In many churches, the pastor’s salary is a quiet issue. There is a sense of discomfort from both the pastor and the members when the topic is broached. Such discomfort is unfortunate, however, because a number of churches will not seek every year to make certain the pastor is paid fairly.
A couple of prefatory comments are in order. First, we all know of the extreme examples of pastors living lavishly or mismanaging money. Those stories, though true, represent a small minority. Most pastors are not overpaid. And most pastors manage their limited finances well. Second, I am aware that many people are unemployed and that anyone who has a job should be grateful. That is still not a good reason to pay a pastor unfairly. As a final note, this brief article is relevant to all paid church staff, though my focus is here on the pastor.
In my 25 years of consulting and working with churches, I have discovered five common issues that are not always known by most church members. And lack of awareness of any one of these issues can have a detrimental impact on fair compensation for the pastor.
- A pay or compensation package is not the same as a salary. I cringe when I hear churches state a package to be the pay for the pastor. The package includes benefits such as health insurance and expense reimbursements such as business use of the automobile. No worker in a secular company adds their benefits and expenses and calls it their pay. Anything other than the cash payment (before taxes) the pastor receives should be reported in a totally separate category.
- There are many resources to find out what the fair compensation for a pastor should be. Many denominations provide their own compensation studies. But you can do an Internet search for “pastor pay” and see a plethora of resources that are available. And as a rule of thumb, you could seek to estimate what the mean income is for families in the church, and use that as a basis for compensation for the pastor. Churches that do not do their homework on pastoral compensation tend to underpay their pastors.
- Many pastors request no raises but would still appreciate one. Some pastors simply don’t want to deal with a critic who might question any raise given to a pastor. Others feel extremely uncomfortable talking about money in general, and use the “no raise” request to deflect further conversation. Some think it’s just the noble thing to do. But most pastors, in reality, would appreciate a fair raise to keep up with growing expenses. Don’t accept their requests as the last word.
- Many pastors are under extreme stress because they do not have adequate income to meet their financial obligations. Like anyone else who is under heavy financial burdens, a pastor can find his thoughts consumed with worry. Because he is so distracted, he naturally is less effective in his ministry. Both he and his family feel the pressure.
- Some pastors leave their churches because of pay issues. You will not likely hear a pastor announce in his resignation that he is leaving because of financial pressures. The reality is that, for a number of pastors, the issue of compensation is a major push from one church to another, or from the church to a secular vocation. It’s not that the pastor is in his job for the money; it’s that the compensation for his vocation is insufficient to meet his family’s needs.
Paul wrote these words to his young protégé, Timothy, in 1 Timothy 5:17-18: “The elders who are good leaders should be considered worthy of an ample honorarium, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching. For the Scripture says, ‘Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain and, the worker is worthy of his wages’” (HCSB).
It is unfortunate that the few indulgent pastors who live lavish lifestyles get most of the attention. The reality is that most of the some 400,000 pastors in America are not overpaid; indeed many are underpaid. Those are the pastors who need our attention.
Posted on December 17, 2012
With nearly 40 years of ministry experience, Thom Rainer has spent a lifetime committed to the growth and health of local churches across North America.
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522 Comments
I would add, that all throughout the Torah, it was clear that the inheritance of the Levites, or the “pastors”, was God himself. His FIRE and very person was the reward. No earthly inheritance was promised to them….. The New Testament examples were NEED based as far as Paul, while the other apostles were allowed to not work a “job” and also bring a believing wife along. Lets set our standards high, and not stop preaching the gospel until money gets in the way… But, if you are faithfull preaching teh gospel, the LORD will never allow finance to come between! This in fact was the Boast that Paul would rather “die” for – the boast that he did not rely on anyone for his ministry!
