In a Local church who is supposed to get paid?

[BrotherTony]

7 minutes ago, TheGloryLand said:

When it comes to paying the pastor of a church, should they get paid a flat rate, or by the number of members. The more members, the more he gets paid. With no ending what that could be. Example; 300 members $75,000 a year, 600 members hundred members $150,000 a year. Now, I know it’s up to the church and its members, but is it right or wrong, to pay him, like this in your opinion?

If pay is based on numbers only,I believe that the pastor would be guilty of serving for "filthy lucre" and the church would be guilty of allowing it to happen. 

[TheGloryLand]

50 minutes ago, BrotherTony said:

If pay is based on numbers only,I believe that the pastor would be guilty of serving for "filthy lucre" and the church would be guilty of allowing it to happen. 

I believe in some cases, it’s not the pastor. The church leaders, they are the ones that percent theses packages. The pastor, will never say, you are paying me too much. I probably wouldn’t either.

[BrotherTony]

15 minutes ago, TheGloryLand said:

I believe in some cases, it’s not the pastor. The church leaders, they are the ones that percent theses packages. The pastor, will never say, you are paying me too much. I probably wouldn’t either.

TGL...you keep bouncing back and forth on what you believe, or at least in what you're presenting. TBH, I know of at least two churches where my wife and I were members where the pastor DID ask for a reduction in pay, as the amount he was being paid was detrimental to the church.  To be direct here, you seem to continuously post your opinion as fact, and that's not a good thing. 

[TheGloryLand]

53 minutes ago, BrotherTony said:

TGL...you keep bouncing back and forth on what you believe, or at least in what you're presenting. TBH, I know of at least two churches where my wife and I were members where the pastor DID ask for a reduction in pay, as the amount he was being paid was detrimental to the church.  To be direct here, you seem to continuously post your opinion as fact, and that's not a good thing. 

That was very nice of the pastor, but it sounds like the leaders were over paying him to pastor from the beginning, or the pastor is in good standing. He have money, and don’t need as much. Which is the way it should be. He runs his home well.

[BrotherTony]

4 hours ago, TheGloryLand said:

That was very nice of the pastor, but it sounds like the leaders were over paying him to pastor from the beginning, or the pastor is in good standing. He have money, and don’t need as much. Which is the way it should be. He runs his home well.

He was a bi-vocational pastor making $200 per week pastoring 65 people in 1992. He asked to have his salary lowered to $150 per week until the congregation grew and recently saved were faithful and matured in Christ. The other pastor was bi-vocational as well and was only making $75 a week in 1999 pastoring 30 people. He went to $50 per week. Both churches grew significantly after this, and their converts thrived under the discipleship programs both churches ran. Believe me, NEITHER Of these men "had money" and they needed a lot. But, they counted these lacks as positives for Christ. 

[TheGloryLand]

9 minutes ago, BrotherTony said:

He was a bi-vocational pastor making $200 per week pastoring 65 people in 1992. He asked to have his salary lowered to $150 per week until the congregation grew and recently saved were faithful and matured in Christ. The other pastor was bi-vocational as well and was only making $75 a week in 1999 pastoring 30 people. He went to $50 per week. Both churches grew significantly after this, and their converts thrived under the discipleship programs both churches ran. Believe me, NEITHER Of these men "had money" and they needed a lot. But, they counted these lacks as positives for Christ. 

Some can earn $500 a day today, if you add the benefits. I feel many pastors are lacking income, and many are over paid. The Lord knows this

[BrotherTony]

1 minute ago, TheGloryLand said:

Some can earn $500 a day today, if you add the benefits. I feel many pastors are lacking income, and many are over paid. The Lord knows this

Why are you so concerned about what some other pastor is paid? It really has nothing to do with you and is distracting you from the work of the Lord. You really need to let these things go and move on.

[TheGloryLand]

1 minute ago, BrotherTony said:

Why are you so concerned about what some other pastor is paid? It really has nothing to do with you and is distracting you from the work of the Lord. You really need to let these things go and move on.

