What Is A Full-Time Pastor?

[John81]

Our pastors are at the church six days a week, and often on their one day off they are still doing pastor/church related things. This plus all the visitations, weddings, funerals, special events, sermon, Sunday school and Bible study preparations, counseling, and they are basically "on call" 24/7.

 

Our pastors earn their keep!

[Bro K]

Because many of them don't work full-time, how many work hours, does your pastor work?

 

I am sorry if I'm steeping on your toes, Just doing my job. Your robbing God and it's members, if you are not doing your duty and getting paid full-time for it.

Don't know. Only time I see him is on Sunday morning, Sunday evening, Wednesday night, revival time, and eating time.

[The Glory Land]

Don't know. Only time I see him is on Sunday morning, Sunday evening, Wednesday night, revival time, and eating time.

 

 

All pastors should let there members know what they are doing, not in writing, but on a Wednesday night or Sunday evening service, once in a while would be fair.  

[Bro K]

Many years ago a very wise man told me two things:

 

1. The old Devil can preach some of the best sermons you'll ever hear.

 

2. In our churches; we have a lot of preachers but very few pastors.

[candlelight]

Excuse me for a moment.  What is all of this negative talk about IFB pastor's for?  I have never had a problem with any IFB pastor.  I have been an IFB since 1999, and not once, I ever felt like my pastor (s) was not pulling his weight.  I find them to be very hardworking, dedicated men who serve Almighty God, tend to the flock, make wonderful undershephards, etc.  My pastors are working 24/7 like HappyChristian's pastor.

As I poined out... two of my pastors never received a penny from the church.  My current pastor receives no pay from the church.  It all goes back into the ministry.  They preach (ed) /teach (ed) b/c God had called them to do that.  They worked full time jobs and were full time pastors.  They have always been available for me and my family.  My 22 year old son has always spoken very highly of the extremely dedicated IFB pastors.  He loves them so, just as Joe and I do.

 

Where might I ask is this talk coming from? 

[John81]

Excuse me for a moment.  What is all of this negative talk about IFB pastor's for?  I have never had a problem with any IFB pastor.  I have been an IFB since 1999, and not once, I ever felt like my pastor (s) was not pulling his weight.  I find them to be very hardworking, dedicated men who serve Almighty God, tend to the flock, make wonderful undershephards, etc.  My pastors are working 24/7 like HappyChristian's pastor.

As I poined out... two of my pastors never received a penny from the church.  My current pastor receives no pay from the church.  It all goes back into the ministry.  They preach (ed) /teach (ed) b/c God had called them to do that.  They worked full time jobs and were full time pastors.  They have always been available for me and my family.  My 22 year old son has always spoken very highly of the extremely dedicated IFB pastors.  He loves them so, just as Joe and I do.

 

Where might I ask is this talk coming from? 

I've known several IFB pastors, three I've known very well, and they were all dedicated, biblically sound, compassionate men of God. Two of the three I knew very well had large enough, supportive churches to be paid a full time salary. The other pastor was pastoring a struggling church plant and had to take on outside work yet poured so much time and effort into trying to build up that church plant. All three were apt to teach, patience, kind, compassionate and centered in Christ.

 

The other IFB pastors I've known, but not as well, seemed to me to have similar traits as well.

[candlelight]

I've known several IFB pastors, three I've known very well, and they were all dedicated, biblically sound, compassionate men of God. Two of the three I knew very well had large enough, supportive churches to be paid a full time salary. The other pastor was pastoring a struggling church plant and had to take on outside work yet poured so much time and effort into trying to build up that church plant. All three were apt to teach, patience, kind, compassionate and centered in Christ.

 

The other IFB pastors I've known, but not as well, seemed to me to have similar traits as well.

 

  John!  It is extremely important that we lift up these great men of God, not tear them down!  I am appauled at the lack of support I see from some OB members, regarding this.  If you guys can do a better job than your pastor, then go for it...

[Anon]

Bravo to the Pastors who work 60-80 hours per week to "earn" their meager salary, only to lose their family.   

 

[/sarcasm]

 

The Pastor's first ministry is his family (as is every other man's).

 

The second ministry is his church.

 

The point of being supported "full time" is so that he does not have another job distracting him.   We have a small church.  Sometimes there are weeks where I'm sure 40 full hours don't get put in.  Sometimes I'm sure there are more.  A pastor of a small church can be the jack of all trades.  He mows the lawn, does his own secretary work, studies for messages, fixes broken toilets, and does visitation and whatever else.    Sure, maybe he could take less pay and get a part time job, but then the church would be the ones to lose out, because if they end up in the hospital or need their pastor, they'll just have to wait for him to get off work.

 

Thus, the idea of "full time pay" is the idea that the pastor should be available at ANY given time for the people.  That doesn't mean that he is actually working 24/7, but that means the church wants their pastor available "just in case".  My husband has had to go to court with someone....visit people in the hospital....go to funerals.   You can't do that with a secular job on a regular basis.

 

Incidentally with his full time salary, I still have to work a job as well to help out, so it's definitely not enough to be "rich".  It's just enough to be considered full time with benefits like insurance and etc.

