In a Local church who is supposed to get paid?

[TheGloryLand]

In a local Baptist church, who is supposed to get paid $$$ besides the pastor. If you ask 100 people, should the pastor get paid if he’s serving full time, I believe most Baptist Christians will say yes, he should get paid for working full-time. Now other parts of the ministry, who should get paid, for example, the secretary, accountant, Deacons, ushers, music ministry leader, and team, childcare, teachers,maintenance team. Who is worthy of receiving the tithings.

[Disciple.Luke]

The local IFB church pays the Pastor well. When he first came to take his role they gave him a car to drive back and forth with. The vehicle was owned by the church and was passed fron pastor to pastor. Pastors beed to be paid as they are extremely busy and doing the Lord's work never slows down.

I would guess the Secretary and Associate Pastor would both get paid but all the other ones you named are mostly what I would consider as "volunteer" callings.

Many of the members work in the K-12 school that is a ministry of the church. So for many they might not have paid positions in the Church, but they are on staff as teachers and leaders and are paid and overseen by the church leadership.

Edited March 3, 2023 by Disciple.Luke

[TheGloryLand]

41 minutes ago, Disciple.Luke said:

The local IFB church pays the Pastor well. When he first came to take his role they gave him a car to drive back and forth with. The vehicle was owned by the church and was passed fron pastor to pastor. Pastors beed to be paid as they are extremely busy and doing the Lord's work never slows down.

I would guess the Secretary and Associate Pastor would both get paid but all the other ones you named are mostly what I would consider as "volunteer" callings.

Many of the members work in the K-12 school that is a ministry of the church. So for many they might not have paid positions in the Church, but they are on staff as teachers and leaders and are paid and overseen by the church leadership.

Thank you for sharing your information. I don’t understand why do many churches get into other benefits, I can understand an automobile, this is because they are on the road very much, and doing visits.But Benefits, that the average person will never get working in the public, or private. This would be for a new topic. Why not pay him well, He pays for all his own things, example home and health.

[Disciple.Luke]

5 minutes ago, TheGloryLand said:

Thank you for sharing your information. I don’t understand why do many churches get into other benefits, I can understand an automobile, this is because they are on the road very much, and doing visits.But Benefits, that the average person will never get working in the public, or private. This would be for a new topic. Why not pay him well, He pays for all his own things, example home and health.

What other kind of other benefits do you have in mind?

At least the ones you consider problematic.

Edited March 3, 2023 by Disciple.Luke

[TheGloryLand]

5 minutes ago, Disciple.Luke said:

What other kind of other benefits do you have in mind?

At least the ones you consider problematic.

The ones I mentioned, is done often. It’s being done openly, and is in the financial report. But, I still believe in paying the pastor very well, with no benefits. So He gets, or buys his own benefits. He pays his own taxes, health, living, and SS. Like, you I do, for example.

[Salyan]

Is the pastor is considered an employee and paid a salary, then the church should take on the burden of the employers payroll taxes. Because they are an employer.

We don’t pay our Pastor health benefits, because it’s not really cost-effective for a single employee. He kinda gets vacation, in that we pay him a monthly salary, and nobody questions if he take me some time off. But I wish we could. I expect health benefits, vacation benefits, and retirement payments at my job. Why should a pastor to be less? (I am in Canada, so my expectation of normal benefits may be slightly different than the US.)

[Jim_Alaska]

Unless a church actually employs a pastor, they are usually considered self employed. Under IRS rules, self employed are usually taxed at a higher rate.

Many churches, depending on how they are set up,  will provide housing, or pay for housing and other things like: vehicle, electric, gas,  and other utilities. These are paid by the church, in the churches name and considered as part of the pastor's salary, then he is paid a specific amount of dollars as salary. This takes some of the burden off of his tax obligations because he actually makes less in dollars, but comes out better tax wise. It also helps the church because churches don't pay taxes. So, because the church actually pas his salary, plus the other stuff, he still ends up getting a decent amount although just not all in cash to him.

[TheGloryLand]

6 hours ago, Jim_Alaska said:

Unless a church actually employs a pastor, they are usually considered self employed. Under IRS rules, self employed are usually taxed at a higher rate.

