This question comes to the Church Answers’ team and me a few times a month. It often evokes some pretty strong emotions. Can a church member (or, in some cases, guests) look at a church budget and know exactly what everyone on church staff earns?
The tension is between transparency and misunderstanding. On the one hand, transparency is usually a good default posture. Especially in congregational polity, church members have final authority over major decisions. It just makes sense they should have visibility to pastor and staff salaries.
On the other hand, putting detailed staff salaries before all the church members can be a problem for the following reasons:
- Many church members get confused over the term “packages.” For example, pastors with a “package” of $60,000 may only be making $45,000. The difference is the benefits, such as retirement and health insurance. The package is the total cost to the church. The salary (which sometimes includes housing) is what the pastor actually gets. Many church members view the package as the equivalent of a salary, but it definitely is not. In fact, most church members likely do not know their secular-equivalent package in their vocations. In other words, they do not know the costs of their benefits to their employer.
- Visibility of a specific salaries and benefits of pastors and church staff can create tensions among the staff. Can you imagine what it would be like if secular employers posted all the salaries of their employees each month?
- Church members may view the specifics of staff salaries and compare them to their own compensation. That too can be a source of tension.
For these reasons, I lean toward not including specific compensation in a budget that is made available to church members on a regular basis. Depending on church polity, a possible approach to the transparency/misunderstanding tension would be:
- Include total salaries in a single line on the budget.
- Include total benefits in separate line items on the budget. These benefits could be segregated by their respective purpose: health insurance, retirement, etc.
- Show expense reimbursements, such as automobile expenses, as separate items. They should not be included as either compensation or benefits.
- Have a system in place where church members can view individual salaries by appointment, such as meeting with a member of the personnel committee, elders, or specific group responsible for personnel issues.
To be clear, every church is different, and the polity of a church may be the determinative factor in how these matters are handled. Because we get similar questions quite often, we thought this approach might be helpful for some churches.
This issue usually generates some lively discussion. Let me hear from you.
Posted on May 27, 2019
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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95 Comments
Mr. Rainer, I wholeheartedly disagree with your belief/ opinion on this particular church matter, God instruct all believers to be ye separate! We don’t do what world do! The world hide not the Church! The church staff that are paid, are not ashamed when they cash there checks, they shouldn’t be concerned with the church members knowing what there salaries are! Keep in mind there tithes and offering is the reason why they get a check! I’m a Bishop and I never been paid a salary over 25 years and I don’t pay staff, it’s a calling not an occupation! Acts 20:33-34, take away salaries and you’ll see just how many are chosen/called! ([email protected])
When I joined (1991) the particular church I am at now (Houston), the salaries of employees were known. I started working there in 1998 as a secretary, my salary was known. I had no problem with that, especially since the church members were paying it. Our new pastor came in November 1998 and we aren’t even given the starting salaries of anyone new they hired after that. You will have to ask the Lord about this – don’t take my word for it – “God told me the members of a church ‘run’ the church as Pastors come and go.” When the church was established in the early 70’s that was the way it was set up. But, the bottom line is, it’s not so much what I, Pastors, church leaders/parishioners want, it’s what the Lord wants. Thanks
What are your feelings about individual staff compensation packages being made available to the finance committee?
I am a military veteran and a firefighter paramedic. I have worked for the government my whole life. Everyone from the new recruit to the top officer has a public salary. You the tax payer SHOULD know how much money you the taxpayer are paying the governor, the mayor and the president.
All non-church non profit organizations are required by the IRS to reveal CEO salaries. All stock holders in a corporation can easily find out how much the CEO is earning.
With such a long list of preachers getting rich on poor Americans. The only question that matters is this… What does Jesus expect you to do?
My pastor’s salary is rumored to be well over $300,000.00 but only a few people in the top leadership actually know how much money he is getting.
Should servants of Christ be less transparent than the rest of this sinful world? Most preachers have small congregations and they are actually underpaid so…..what do you have to hide?
What if a pastor tells his staff you all shouldn’t get paid much because you work in the ministry/church? That does not sound scriptural to me? I feel staff should get paid well if they work well! Why should secular people get paid more then Gods people?