I am really struggling with the situation going on at my church. My pastor once told under frustration that he believed that God brought him to my church to “kill the church, to watch it die”. Because he was under a lot of pressure at the time, I did not think much of it, however, these words were burned into my mind, never to be forgotten. Red flags went up, but yet I gave him the benefit of the doubt that he was just having a bad day. So I continued to have an open mind to what he wanted to do in the church. I supported him in every way I could. This was about 3 years ago. Ever since then, he has been trying to shut down ministries in a round-about way. Every time he says he wants to do something, the next hour he will deny ever saying anything about it. He talks a good talk, but he does not do the walk. He has stopped all outreach in the church, and now he wants to shut down the children’s ministry. Granted, we do not have many members. We average approximately 30 in Sunday School and maybe on a good day, we will have 45 in worship. Our numbers have been declining since he came about 5 years ago. Especially after he made that “comment” to me. I am so frustrated. We now have a church health team (of which I participate) going over the details. This weeks meeting left me with my feathers so ruffled that I did not want to come back. It only confirmed to me what his plan was for this church. He wanted to kill our church and watch it die. Our budget cannot handle his pay. Our bank account is being drained each month. Now he wants to cut all the ministries of the church just so that he can have his salary. To keep up with his salary my church needs to bring in at least $1,000 a week. We are not able to do this because we do not have enough members now to support this. He says one week he wants to find ways to bring in young families, but then he wants to shut down ministries to do that. This does not make sense to me. He is so wishy-washy. His anger and frustration has been showing more often now, especially at the last church health team meeting. Most of the members of the church want him to leave. He wants us to keep him until the fall but I do not think we can make it that long. He first offered to have his salary cut by 25%, but now he does not want to do that, instead, just shut down the ministries. I am so angry over this whole situation. I feel bad for his 3 boys. His wife has a control issues. We had an awesome praise team, but then when she agreed to play keyboard for us, she started pushing others out of the team. She wanted to become praise team leader. She placed so much pressure on the praise team leader at that time, that he stepped down. Then she started making stupid rules like if you were not part of the praise team, you could not participate in the service, and of course, her husband went right along with that. So, others started dropping off the praise team because of the talent we have in the church, and soon it became her show. She placed her 3 sons up on stage playing instruments. Now she is happier more than ever. There is no enthusiasm like there was before. Her sons show no interest in being there on stage. I am now on the praise team, and it feels like it is just a “Pastor’s family” time. There are other issues going on as well. The pastor calls himself lazy. Even though he gets paid a full time salary, his is only in the church office for 2-3 half days. He will come in at about 9:30 or 10 then leave at about 1 or 2 for lunch and not come back. He just stays at the parsonage. He does not visit people in the hospital unless someone pressures him to do so and he won’t go see the homebound. It’s almost like he wants to get paid just for sitting in the pastor’s chair. I’m sorry. I should not be complaining nor should I be talking about a pastor like this, but I don’t think a pastor should be behaving like this. I am confused and worried. I pray every day and seek God through this situation. I thought pastors are suppose to care about the church, not let it go down the drain on purpose. I feel like I could just scream every time I go to church. Is there any advice?
I read the above article and I totally agree that Pastors should be paid for their vocation. Reading some of the comments, it is amazing how we can use bible scriptures to justify injustice to Pastors. Wow.
I have been to churches with both scenarios. At one church the Pastor had a full time job and he also pastored full-time. I am sure he was thoroughly exhausted all of the time and it was only the grace of God that kept him from day to day. At another church the Pastor has worked without a salary for the last 4 years and struggles monthly to meet personal needs. In a perfect world I might agree with Destiny Cambell when she says that the elders in the church should help share the responsibilities of the church equally to take the burden off the pastor, however I am quite sure that there are some duties only the pastor can do. Also, prayer and giving has been at an all time low, so even if a pastor wanted to live off of the goodness of the congregation; trust me on this one, they would be hard-pressed to survive. One final comment, most church members are busy with their own jobs, families to take on further responsibilities than the current ones they already have at church…after all..I think that’s what God designed the Pastor for. 🙂
I am a bi-vocational Youth Pastor, and I have a real hard time with putting everything I have in my secular job and giving everything I have to the ministry and raising my family the way the Lord intended for me to. The church I am currently at cannot afford to take me on full-time currently. I struggle keeping things together and I only minister to the youth primarily. I can only imagine how much more of a burden it is to do work a full-time secular job and pastor at the same time. There will be pastors who abuse their power and authority and shame on them, but don’t hurt your man of God, because someone else blew it.
The best way to look at it is, You are not paying for your Pastor to preach, make hospital visits, study, manage the church, you pay him in order so he doesn’t have to work a secular job so that he can do all of those things.