I’m just a voice in the wilderness.. Saying Repent and get right. Relax my friend 

[BrotherTony]

28 minutes ago, TheGloryLand said:

I’m just a voice in the wilderness.. Saying Repent and get right. Relax my friend 

To be frank...please don't flatter yourself by comparing yourself to John the Baptist. I'm very relaxed. To continuously be negative about the churches, pastors, and members is rabble-rousing, not assisting in God's work. 

[HappyChristian]

8 hours ago, TheGloryLand said:

When it comes to paying the pastor of a church, should they get paid a flat rate, or by the number of members. The more members, the more he gets paid. With no ending what that could be. Example; 300 members $75,000 a year, 600 members hundred members $150,000 a year. Now, I know it’s up to the church and its members, but is it right or wrong, to pay him, like this in your opinion?

 

I cannot truly opine on whether or not a flat rate is right for any church but our own because, well, "independent" and all that, but...No, I don't believe that would be right for us. If we were to lock in a flat rate per membership count, I believe it would negate the possibility of God working in the members' lives to take care of their pastor. (It could also work negatively on the pastor to become one of the many out there who push for members so the offering will increase, thus making the pastor money-hungry.)

An anecdote (which I know is not scripture, but it will illustrate what I said, I hope). Several years ago, our folks voted to automatically look at the pastor's income every year, in our minds wanting to give him an annual raise. This was something that God worked in the hearts of many members before it even came to a discussion. So that is now a part of our first business meeting of the year. 

In 2021 and 2022 our pastor requested that the church members NOT give him a raise because we have a low membership. We honored that, even while we did not want to do that. However, in 2022 we did vote to give him a monthly gas allowance (not a lot so that we could honor his request for no raise, but enough to be a help). He did not make that request this year because the men told him he was getting a raise. Period. Nicely, of course. lol. So after they prayed and discussed amount (without the pastor present...and he is never present when we discuss it at our business meetings - we boot him for a few minutes lol), the men recommended and we all agreed to give him a raise that meets inflation. So, in effect, he's not profiting from the raise, but at least now will be keeping up with inflation. (hope that makes sense)

My hubs (our pastor) has received some cash gifts this year (I hate saying this, because it's not really anyone's business, but there is a point)...because God has laid it on the hearts of the givers. Not a great big amount, but each was/is a blessing as he can see God working in their lives. He does not expect it (nor do I), but he accepts it because he knows it is evidence of them listening to the Lord.

A flat rate does not, as I said, give room for God to burden the membership to care for their pastor. And, too, it makes pastoring far too much like a job instead of a ministry. IMO.

[TheGloryLand]

21 minutes ago, HappyChristian said:

 

I cannot truly opine on whether or not a flat rate is right for any church but our own because, well, "independent" and all that, but...No, I don't believe that would be right for us. If we were to lock in a flat rate per membership count, I believe it would negate the possibility of God working in the members' lives to take care of their pastor. (It could also work negatively on the pastor to become one of the many out there who push for members so the offering will increase, thus making the pastor money-hungry.)

An anecdote (which I know is not scripture, but it will illustrate what I said, I hope). Several years ago, our folks voted to automatically look at the pastor's income every year, in our minds wanting to give him an annual raise. This was something that God worked in the hearts of many members before it even came to a discussion. So that is now a part of our first business meeting of the year. 

In 2021 and 2022 our pastor requested that the church members NOT give him a raise because we have a low membership. We honored that, even while we did not want to do that. However, in 2022 we did vote to give him a monthly gas allowance (not a lot so that we could honor his request for no raise, but enough to be a help). He did not make that request this year because the men told him he was getting a raise. Period. Nicely, of course. lol. So after they prayed and discussed amount (without the pastor present...and he is never present when we discuss it at our business meetings - we boot him for a few minutes lol), the men recommended and we all agreed to give him a raise that meets inflation. So, in effect, he's not profiting from the raise, but at least now will be keeping up with inflation. (hope that makes sense)

My hubs (our pastor) has received some cash gifts this year (I hate saying this, because it's not really anyone's business, but there is a point)...because God has laid it on the hearts of the givers. Not a great big amount, but each was/is a blessing as he can see God working in their lives. He does not expect it (nor do I), but he accepts it because he knows it is evidence of them listening to the Lord.

