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Cable TV

Discussion in 'General Baptist Discussions' started by Salty, Sep 7, 2010.

  1. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
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    If a pastor lives in a parsonage, should the church provide Cable TV and or Internet for the family?

    Salty

    PS, I do not live in a parsonage, so this does not pertian to me
     
  2. abcgrad94

    abcgrad94 Active Member

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    Our church pays for our internet service, but not for cable. We didn't want cable, anyway.

    Internet is useful for communication, research, etc. Cable is not. I would not want the church to pay for us to have cable tv (if we even wanted it) because I think the funds could be much better spent for something else--like upkeep on the parsonage.
     
  3. preachinjesus

    preachinjesus Well-Known Member
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    Depends, there is no set rule.

    If the church gets a subscription for cable, satellite, and/or high speed internet the parsonage should be covered under that plan as it is, technically, part of the church. If they don't (I can't see why anyone would not have high-speed...if its offered) than its up to the pastor.

    It shouldn't be too big a deal (unless he's deeply underpaid) since it is part of housing and thus tax exempt.
     
  4. annsni

    annsni Well-Known Member
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    Well in our area, it's cheaper to get the whole set (cable/internet/tv) than it is to get just two of the three so in that case, I think it's OK.

    But I do think that it's not a normal "housing expense" and if it's not in the triple package, I think the pastor should pay for it himself.
     
  5. freeatlast

    freeatlast New Member

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    As in any situation like this it is totally up to the church as how they want to lavish or not lavish their Pastor. However from a personal standpoint I would be against it unless there could be some reason shown that this was needed for church business and church business only.
     
  6. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
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    If the pastor lives in the parsonage, should the church pay for the electric bill since it would not be only for church business?

    Of course, cable would not be "church business" but rather a "benefit" as seen fit by the church.
     
  7. freeatlast

    freeatlast New Member

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    Again it is totally up to each church how they lavish or lavish not their Pastor. However I would be against paying the electric bill. I believe that the Pastor needs to be compensated well. However he needs to care for his and his family needs from his salary like we all do.
    I said compensated well. I just came from a church that is paying their Pastor over 80 dollars an hour. By the way he has set a max number of hours of work at 8 hours a week so you can do the math. I felt that was way over board. I would have set it at 30 dollars an hour but I did not have the say. BY the way I have left that church. Also this church only has about 40 people who attend on a regular bases. Another thing. I don't believe that the Pastors salary should be determined on if he is married and has a wife to support or single or if married he has 1 child or 10. None of that should be brought into the mix. The scripture says if a man serves well he should get double honor. The compensation should be according to his service, nothing else. :wavey:
     
  8. ReformedBaptist

    ReformedBaptist Well-Known Member

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    Cable works if its super fast to run the pastor's Xbox 360. :thumbs:
     
  9. abcgrad94

    abcgrad94 Active Member

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    I agree, and I do not like it that our church pays our utilities. It invades our privacy by allowing others to see (and possibly complain about) how much water or electric we used and makes me feel like people want an explanation if the bill is high one month or low another month. I don't discuss their utility bills and would prefer they didn't discuss mine!

    I would MUCH rather the church just give my dh a raise so we can pay the bills ourselves and keep some semblance of privacy in our daily lives.
     
  10. Ruiz

    Ruiz New Member

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    I agree, I think the church should not provide utilities or non-essentials but let the pastor pay for these, and then live with the expenses/savings.

    Also, some cable/satelite providers require a commitment for services. They require a social security number and a credit card on file that could be charged for unpaid fees. Thus, a series Pay Per View ordered by a Pastor's family could be charged to the church or the church (after the Pastor leaves) could ruin that Pastor's credit since his social security number is required to open the account.

    Rather, it would be best for him to pay his own bills.

    As a disclosure, I work for a fortune 500 Television provider. I, however, do not speak on their behalf and do not represent them in any way. However, I do not even have satellite or cable television.
     
  11. Jim1999

    Jim1999 <img src =/Jim1999.jpg>

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    In Canada, in our association, we did away with church-owned houses, got paid a subsitance allowance to compensate, and bought our own houses. This not only allowed us privacy, but something in retirement.

    Often the church "owned" the parsonage and virtually entered it at will, held classes and whatever. This also allowed them to keep us at the poverty level even though we were often educated better than some business people.

    Cheers,

    Jim
     
  12. blackbird

    blackbird Active Member

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    OF COURSE!!!! There must be cable provided by the church to the parsonage-----------so the pastor can be glued to ESPN and all the other sports channels----can have several "Crimson Tide" illustrations built into his next Sunday morning sermon!!!!:sleep::sleep:
     
  13. NaasPreacher (C4K)

    NaasPreacher (C4K) Well-Known Member

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    Very logical post - that is indeed church in Alabama!
     
  14. gb93433

    gb93433 Active Member
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    That has been done a lot in the US too.
     
  15. freeatlast

    freeatlast New Member

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    abcgrad94 this is something that your husband should bring to the churches attention if he feels it a problem. I am not totally understanding on how the salaries of a Pastor are worked out, but I know how I would handle it if it were me and it would not be the church telling me this is the way it is take it or leave it. I would have some parameters set that I would simply not go beyond and others where I could give into if necessary. If you have not made your husband aware of your feelings (one time is enough) you should, but in the end it is his decision as he is the head.
     
  16. abcgrad94

    abcgrad94 Active Member

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    Of course he is, and I didn't mean to imply otherwise. Just giving my opinion as one who has experienced this. I find that most church folks have no idea how things like this affect their pastor and pastor's wife.
     
  17. gb93433

    gb93433 Active Member
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    I tried to get a church to add another air conditioner to the sanctuary because it would get over 90 degrees by the time of the second service. The response of the leaders was "You should have seen what we had before." I told them that my parents did not have an air conditioner when I grew up and now almost everyone does.
     
  18. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
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    This is a perfect example as to how this board can be informative. :1_grouphug: I have never lived in a parsonage. Therefore, I have never considered the point of view as stated by ABC
    Thanks for the input :thumbsup:
     
  19. BroTom64

    BroTom64 Active Member
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    Except for my first pastorate, we have lived in a Church provided parsonage. Each Church handled it's pastor's compensation as it saw fit.

    Most had a separate "Housing or Living Allowance". None of the Churches I have served paid the ultilities directly, they paid a set housing allowance each month and I paid the ultilities myself. This allowance is nontaxable for Federal-income tax purposes. I do pay Social Security on this and the "Fair Rental Value" of the Parsonage.

    I have Internet and Cable, but I pay for it out of the Housing Allowance. I have a LOOOONG list of Items that can be paid for under a Housing Allowance. If audited, I will have to show that the Allowance was used for Housing or I will have to pay taxes on the difference. I can adjust the Allowance each year, but not retroactively.
     
  20. BroTom64

    BroTom64 Active Member
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    ESPN for College Football is a necessity for a "Southern" Baptist pastor during football season.
     
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