What is the proper salary for a pastor?

[Depleted]

It seems many people are getting their panties in a twist over how much pastors should make, so I'm going to ask -- how much should a pastor be paid?

And, how come they are supposed to do stuff with any extra money, yet no one ever questions if you should be too?

In the OT Law, the priest got 10%. 10% of the land, 10% of the herds. 10% of the crops. And that was included in tithing to the Lord.

2.2 million people walked out of Egypt. 10% is a lot, no matter how you slice it. And once Jerusalem had the temple, the Levites had the land around it, plus herds, and crops, and whatever other 10% the people gave. They used the tithe to keep up the temple, and to keep up with all that was required in the temple. (You can't keep using the same grills and candlesticks without thinking they need replacing eventually, and considering the grill and candles were gold, it's "high maintenance.")

Now it seems "fair" to pay a pastor $20,000-$30,000 plus a parsonage. Or, worse yet, be a pastor part time, and have "a real job."

Is that Biblical? Or is that stingy?

And, yeah. I really do thinking private jet is above and beyond, but I don't know the answer. Then again, my idea of the high life has always been I want an Audi. lol

What should a pastor be paid? And what's the base for that?

 

[trofimus]

It seems many people are getting their panties in a twist over how much pastors should make, so I'm going to ask -- how much should a pastor be paid?

And, how come they are supposed to do stuff with any extra money, yet no one ever questions if you should be too?

In the OT Law, the priest got 10%. 10% of the land, 10% of the herds. 10% of the crops. And that was included in tithing to the Lord.

2.2 million people walked out of Egypt. 10% is a lot, no matter how you slice it. And once Jerusalem had the temple, the Levites had the land around it, plus herds, and crops, and whatever other 10% the people gave. They used the tithe to keep up the temple, and to keep up with all that was required in the temple. (You can't keep using the same grills and candlesticks without thinking they need replacing eventually, and considering the grill and candles were gold, it's "high maintenance.")

Now it seems "fair" to pay a pastor $20,000-$30,000 plus a parsonage. Or, worse yet, be a pastor part time, and have "a real job."

Is that Biblical? Or is that stingy?

And, yeah. I really do thinking private jet is above and beyond, but I don't know the answer. Then again, my idea of the high life has always been I want an Audi. lol

What should a pastor be paid? And what's the base for that?

I think he should not get paid more than is the average salary in the country.

He should rather have less than that, because a pastor with much of money is not a good image. He is not doing the job for having a good salary anyway (I hope so).

 

[BillG]

If the church can afford to then I tend to think what they would earn in their secular job.
Not sure if a cap should be put on it. I think I would probably say yes.

We had a pastor who worked for pittance.
Once a year gift day was held for him. (He was never present on such days).
Someone bought him a new car to replace his clapped out old banger.

 

[Ezekiel8]

Hmm I always thought the clergy didn't get salaries, but to compensate they were given homes and the basic amenites by the church for free and that they were also to be exempted from taxation.

I thought the tithe wasn't so much a salary as it was moreso meant for the maintenance of the Levites as a whole, for instance like you said, to maintain the Temple and its implements and the sacrifices and so forth and so on.

 

[Nehemiah6]

It seems many people are getting their panties in a twist over how much pastors should make, so I'm going to ask -- how much should a pastor be paid?

Pastors should receive a salary which allows them to live without financial stress. Depending on what other benefits they receive it could range from $40,000 to $70,000, and would not be greater than the average church member's income.

 

[MarcR]

A pastor should be paid what his church's governing board budgets for his salary.

The better question might be whether Mega-churches effectively serve the Lord or whether they should exist.

I have seen good arguments on both sides of that issue.

 

[maxwel]

The Bible does not address the specific amount of a pastor's salary.
Therefore, there is no specified amount.


The Bible does however talk about false teachers, and people who are greedy of gain.
So if you see a pastor who just seems to be false and greedy... you should not support him.


The problem is not the AMOUNT of a Pastor's salary,
the problem is that Christians can no longer tell a greedy conman from a real preacher.

 

[BillG]

Hmm I always thought the clergy didn't get salaries, but to compensate they were given homes and the basic amenites by the church for free and that they were also to be exempted from taxation.

I thought the tithe wasn't so much a salary as it was moreso meant for the maintenance of the Levites as a whole, for instance like you said, to maintain the Temple and its implements and the sacrifices and so forth and so on.

If memory serves me, over here denominations like the Anglicans, Methodists get a small salary. The have the vicarage where all bills are paid for and it's exempt of tax.

So I think when you put that all together then it's probably a good salary.
If they had to pay for it then you would need to gross up the cost to meet the net salary if the vicar had to pay for it.

 

[Depleted]

I think he should not get paid more than is the average salary in the country.