A flat rate does not, as I said, give room for God to burden the membership to care for their pastor. And, too, it makes pastoring far too much like a job instead of a ministry. IMO.

Thank you for sharing. I appreciate it. I did laugh a little bit when you talked about the Pastor salary him not being present. I was at a meeting  were we were discussing this his salary and he was right there, in the middle of all of it, just listening to the end, Then they ask members to raise of hands if you agree, the pastor was still there. Then after I found out that everything was already decided I couldn’t understand why ask raise your hands. This is why I’m bringing this all up. I experience it in person.

[HappyChristian]

5 hours ago, TheGloryLand said:

Thank you for sharing. I appreciate it. I did laugh a little bit when you talked about the Pastor salary him not being present. I was at a meeting  were we were discussing this his salary and he was right there, in the middle of all of it, just listening to the end, Then they ask members to raise of hands if you agree, the pastor was still there. Then after I found out that everything was already decided I couldn’t understand why ask raise your hands. This is why I’m bringing this all up. I experience it in person.

The members of the church have set the precedent that he is not to be present when we discuss things like his salary, gifts we as a church might want to give him, etc. The one exception was when the church bought him a car. It is the church's car, but it is his...he was there when we made the decision to buy it (we had already actually decided beforehand), but he was there to voice a protest against it. We chose to override him. LOL

Regarding the pastor's salary, just about every member has voiced their desire for him to be receiving more than he is. That makes me as his wife very thankful that they realize just how blessed they are to have my hubs as pastor. 

I'm sorry you experienced that. There are many churches where things are already decided beforehand. It is frustrating. But I would say that maybe the pastor and/or deacons of that church would be the one(s) to whom you should go with your questions.

 

[BrotherTony]

1 hour ago, TheGloryLand said:

Thank you for sharing. I appreciate it. I did laugh a little bit when you talked about the Pastor salary him not being present. I was at a meeting  were we were discussing this his salary and he was right there, in the middle of all of it, just listening to the end, Then they ask members to raise of hands if you agree, the pastor was still there. Then after I found out that everything was already decided I couldn’t understand why ask raise your hands. This is why I’m bringing this all up. I experience it in person.

While my wife and I were members of a BMA church in Illinois this happened, to some degree or another. The sad part was that the pastor actually spoke about why his salary should be raised. Several of the members were members of his extended family, and, of course, they knew he was going to be getting the raise. They comprised most of the church. I'm really sorry that you as a member had to experience this. This was one of the several reasons my wife and I left this church. It ISN'T the norm for churches, however. This happens in very few churches. 

[TheGloryLand]

I’m glad that I am Saved, and I haven’t quit. Like many members that have quit. Men do, and can fall short helping you. I remember hearing a pastor saying to the members, I’m sorry. He said, one day he might let us down. So, I am saying to all of you, I’m sorry before hand, if I am not there for you someday. I do understand him well, smart man.

[Anthony John Thornton]

It's been a while since I've posted, but I suppose it's time to get back involved. Matter of fact, last time I posted, I wasn't in the ministry yet.

 

 

I'm the administrative pastor (not that title matters to me) of my local IFB church. Some would call me the associate pastor. All I know is I am an assistant pastor. I suppose it could be said we are in a luxurious spot for paying staff. There's the pastor, me, children's pastor, congregational care pastor being paid as pastoral staff. There's also the music director and media director. All of these positions receive pay. My pastor took less than his predecessor, on purpose, and I did the same thing with my predecessor, also on purpose. We vote on a budget each year, with the staff salary lumped into one portion of the budget. We support 157 missionaries. We are very frugal with our money, even more so with our present pastor.

 

Some of you would be familiar with our previous pastor. I loved that guy to death. He is the reason I am in the ministry, essentially; however, he had a larger portion dedicated to staff. It really boils down to the congregation/deacons/pastor as to who gets paid what, etc. etc. Some have rightly pointed out the beauty of being independent.

Edited May 5, 2023 by Anthony John Thornton