I have a question what is taxation in the church? Is it right for churches to hold members accountable for taxations? I know the old testament had a legalistic tithe method but in the new testament it doesn’t hold the members to those standards. My concern is not just for the pastors but also for those who do not have funds to aid nothing but tithe and offering …also I know sometimes even tithing can be challenging. I know the Pastor and the congregation is not to bully people into giving God does the convicting.
most of us dont have an idea of what we talk about, the church members are demanding, thay want to have you ready for them daily and being available. Never mention sunday. I am living in Zimbabwe, getting less than 50 dollars a month, still faithful and depending on God. Now the church is 7years old since we started. The best favour every church can do to its pastor is to ease stress from them by sufficiently looking after them. For details, contact me here [email protected]
I have a question. In 2009 God spoke to me about giving our pastor a pastorial offering every first Sunday. When we take up the offering, we take it up in baskets. we do not count the money, we give it directly to the pastor. Should we be counting the money and putting it down in the books? or can we just give it to him as a monthly gift without counting the money. please help. Because we want to do the right thing.
In my opinion if the pastor thinks that he can make it known to people when appreciating it, he can. If not we let it go. Its not our knowing the amount that gives it value.
Some of you people like to use scripture way out of context. And just beat people over the head with your religious views. Your the exact type of person Jesus spoke against. And stop using Paul and Jesus as examples for Pastors. They werent Pastors in the context of who your talking about should be paid
John,
The Lord has opened my eyes to this very thing lately. He has caused me to be a berean and to question many things going on today in the corporate church. The thing that is bothersome is that Jesus is used in a way that is unbiblical. Jesus gave us Paul as an example of what is to be with leaders within fellowship. I truly believe according to scripture, Paul was more of a missionary that brought people together in communities for fellowship and to help people. Pastors were considered teachers and men that were to protect the people, similar to what we call Sunday school teachers. I truly don’t believe according to scripture that one man call pastor should be front and center making a career on the gospel. God calls these men hirelings and Jeremiah has nothing good to say about pastors that take from Gods people. Giving an offering and helping with ministry needs is one thing but what goes on today in the man made corporate with pastors is entirely not what God had in mind nor is their position biblical. It’s as though every thing that goes on today with the gospel of Christ is to make a buck off something or somebody, while very little goes to helping the needy and spreading the gospel how God intended.
I was raised a “PK” (Preachers Kid); my father is a minister in a Pentecostal denomination. I am now a deacon in my church and have a lot of insight on this matter. First and foremost; treat your pastors well! They make a HUGE sacrifice to minister to you. The call on their lives do not negate the stress they deal with on a daily basis; deaths, marriages, family issues, and the everyday pettiness of congregants (what do you do all day? why didn’t you visit my aunt Suzy in the hospital two states away? How come you didn’t shake my hand? etc.). Ministry is a thankless job, and one must be called to do it. NO minister does it for the money, and it is insulting that congregants bicker over paying salaries.
My father served faithfully as a minister for over 40 years, and at the age of 75 still preaches on occasion. His retirement salary? An $800 social security check and a $129 retirement check from his denomination (because churches never paid him anything, and he and my mother raised three children, they never had the extra cash to pay into a retirement fund). Although my dad lives in subsidized housing for the elderly, I’ve never heard him complain, nor would he. He would do it all over again.
It is true; ministers AND their Family are owned by the church. All your pastor wants is to be appreciated; love them, pay them well, and you’ll have a prosperous church!
Is there any place in the that speaks about the pastors being involved with the budget of the church. What does God say?
I have no problem with my Pastor getting paid, but I do have a problem that there’s no budget committee, his pay is a secret. He say by law he don’t have to tell the congregants. We are his employer. Why not discuss his pay and others in the church that are getting paid. Our budget is presented as past expenditures and projected expenditure. Finally, shouldn’t churches be audited? Our Elders (Deacons) don’t know about our financial status and won’t speak up. Help me to understand. I ask questions and usually get a hostile respond.
This is an issue with your church’s form of government. You don’t say what your particular affiliation is. In the American Baptist Churches, as well as several other Protestant denominations, there is a budget committee, who recommends the salary (as well as the entire budget) to the board, who then puts it before the congregation for a vote at an annual meeting. No secrets allowed. Also, all expenditures above a certain dollar amount are also subject to board and possibly congregational approval, depending on the thresholds outlined in the church constitution.