan sanctuary."God told me all week, ‘I got you.’" the Rev. Brad Braxton said to thunderous applause.Braxton was installed as senior pastor despite some parishioners filing a lawsuit to trim his $600,000 in salary and perks.The minister, a former professor at Vanderbilt University Divinity School, ascended to the pulpit to cheers from the congregation of 2,700.Braxton, 40, tackled the controversy over his compensation, saying critics were "mistaking molehills for mountains."In a sermon titled "Fear Not," Braxton vowed his priority would be "the sacred business of moving mountains."Braxton, the married father of a young daughter, launched into his list of lofty goals, including promoting condoms to curb AIDS in Africa, immigration reform and gay marriage."I wonder if that will make the front page of the Daily News," the preacher said in reference to The News’ page one headline last week, "Furor Over 600G Pastor."News columnist Juan Gonzalez chronicled congregational infighting over Braxton’s pay package, which includes a monthly housing allowance of $11,500 in addition to a base salary of $250,000.Billy Jones, chairman of the Church Committee, challenged the facts of the lawsuit from the...