What is the proper salary for a pastor?

[Depleted]

In my experience, a lot of people who have less is because of poor decision making. Sure, there are many exceptions people lose their job etc. I've been there myself, unemployed for a lengthy period of time due to unseen circumstances. Never once did I look at my leaders and go, look at them basking in it. I was even supported by the church financially a little bit.

Wouldnt it be if there is a fair amount of 'poor people' in the church as you suggest and the pastor earns a wage from offerings that he would earn less anyway?

I don't know about other countries but one-third of poor people in the US are poor directly related to health problems. The kind that end up costing the price of four houses, the kind that make for disability, or worse -- both.

When I was growing up, my parents put into our heads we would go to college and make a good living before we were out of diapers. (Big shock when older brother opted out of going to college. ) Hubby grew up with no expectation of college, but a big expectation that "you go to work every day and work hard to earn your pay." Either mindset works once you're a teenager.

I think one-third of Americans are poor because the work ethic didn't exist in the home to have that foundation. So it never dawns on the next generation how to get out of poverty.

And then the last third? Yeah, probably bad decision making.

 

[OneFaith]

Do you give with a cheerful heart, you sound a little peeved and angry and bitter.

I stick up for what’s right without bias. I do give with a cheerful heart. No anger, no resentment. Whatever they do is between them and God, I’m not their judge. But perhaps my opinion of right and wrong will help them examine anything in them that might keep them from heaven. Being rich makes it hard to get to heaven- easier for a camel to fit through the eye of a needle. God is love, and we must love in order to be His children.

“But if you have possessions, and see your brother in need, and show no pity, how can the love of God be in you?” If you were hungry, and God had a swimming pool full of macaroni, and He took one noodle, cut it into four pieces, and gave you a piece on a plate, would you think of Him as loving? Or if He cut the fingers off of a glove, cut the remaining piece in half, and gave it to use as a blanket, would you count Him as loving? Our love should reflect His.

 

[Susanna]

If I was a man I think I would not be a pastor anyways.

 

[trofimus]

Over here, the Salvation Army is usually known as a giant thrift shop that sells donated used items. They have some actual churches, but few people know about them. They visit a lot of jails.

Interesting.

We have it as a specific protestant denomination who concentrates on the service to the poor people. I have never heard of any shop. I think they are charismatics.

 

[Depleted]

It is my experience that we could give the average poor person $50,000 a year, and their level of living would soon be just what it is now. Poor people are usually poor for a good reason.

If you want, I'll be more than happy to be your guinea pig for that experiment. Just send your $50,000 a year this away, give it five years, and I'm sure we wouldn't have to keep taking the money. (Might anyway, because I sure do like helping people out. lol)

 

[BillG]

Wow!!! And your petrol prices scare me to death. We are paying $2.17 USD right now.

We pay that just to pull out the nozzle.
I filled up my car today cost me £70.
We pay £1.30 (approx) per litre.

 

[Susanna]

We pay that just to pull out the nozzle.
I filled up my car today cost me £70.
We pay £1.30 (approx) per litre.

3.78 litres is a US gallon?

 

[BillG]

And you're driving in the left lane.

Lol

Yes that's correct.

We drive in the right side of the road

I remember once when I was driving on the motorway. My wife called me (hands free of course) she says "Be careful, just heard on the news that some idiot is driving the wrong way down the motorway"

I says it's not just one there's hundreds of them

 

[Willie-T]

We pay that just to pull out the nozzle.
I filled up my car today cost me £70.
We pay £1.30 (approx) per litre.

For you Americans.... We pay about 44 cents for that same liter. (litre)

 

[Depleted]

If some church has 100 members, 25 are so poor that they give almost nothing, 50 are average, giving 10% of average salary and 25 are rich, giving for example 20% of average salary, then the pastor will get:

50*10% of average salary (= 50*$6,500 in the USA)
+
25*20% of average salary (=25*$13,000 in the USA)

= 325,000 + 325,000 = $650,000

So still, its very easy to be very rich in a small congregation with many poor people.