Many churches, depending on how they are set up,  will provide housing, or pay for housing and other things like: vehicle, electric, gas,  and other utilities. These are paid by the church, in the churches name and considered as part of the pastor's salary, then he is paid a specific amount of dollars as salary. This takes some of the burden off of his tax obligations because he actually makes less in dollars, but comes out better tax wise. It also helps the church because churches don't pay taxes. So, because the church actually pas his salary, plus the other stuff, he still ends up getting a decent amount although just not all in cash to him.

Correct, this is what I was talking about Salary plus others. This should not be done, in my opinion. Example a pastor that earns $40,000 plus other benefits, that you mentioned above. I say, pay him $85,000 with no benefits, yes he have to pay his own, but that’s OK, we all do. He is getting paid well, now. I really don’t know why churches need to get into paying living, health, taxes, transportation, smart phones, tolls, and the list can go on and on. Thank you for your reply.

Edited March 3, 2023 by TheGloryLand
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[BrotherTony]

I believe a pastor ought to be paid, and paid well, especially if he is serving full-time. He should be able to concentrate on the work the Lord and the church have called him to, preaching the Word and protecting the flock. But, I know that at times I have seen this taken to a rather ridiculous extreme. Example: In the BMA church my wife and I were members of, the pastor had EVERYTHING except for his groceries paid for, and was paid $300 per week. He was supplied with a car, gas, housing, insurance, etc...and it made him lazy, and careless with things like utilities, how often he went out driving around, and traveling all over the state with no apparent rhyme or reason. One month his electric bill was over $300, and the water bill (he had an above-ground pool he installed at the parsonage across the street from the church) for filling up that pool, and taking hour-long showers was over $100...the average water bill in that town was $35 a month for larger homes, and he was only 1100 sq ft. He would leave the house with all the lights on at night and would leave the water running to fill the pool while he went to do odd jobs, his part-time job. The church discussed reducing some of his benefits, and he got belligerent and had certain members of the church followed/stalked, showing up at their places of employment, and their homes, and would just sit outside of the building. Since we supported reducing his benefits, and because I was one of the people who worked on staff unpaid, he had us followed, and even went to my wife's place of employment and sat out in the dining room staring at her. We finally left that church. So did many others. 

But, there are many pastors who go above and beyond what is considered their responsibility, and they are woefully underpaid. Even part-time pastors who serve well should be paid a decent, living salary, and provided for as best the church can do so. 

[TheGloryLand]

Many faithful members, wonder why churches are doing this bro. Tony. But don’t want to say anything about it. Many just leave the church. Which is a good idea, but unfortunately the problem remains. Thank you for serving.

[TheGloryLand]

I would like to share, I noticed that those churches that pay members, like the music ministry leader, or assistant pastor. These members are more faithful, could it be because they are getting paid? Would they be as faithful if they were not getting paid. I don’t know, and yes, it’s between the members and the Lord, not me or us. Faithful and true is the main thing. What I bring to you in this post is very private for many churches, and I understand that you cannot explain your situation publicly here.

[John Young]

My opinion is that a church can pay whichever ministry worker they want at the level their church needs to maintain the level of ministry they want. You get what you pay for and part time volunteers can only do so much before the ministry or minister suffers due to lack of time and resources.

Edited March 3, 2023 by John Young

[TheGloryLand]

1 hour ago, John Young said:

My opinion is that a church can pay whichever ministry worker they want at the level their church needs to maintain the level of ministry they want. You get what you pay for and part time volunteers can only do so much before the ministry or minister suffers due to lack of time and resources.

I do understand your point, sad to say this but members that are paid, work better, and play better. Some will come to church even when they are not feeling well. I personally was against paying members to serve, through the years. Today, I am thinking that it might not be so bad too. If the church can afford it. For the reason that I mentioned above.  Thanks for serving 

[TheGloryLand]

Now, the funds of tithing is being used to paid out all these services. Is it okay, or the tithing and offering should be used for evangelize and paid the building bills. Utilities only.

[BrotherTony]

13 hours ago, TheGloryLand said:

I do understand your point, sad to say this but members that are paid, work better, and play better. 

Some will come to church even when they are not feeling well. I personally was against paying members to serve, through the years. Today, I am thinking that it might not be so bad too. If the church can afford it. For the reason that I mentioned above.  Thanks for serving 

Are you talking about paid staff members? I'm taking it that you are. It's true that in many instances that paid staff members will be more faithful, but, this isn't always the case. There are many who are involved in their churches who never accept one penny of pay and do quite well in being faithful.  Many churches, like the one I'm a member of presently, cannot afford to pay anyone but a pastor and assistant if there is one at the time.