Pastors Salary

Rev. Dr. Lowery,

I agree with you view and have been a pastor for many years. My denomination had a retirement fund that the churches contributed to for my retirement. There were two funds: one that was rather safe and you could place money in a less secure financial vehicle. I put most of the money in the less secure vehicle and it worked out to my good. Thank the Lord.

Church Boards usually insure your relative humble life-style.

I was never jealous over T.V. preachers who make a lot more than I have. Their influence in the world is more than my contribution to the Christian Church. I rejoice when a ministry is successful.

I do not mean that they should misuse the funds that people give to the Lord.

Pastor Berrian, Th.D.

 

Why should a pastor have a lower standard of living than his congregation's median?

 

A person who would need that to help them be humble does not understand who God is.

So according to your viewpoint the congregation needs to make as much or more money than the pastor so they can be proud?

A church that does not pay their pastor very well also limits his ability to give to others who may need help.

One church I pastored paid me so much that I had to spend time working on my car a lot instead of spending that time doing ministry or studying.

There was a lady who offered me a nearly new car. I turned her down because I would have been unable to afford the license and insurance for it.

 

Over the years, my wage has been everywhere from 5 pounds to 500 dollars, and my modes of transportation from trains, bicycles to a 36 Nash Layfayette, Morris Minor, 48 Pontiac and a 1988 Pontiac....The Lord was very good.

I don't think a lot of modern day preachers have much to trouble about, at least in Canada.

Cheers,

Jim

 

All of that means nothing. It is image. It may be borrowed, rented, stolen or purchased with money earned from investments.

It is not what one wears which is important but how they wear it.

Would you wear $3000 suits and drive a $100,000 car and live in a $1,000,000 home if someone gave it to you and told you that you could not give it away? Or would you if someone allowed you to use those free of charge?

You are assuming that to have wealth or wear nice clothes is wrong. In some cases it may be. In other cases it may be necessary. A pastor friend I knew wore very nice clothes like you describe because a wealthy man bought them for him. He never bought one suit in his life as a pastor. He always drove a very nice car which someone bought him every two years. When he retired many in the town bought him a lot and built him a new home. During his life as a pastor he gave away much. But God gave him more back in a few months with a new home paid for by citizens in the community and members of the church.

Would it be any better if a man owned many acres of land worth millions because of sacrifice and saving instead of driving a nice car and wearing nice suits? Or would it be better if the person had all the flash and had no money. Who is really poor?

Some of the poor would welcome a person who was poor and became wealthy as an example of what can happen to them if they persevered and work hard. Most of the time the poor cannot see past their environment and what their parents have told them for years. They are actually in bondage.

I have done work for people who are multi-millionaires and grew up poor. They worked hard and have invested their money wisely. I knew one who lived in a tent with his wife and family for 11 years. Some of those people drive nice cars and wear nice suits and others do not.

What would a congregation do if a pastor did the same thing? Frankly, I believe most would not like it because he was more disciplined than they and ended up with more money.

If one looks around they will notice that there are always the poor and seldom do any leave that lifestyle. Most of the time they do not move past the perceived obstacles. However some do. Being poor can be a great motivator or a way to give excuses.

Several years ago I had a friend who was driving a used $4,000 BMW he had bought years earlier brand new while working for a large company at a well paying job. He regularly got criticism from some members in the church for owning that car while the pastor of the church drove a $35,000 Suburban. Make sense?

Image does not always give the true statement.

 

The Word of God tells us that the laborer is worthy of His hire, so I do believe the congregation should be responsible for meeting the needs of the local pastor and his family.

Many pastors, like myself during the 8 years I pastored MorningStar Fellowship, choose not to accept a salary. I only received a love offering from the congregation 10 times in the eight years I ministered.

This is not to say pastors should not get paid, I believe if the church can afford to give the pastor a weekly salary for his ministerial duties, the church should do so.

A pastor has more to do than preach the Word of God three times a week. Pastors also have to go on visitations, act as counsellor in many situations, perform marriages and funerals, etc.. Many sacrifice quality time with family to be with church members or church events. Many small congregations that have no deacons have the pastor doing the work of the deacon, which is a double load that pastors really are not required according to biblical standards to perform.

Visitations and physical work is actually the deacon's responsibility. The pastor can do these tasks if the Spirit leads, but it is not his responsibility.

 

Poverty is a state of mind.

Cheers,

Jim

 

We all start and end with the same amount.

 

It's living on what's in the middle that's so hard. I don't need a low salary to be humble. I also don't need a salary that humiliates, either.

 

It's living on what's in the middle that's so hard. I don't need a low salary to be humble. I also don't need a salary that humiliates, either.

A low salary can keep one humble. A high salary can go to a person's head and pride goeth before destruction. Many a preacher has let riches rule his life.

Jesus told the disciples when He sent them out not to take money or extra clothes. Paul wrote that God would supply all his need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

Many times, we let our wants outweigh our needs and we, as branches, get weighted down so much that we need pruning.

Ask yourselves when you see something that you would love to have... Do I need it? Am I breaking God's command not to covet by desiring this thing?

 

Bible teaches somewhere that our leaders are worth twice our pay (double measure).

 

When I was in seminary I also saw students who had little who were greedy. I heard a number say they couldn't wait until they got out to buy . . .

 

Sometimes honor can be demonstrated in better ways than money.

My first church gave my wife and I a gift after one year. We were shocked and speechless because we knew they sacrificed to give that to us. It was not huge but it was a lot for them. The way they honored me most was when they worked hard to grow and thank me for how God used me in their life.

The next church gave us more gifts but less honor and many more headaches. We were glad when we left that church except those we discipled. They left when we left too.