No, they should be disclosed. It’s part of a church’s stewardship responsibility concerning our common mission. Especially since some churches require members to tithe and, in some cases, disclose income upon membership. We just have to understand it properly on both sides. While total compensation is not the same as base salary, it’s not an apples to apples comparison. In our church, the pastor receives full retirement, insurance, auto, and housing in ADDITION to base pay. Now, my base salary may be roughly the same as his. But I pay FROM my base, my retirement, insurances, half my health care, auto and mortgage. All things considered, his net is better. He gets annual cost of living increases, continuing education, and student debt relief if needed. Not only do I not, but I’m reminded occasionally that my employment is an “at will” relationship. His job security is based on love and congregational care. I don’t begrudge him this. But let’s be honest here. What’s good enough for the goose is good enough for the gander. I realize that not all pastors are cared for the way our denomination cares for them, but many pastors are actually very, very well cared for by comparison. Congregations wouldn’t know that unless there is transparency in the financials. Please bear that in mind.
In my church, the pastor’s salary and package is available for all the church members to view and is included in the monthly budget. Occasionally, the salary and/or package for the pastor is brought up in member meetings and it has never caused any tension. In fact, I believe that the church members very much appreciate the openness of it and we continue to be generous towards the church offerings.
Refusing a church member financial information and salaries leaves ones mind to wonder. We can only tell you on a need to know basis, and right now you don’t need to know. How in the world is that supposed to leave a longtime tithing church member feeling? I’d like to think God likes and honors transparency and honesty…….
I think the better question is, where in the Bible do we see full time “pastors” get paid a salary? I am not saying don’t help pay for people to spread the gospel, but where in the Bible is that model present?
Great question! When you study the Bible you find out that the word Pastor is nowhere in scriptures, only The word Pastors Ephesians 4:11, Moses had 70 assistance Christ had 12 the disciples had 7, it’s not Biblical to have a one man show! Act20:33-34 Paul needs were met/supplied by the work of his own hands labor! As a Bishop over 25 years I don’t get paid nor do my staff! It’s a calling not a occupation! I live by example my members work and so do I It’s my responsibility to provide for my household not the Church! I volunteering get audited every year! No pimping here! Be blessed ( [email protected])
Those who think they “have” to have this information should have their giving records printed and distributed for all to see as well.
Amen. Say that again.
I have been a church worker for forty years this year and until I came to my current congregation the salaries were always detailed for all to see…so it doesn’t matter to me. But, I feel like our church workers live in such a constant fish bowl, shouldn’t we afford them just one place where privacy is sacred? Make sure a Board oversees the salaries and that they are fair and reasonable, but other than that, keep them private. My suggestion? If you want to publish the salaries…then we should also publish the giving records of every member, every family. Full transparency works both ways…right?
Secret salaries raise a red flag to anyone who has actually paid attention to the fact that so many modern american churches take advantage of generous elderly folks on a fixed income….it would seem to me that discerning and wise Christians would give very very little to secretive organizations. I have informed my church leaders and I have no problem with my church leaders knowing how the bulk of my family tithe goes to actual causes like widows and hungry kids in Africa etc. My wife pointed out the rumors in the media that my pastor is paid over $300,000.00 salary and she has wisely said “I have no problem facing God with the fact that the bulk of our giving goes to starving children over seas and 20 or 30 bucks goes to the offering plate of the fat cat preacher here in America.
My mother is a struggling widow raising my drug addicted sisters children in a good Christian home. So I will tell you exactly where the bulk of my charitable gifts are going… To real causes within the body of Christ. Not to those rumored to be profiteering th gospel.
It is my understanding that Minister’s “Packages” are required, by IRS to be specifically approved by the church, and approved prior to start of the new year. This is from our state convention CPA. We vote on the total budget which includes detailed packages for each minister. Not wanting to assume anything when IRS is involved, we vote separately on the packages. Note that we do NOT vote on Pastor’s package then Music Minister then Youth ….
It is my understanding that Minister’s “Packages” are required, by IRS to be specifically approved by the church, and approved prior to start of the new year. This is from our state convention CPA. We vote on the total budget which includes detailed packages for each minister. Not wanting to assume anything when IRS is involved, we vote separately on the packages. Note that we do NOT vote on Pastor’s package then Music Minister then Youth …. That assumes that a vote for the total budget is sufficient for the IRS since the each package is in the budget.
Tax-free housing allowance is required to be approved by the Vestry/board each year. But there is also a stipulation that can be in the resolution that states “the housing allowance of $$ is established on January 1, 2019 and will continue until modified by future housing resolution…” or words to that effect.
Most other monetary aspects of the package (less insurance and mileage reimbursements for actual mileage driven) are taxable and the IRS will get their due in time.