Such money should be rather used for a common good of all members than just for one. It would be really Christian, according to the book of Acts.

Do you tithe your church? I mean do you give 10% of gross to your church? Does anyone? Now take those same numbers according to net, instead of gross. (Deduct 25% for taxes.) And then cut it some more for how much folks really tithe.

Truthfully tithe is 2% in the States. At least tithing to churches. (Some of us tithe by giving our money to charities. Some of us just don't tithe.)

 

[Depleted]

I was rather talking about the pastor's free time activities. Its natural that his activities will be related to Christianity (reading/studying the Bible, talking with people about God, organizing some church events), but why should he be paid for everything he does?

He should really get some award in the afterlife, not all here in the material world

Sounds like an excuse for, "I want to keep my money. Pastor? Nah, not so much."

 

[BillG]

3.78 litres is a US gallon?

Ours is 4.54609. give or take .0000001 to the nth.

 

[Willie-T]

If you want, I'll be more than happy to be your guinea pig for that experiment. Just send your $50,000 a year this away, give it five years, and I'm sure we wouldn't have to keep taking the money. (Might anyway, because I sure do like helping people out. lol)

You didn't get the $50,000 I sent you last week?

 

[trofimus]

For you Americans.... We pay about 44 cents for that same liter. (litre)

Persons older than 65 have public transport free here, or with huge discount. Also children have it free or for a half price. Also all students, even in college. So certainly more economical than using a car.

Our gasoline price is about $1.5 per litre.

 

[Susanna]

Persons older than 65 have public transport free here, or with huge discount. So certainly more economical than using a car.

Our gasoline price is about $1.5 per litre.

Public transport is so gross...so many eccentric people using it...and you have to show up at certain times.

 

[dcontroversal]

One who is faithful, studies, feeds the flock is worthy of double honor......muzzle not the ox that treads out the corn (wheat)......in my view....enough that they do not have to struggle while focusing on the work.....

I have heard friends say that deacons at the churches they have pastored say to them....you keep em fed and we will keep you poor.....I once knew a brother who was pastoring a church where the HEAD DEACON (SIC) was making 185,000 a year and he griped about the "preacher" making $165 a week and stood against him getting a raise so he could feed his family........tragic, selfish man in sin!

 

[BillG]

You didn't get the $50,000 I sent you last week?

Watch her mate. She says no, you send another then the next thing you know your checking account is $100k lighter.
I eventuality clocked it after the 5th time

 

[trofimus]

Do you tithe your church? I mean do you give 10% of gross to your church? Does anyone? Now take those same numbers according to net, instead of gross. (Deduct 25% for taxes.) And then cut it some more for how much folks really tithe.

Truthfully tithe is 2% in the States. At least tithing to churches. (Some of us tithe by giving our money to charities. Some of us just don't tithe.)

I will not respond to my personal giving, because as Christ said - do not do it in front of people

And again, I will repeat that my example was hypotetical. A proof of concept that it is easily possible to be a rich pastor in a poor church.

Of course, real life will differ in this or that.

 

[Depleted]

Again, I am not talking about your church, my example was just a proof of concept.

Of course, it will vary from church to church. Some church is new so needs a house, some is old and is meeting in the medieval church. Or the mortgage is already paid.
Some church needs to have LCD televisions, projectors, perfect musical band, some church needs just wooden chairs and electricity.

So depends. I just think its very easy to get very rich if one person concentrates money from several, even poor people.

Ummm, churches in your country don't need to pay for electricity, fuel (for heat), water, maintenance, caretakers, and taxes? Our churches are 100 years old and falling apart. I would think older ones fall apart a whole lot more with a whole lot more to maintain them to their historical value.

 

[Depleted]

I posted the source. The Jewish newspaper haaretz.

To say there were 600 clans or chiefleaders is also a "census".

Logically, do you think that 2 million people left from 3million Egypt, leaving just 1/3 of inhabitants behind (and after serveral plagues, firstborns dead, decimated) without any evidence in history?

Some Jewish site that doesn't want the Bible to be true tells you why it isn't, and you're surprised I disagree with it?