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Church budget unavailable: Stay or go?

Discussion in 'General Baptist Discussions' started by Pleasant_Bill, Jun 9, 2011.

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  1. David Lamb

    David Lamb Active Member

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    I agree, Bill! I only mentioned the bit about choirmasters in the CofE as an example of the fact that when I wrote: "Here, it is rare for anyone apart from the pastor of a church to be paid," I was only referring to baptist churches. I didn't mean that I aprroved of the idea of paying an organist! :)
     
    #61 David Lamb, Jun 16, 2011
  2. menageriekeeper

    menageriekeeper Active Member

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    I'm guessing our preacher does make right around the median income of the church. We're a church half full of doctors, lawyers and other professional types (yep, that includes us). Then on the other end of the spectrum we have a good many who don't make that much (teachers here only make about 1/3th of the preachers pay), are retired or disabled or are unemployed. We run the gamut of income levels at our church!

    We don't have any slackers as far as work goes either. And since we are the biggest church in the area, our preacher lives in a fishbowl. Literally. People outside the church made all sorts of comments about the sort of truck the last preacher drove!!! The church wasn't complaining! But some folks think they need to tell us how to run our own congregation. Not much rest in this gossipy little county for our preacher. So yeah, we pay him well. The last guy couldn't handle it even without the stress financial worries and left us after only 18 months of the fishbowl.
     
    #62 menageriekeeper, Jun 16, 2011
  3. Pleasant_Bill

    Pleasant_Bill New Member

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    Our Pastor USED to care what impression was being given. I remember within the first couple years of the church starting up, he was concerned with the impression people would have if he traded in the jalopy and got a newer used vehicle. In the years since, there's been a steady decline of caring what image is portrayed by he or his wife as both drive expensive new vehicles and at the two year mark (if that) they're traded in on something nicer. I don't know if it's a sense of entitlement, ego or just they KNOW he can't be gotten rid of that has fostered this attitude shift. It's almost as if they think they're royalty or something. Perhaps the church is the most at fault with this mess for allowing it to get to this point. It's being noticed now but if you say something, you're labeled either a 'Trouble-maker' or 'don't share God's vision for the church'.

    Would you all consider that Cult like behavior or what?
     
    #63 Pleasant_Bill, Jun 16, 2011
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 16, 2011
  4. menageriekeeper

    menageriekeeper Active Member

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    Cultlike? I don't know. I do know your preacher wouldn't last 5 minutes around here. :D

    The truck in question at our church was nice, but not new and came from the previous church he preached at. (One of the members was a car dealer lol, if you can't give your preacher a deal, who can you give one too?) AND he drove it the entire time he was here with no question of trading it. It was just a truck, shiny and black yes, but just a truck. (our car dealers are to cheap to trade the preacher's car every two years :eek: ;) )

    Your church has deep problems that go way beyond pay scale and expensive cars. Run, don't walk in the opposite direction.
     
    #64 menageriekeeper, Jun 16, 2011
  5. Pleasant_Bill

    Pleasant_Bill New Member

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    I'm sad that I'll most likely never see some of the members again but I'm glad to be putting this whole mess behind us. It's like a weight is being lifted off our shoulders.
     
    #65 Pleasant_Bill, Jun 16, 2011
  6. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
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    Just because you change churches, why wouldn't you be able to see some of the members again? I would make it a priority to stay in touch in them.
    Sounds like the finances is only the tip of the iceberg....
     
    #66 Salty, Jun 16, 2011
  7. Pleasant_Bill

    Pleasant_Bill New Member

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    I'm having to make a list of people that want contacted 'if you find a good church, let me know'. A lot of people are staying to 'be somewhere' or 'for their kids'.

    Does anyone know if someone is labelling themselves CEO of the church, is there a stipulation that their salary must be available to the public?
     
    #67 Pleasant_Bill, Jun 16, 2011
  8. nodak

    nodak Active Member
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    Oh wow.

    This is so sad.

    But then, I flat out run when someone sees themself as CEO, the one the cast a vision for the church, or other saddlebackisms.

    I still believe in the church being congregational, not elder led. I still believe every member is to be privy to all the church's business, including what they pay the preacher.

    And I still believe a call to preach and a vocation for a career are two different things.

    I'd have to leave.
     
    #68 nodak, Jun 17, 2011
  9. Pleasant_Bill

    Pleasant_Bill New Member

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    Amen. I guess I blame myself too for staying so long after finding out how things are really run there.

    Just found out the recent hirings of the new pastors were not even run by the Finance Team. :eek:
     
    #69 Pleasant_Bill, Jun 17, 2011
  10. Crucified in Christ

    Crucified in Christ New Member

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    With all due respect Bill, if you have decided to move on, then you need to do so. What you do not need to do is report back to members still in attendence with your church search updates. Also, if you are leaving, I would drop discussing the short comings of the church. Once you have made the decision, continuing to discuss it moves into the realm of gossip.
     
    #70 Crucified in Christ, Jun 18, 2011
  11. Pleasant_Bill

    Pleasant_Bill New Member

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    I know what you mean and appreciate the advice.

    We are striving to move on but having been at our old church (first actually) for nearly ten years, we've cultivated relationships that we're not going to let go of. We do need to curb our tongues about the 'old' church but if friends are searching for an alternative we will give them feedback on what we find.
     
    #71 Pleasant_Bill, Jun 19, 2011
  12. freeatlast

    freeatlast New Member

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    Leave and do so quickly.
     
    #72 freeatlast, Jun 20, 2011
  13. Crucified in Christ

    Crucified in Christ New Member

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    I completely understand. You are in my prayers.
     
    #73 Crucified in Christ, Jun 20, 2011
  14. Pleasant_Bill

    Pleasant_Bill New Member

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    I really appreciate that. Thanks! :thumbs:

    My family visited another church in the area this past Sunday and I felt renewed. :godisgood:
     
    #74 Pleasant_Bill, Jun 21, 2011
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