 

I highly doubt any criticizers would truly like to trade places with most pastors.   It certainly is nothing glorious, at least it's not at our church.

[candlelight]

Bravo to the Pastors who work 60-80 hours per week to "earn" their meager salary, only to lose their family.   

 

[/sarcasm]

 

The Pastor's first ministry is his family (as is every other man's).

 

The second ministry is his church.

 

The point of being supported "full time" is so that he does not have another job distracting him.   We have a small church.  Sometimes there are weeks where I'm sure 40 full hours don't get put in.  Sometimes I'm sure there are more.  A pastor of a small church can be the jack of all trades.  He mows the lawn, does his own secretary work, studies for messages, fixes broken toilets, and does visitation and whatever else.    Sure, maybe he could take less pay and get a part time job, but then the church would be the ones to lose out, because if they end up in the hospital or need their pastor, they'll just have to wait for him to get off work.

 

Thus, the idea of "full time pay" is the idea that the pastor should be available at ANY given time for the people.  That doesn't mean that he is actually working 24/7, but that means the church wants their pastor available "just in case".  My husband has had to go to court with someone....visit people in the hospital....go to funerals.   You can't do that with a secular job on a regular basis.

 

Incidentally with his full time salary, I still have to work a job as well to help out, so it's definitely not enough to be "rich".  It's just enough to be considered full time with benefits like insurance and etc.

 

I highly doubt any criticizers would truly like to trade places with most pastors.   It certainly is nothing glorious, at least it's not at our church.

 

Amen, sister!  And, the flock is supposed to support pastor's wives and their children.  I pity the Christians who do not support their pastor and their families!

[Galations 2:20]

Excuse me for a moment.  What is all of this negative talk about IFB pastor's for?  I have never had a problem with any IFB pastor.  I have been an IFB since 1999, and not once, I ever felt like my pastor (s) was not pulling his weight.  I find them to be very hardworking, dedicated men who serve Almighty God, tend to the flock, make wonderful undershephards, etc.  My pastors are working 24/7 like HappyChristian's pastor.

As I poined out... two of my pastors never received a penny from the church.  My current pastor receives no pay from the church.  It all goes back into the ministry.  They preach (ed) /teach (ed) b/c God had called them to do that.  They worked full time jobs and were full time pastors.  They have always been available for me and my family.  My 22 year old son has always spoken very highly of the extremely dedicated IFB pastors.  He loves them so, just as Joe and I do.

 

Where might I ask is this talk coming from? 

 

Generally speaking- no pastor is perfect.  There are some pastors out there in churches who are not tending to the sheep as they were called, but giving "spiritual black eyes" to all pastors is wrong.  

 

The ones who are not tending sheep will have to answer for the apparently poor stewarding of their time.  The ones who are answering God's call will receive the crown specially for pastors

[candlelight]

Generally speaking- no pastor is perfect.  There are some pastors out there in churches who are not tending to the sheep as they were called, but giving "spiritual black eyes" to all pastors is wrong.  

 

The ones who are not tending sheep will have to answer for the apparently poor stewarding of their time.  The ones who are answering God's call will receive the crown specially for pastors

Of course, b/c no man is perfect, Galations 2:20.  I am blessed that I have never had a pastor that didn't steward the flock properly. 

[Invicta]

We are looking for a pastor at present.  When we get one, I am sure that we will treat him like our last one.  He will have a weekday off each week, when he must rest and members must not disturb him.  He will have a number of Sundays off each year, some he will be able to preach at other churches, and some he should come under the ministry of another preacher.  

[The Glory Land]

Excuse me for a moment.  What is all of this negative talk about IFB pastor's for?  I have never had a problem with any IFB pastor.  I have been an IFB since 1999, and not once, I ever felt like my pastor (s) was not pulling his weight.  I find them to be very hardworking, dedicated men who serve Almighty God, tend to the flock, make wonderful undershephards, etc.  My pastors are working 24/7 like HappyChristian's pastor.

As I poined out... two of my pastors never received a penny from the church.  My current pastor receives no pay from the church.  It all goes back into the ministry.  They preach (ed) /teach (ed) b/c God had called them to do that.  They worked full time jobs and were full time pastors.  They have always been available for me and my family.  My 22 year old son has always spoken very highly of the extremely dedicated IFB pastors.  He loves them so, just as Joe and I do.

 

Where might I ask is this talk coming from? 

 

 

 

This is not negative talk, or about many good pastors like yours. It is for those that are trying to fool God. They can fool the members, but not GOD.  

[candlelight]

This is not negative talk, or about many good pastors like yours. It is for those that are trying to fool God. They can fool the members, but not GOD.  

Oh, okay brother:)  Like I said, earlier, I am so blessed to have the pastors that I have had.  You're right, TGL.  None of us can "fool God"... but others might be fooled.

[Salyan]

All pastors should let there members know what they are doing, not in writing, but on a Wednesday night or Sunday evening service, once in a while would be fair.  

 

If you want to know what your pastor is doing, why don't you show up some other time than Wednesday night or Sunday and ask him what you can do to help him? If you don't know what he's doing it's probably because you aren't serving with him.