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Pastor compensation

Discussion in 'General Baptist Discussions' started by freeatlast, Sep 8, 2010.

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  1. Luke2427

    Luke2427 Active Member

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    Because that is not how we do anything else in life. I just this hour wrote a check to my mechanic for four hundred and five dollars and fifty-nine cents- not for doing his best, but for results.
     
    #61 Luke2427, Sep 9, 2010
  2. annsni

    annsni Well-Known Member
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    Hey!! I just found out the median household income in our town is over $100,000!!

    I think it's time for a large raise!!!
     
    #62 annsni, Sep 9, 2010
  3. annsni

    annsni Well-Known Member
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    But that is something that can be measured.

    How do you pay a pain doctor? By how much pain he takes away? How do you measure that?

    How do you pay a teacher? For how many college graduates he produces? Or how about how high the test scores are? That might work!
     
    #63 annsni, Sep 9, 2010
  4. Luke2427

    Luke2427 Active Member

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    We don't pay our president based on the the average salary of the US citizen. We don't pay our mayors that way either. This is because their position is very valuable. So is the pastor's. We should pay him what he is worth as best we can; not relegate his salary to what the average member makes. That may sound spiritual and noble to do- but it is not wise nor logical.
     
    #64 Luke2427, Sep 9, 2010
  5. annsni

    annsni Well-Known Member
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    Thanks!!

    We're going into the largest town in Suffolk County with the largest school district on the Island. Over 50% of the homes have children under 18 which means that it's a much younger population than what we have in our town. Less than 1% of the residents in the town go to a church that could be labeled "evangelical" (we looked through statements of faith for each church in the town to be able to identify them) so that leaves us 99% to work on. 99% of half a million people (as of 2000).

    We're definitely thinking big.
     
    #65 annsni, Sep 9, 2010
  6. annsni

    annsni Well-Known Member
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    It's a good measuring stick though. You're not going to get a "you're paid too much" when it is the median income. And if it's the median income, OTHERS are living on that so the pastor can too.
     
    #66 annsni, Sep 9, 2010
  7. jaigner

    jaigner Active Member

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    Wow. This sounds like a business model. The pastor isn't a CEO and looking at growth isn't always a good way to determine how good a job someone is doing. Ministry should be liberated from the "success syndrome." (Check out the good book by Hughes).
     
    #67 jaigner, Sep 9, 2010
  8. Luke2427

    Luke2427 Active Member

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    What a great opportunity!! Praise God for you guys!
     
    #68 Luke2427, Sep 9, 2010
  9. Luke2427

    Luke2427 Active Member

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    fair enough.
     
    #69 Luke2427, Sep 9, 2010
  10. Luke2427

    Luke2427 Active Member

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    God deliver us from small thinkers and shallow dreamers and visionless, passionless occupiers of positions whose work is characterized by activity without productivity, too.
     
    #70 Luke2427, Sep 9, 2010
  11. annsni

    annsni Well-Known Member
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    But do you think that pastors that are putting in 80 hours a week and still do not see growth in their church - but they are big thinkers, deep dreamers, have a massive vision of what can be and have a passion for the Gospel of Jesus Christ - do not deserve their wages?

    I guess you haven't tried to church in NY.
     
    #71 annsni, Sep 9, 2010
  12. jaigner

    jaigner Active Member

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    I'm not talking about them. I'm talking about people who faithfully serve God and desire to see God's Kingdom increased.
     
    #72 jaigner, Sep 9, 2010
  13. abcgrad94

    abcgrad94 Active Member

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    Faith:
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    A pastor's job is to feed the sheep. It's not his fault if the sheep refuse to come eat, if they fail to reproduce, etc. He is to be faithful. He should not be paid according to his sheep's behavior.
     
    #73 abcgrad94, Sep 9, 2010
  14. Dale-c

    Dale-c Active Member

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    One of the worst things we can do is pay our pastors according to business standards.
    I don't see any specifics in scripture that tell us exactly what we should pay a pastor.
    It should be up to each congregation to do as they can and what they believe is best in their situation.

    Many pastors are underpaid because their congregation can't afford anymore.
    That is fine. I do think though that if a church can pay a pastor enough so that he does not have to be concerned with finances and can put all of his effort into study and pastoring that is best.

    An underpaid pastor in a church that can afford more is a shame.
    Some churches just can't afford more.
     
    #74 Dale-c, Sep 9, 2010
  15. freeatlast

    freeatlast New Member

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    Then they don't need a full time pastor.
     
    #75 freeatlast, Sep 10, 2010
  16. matt wade

    matt wade Well-Known Member

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    No, maybe they just need a pastor that is more concerned about doing God's will than making money?

    I for one am thankful for all the pastors and missionaries who make numerous sacrifices in their lives to do the work of God. It's interesting how most of those willing to make the sacrifices I speak of are the "unlearned". Those with M.Div.'s don't want to "waste" their education.

    As William Borden wrote....No Reserves. No Retreats. No Regrets.
     
    #76 matt wade, Sep 10, 2010
  17. webdog

    webdog Active Member
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    Wouldn't that depend on the size of the church? If the church had 30 members, I might agree with you, but I bet that is the minority no the majority.
     
    #77 webdog, Sep 10, 2010
  18. annsni

    annsni Well-Known Member
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    How about being able to live? Being a pastor is usually a full time job - moreso in a small church where he might be the only employee. In our church, we have numerous pastors and so the responsibility is spread across more shoulders so it makes each person's job slightly easier (but it also frees them to increase their area of ministry to larger influence than a single pastor most likely would be able to do).

    But sacrifice we have. My husband was a well established computer engineer (doing both hardware and software) in the audio industry. His programs and equipment are used for Broadway plays, movie production, large concerts and the like around the world. But he gave that up to go into the ministry - and our salary has been cut in less than half. When he entered the ministry, we had 4 children at home but now we have 2 in college. But God has blessed us greatly and multiplied the loaves and the fishes. We're certainly not comfortable and there are lots of home things that we've had to put off because we just don't have the money but we're happy. We're blessed that we have a home, that we have some cushion and we can downscale any time we need to and we're willing to do that. We've sacrificed a lot of lifestyle and financial peace in order to be in the ministry but we'd not change it for the world.
     
    #78 annsni, Sep 10, 2010
  19. John Toppass

    John Toppass Active Member
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    I have many pastor friends and I think most are underpaid. One of my dearest pastor friends was listening to me talk about what I gave up when I started going to church and serving the Lord. He looked at me, smiled and said "Wow, what if Jesus had to give up that much."
    From that point on I realized I could never give up enough for what I had already received.
     
    #79 John Toppass, Sep 10, 2010
  20. freeatlast

    freeatlast New Member

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    My statements were never about over paying a man, but about paying one what is due for what he is doing. How about the members being concerned about doing God's will rather then keeping the money for themselves? They could start sacrificing and giving more. Eat less and different, don't eat out, don't by the new car, don't go on vacation, give up your retirement, and so on. Why expect the Pastor to be the one doing all the scarifying? And I am with what you wrote about William Booth. the church members might try and practice that if they want a full time Pastor.
     
    #80 freeatlast, Sep 10, 2010
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 10, 2010
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