He should rather have less than that, because a pastor with much of money is not a good image. He is not doing the job for having a good salary anyway (I hope so).

But what is your base for that? That's what I'm trying to figure out. Everyone know how much a pastor should get, but do we know that based on something in the Bible or just personal opinion?

 

[Nehemiah6]

A pastor should be paid what his church's governing board budgets for his salary.

And what if their budgeting decisions are carnal rather than spiritual? Too many churches neglect the poor and needy within their congregations and expect the government to do what they should be doing. Too many do not even have a separate fund for widows and orphans.

 

[Depleted]

If the church can afford to then I tend to think what they would earn in their secular job.
Not sure if a cap should be put on it. I think I would probably say yes.

We had a pastor who worked for pittance.
Once a year gift day was held for him. (He was never present on such days).
Someone bought him a new car to replace his clapped out old banger.

I'm from a denomination when pastors don't have secular jobs. Pastoring is their job. And since, by very nature, pastoring isn't a secular job, then how do you figure out what they're paid by secular jobs?

 

[phil36]

And what if their budgeting decisions are carnal rather than spiritual? Too many churches neglect the poor and needy within their congregations and expect the government to do what they should be doing. Too many do not even have a separate fund for widows and orphans.

Are you not the church? If so why are you neglecting the poor and needy in the church? (when I say 'you' I don't mean 'you' personally).

 

[Depleted]

A pastor should be paid what his church's governing board budgets for his salary.

The better question might be whether Mega-churches effectively serve the Lord or whether they should exist.

I have seen good arguments on both sides of that issue.

Doesn't help. What does a church governing board know that no one else knows? And what is their base in deciding? Shouldn't we actually know what a pastor should receive? (And I ask that from a place of sheer ignorance on what a pastor should receive.)

And if you want to ask about mega-churches, you can, but that's not my question.

 

[Bicycleman]

My old pastor had a dump truck business on the side, so he only received $20,000 a year as our pastor. Our church members had a big falling out so there weren't many of us to afford a more expensive pastor. We had to turn down a former missionary, who asked for $40,000 per year because of our monetary problems. We were lucky to find the dump truck pastor, though he wasn't all that good as a pastor. He was a better Sunday school teacher, though.

 

[Ezekiel8]

If memory serves me, over here denominations like the Anglicans, Methodists get a small salary. The have the vicarage where all bills are paid for and it's exempt of tax.

So I think when you put that all together then it's probably a good salary.
If they had to pay for it then you would need to gross up the cost to meet the net salary if the vicar had to pay for it.

I would certainly say that's a good salary! I'm just saying what I have heard before, I'm not too sure on it though or on the denominational differences. I was just always told they didn't get much of a salary, but they do get a lot of perks, like a free house and stuff like that.

 

[notuptome]

Scripture admonishes us to not muzzle to ox that treads out the grain and that a worker is due his hire.

How much is enough and how much is too much depends on the man and the church that he ministers to on a daily basis. The church should not go in debt to have a pastor nor should missions or ministry to the needy in the church be neglected to support a pastor. That said it would be a poor testimony if the pastor was not paid enough to support him an his family. Compensation can be structured to include housing and auto expenses.

I rather suspect that the good men who are pastors are more likely to be under paid and not over paid. The few mega church pastors that are over paid make a bad name for the good men whom God has actually called to the ministry.

For the cause of Christ
Roger

 

[BillG]

But what is your base for that? That's what I'm trying to figure out. Everyone know how much a pastor should get, but do we know that based on something in the Bible or just personal opinion?

What's the thoughts on the following
1 Timothy 5:17-18
Honor the Elders
17 Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine. 18 For the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain,” and, “The laborer is worthy of his wages.”

 

[maxwel]

And what if their budgeting decisions are carnal rather than spiritual? Too many churches neglect the poor and needy within their congregations and expect the government to do what they should be doing. Too many do not even have a separate fund for widows and orphans.

I think if we're in church that makes a lot of decisions we feel are unbiblical, we to to sort things out with the administration, or we need to leave that church.

 

[trofimus]

But what is your base for that? That's what I'm trying to figure out. Everyone know how much a pastor should get, but do we know that based on something in the Bible or just personal opinion?

The New Testament does not know any paid pastors, so everything is just our opinion.

But Paul says (and which religious worker has a right to be paid more than the apostle Paul?) that if he had all his needs covered and something small above it, he will be satisfied.

So, I do not see any basis for really rich pastors. People see it and it damages the message.

 

[Depleted]

And what if their budgeting decisions are carnal rather than spiritual? Too many churches neglect the poor and needy within their congregations and expect the government to do what they should be doing. Too many do not even have a separate fund for widows and orphans.

See there. Here we got a person sure of what should and shouldn't be done. Still, doesn't answer the question. Just adds to it, without answering anything.