-
Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.
If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!
To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.
E
I have been in many local churches during my life. Most were small, 20 to 60 members. None of these churches had a full time Pastor because they could not afford a full time Pastor.
Here is my thought on a Pastor's salary------
Every Pastor's salary should depend on how much of his time is needed to "Pastor" a congregation and how much can that congregation pay. No Pastor should be expected to live a lifestyle less than those in the congregation nor should he be expected to live in luxury while those in the congregation are in need.
If the church can only pay a part time salary, the pastor should not be expected to work full time in the ministry and he should be allowed to work as much as needed at a regular job to provide for his family.
I do not believe that what is a "normal or acceptable" salary can be determined. It just depends on many different things.
Here is my thought on a Pastor's salary------
Every Pastor's salary should depend on how much of his time is needed to "Pastor" a congregation and how much can that congregation pay. No Pastor should be expected to live a lifestyle less than those in the congregation nor should he be expected to live in luxury while those in the congregation are in need.
If the church can only pay a part time salary, the pastor should not be expected to work full time in the ministry and he should be allowed to work as much as needed at a regular job to provide for his family.
I do not believe that what is a "normal or acceptable" salary can be determined. It just depends on many different things.
Hi Depleted,
In the UK, if you have a pension or pay into a pension fund, you normally cannot take money out of it until you reach retirement age (that age depends on the pension agreement). If you leave your job/made redundant that pension pot is what they call 'frozen' no more gets paid into it but it still accrues interest until the agreed retirement age.
If you start employment elsewhere you can transfer your previous pot into your new business/church pension scheme and carry on paying into it. That is the very basics of pensions here in UK.
On top of that ALL pensioners when they reach 65 for males, 62 for females receive (from memory) £145 per week from the government. So if you have no pension you will be caught by the safety net, if you have the good fortune of having a works pension then you will get your private pension and state pension (although you may get taxed on your private pension depending on how much it is per week/month.
So basically no pensioner in the Uk who is 65/62 should have each week no less than £145 (193 dollars).
I, like many others here, believe that a church should pay a full time pastor a salary + benefits equal to the average income of the church. If a church can not meet mission requirements, they should hire a part time pastor.
When we hired our current pastor, we asked him how much he needed for a salary. He said whatever was satisfactory with us. When we gave him an amount, he said put half of that into expanding our ministries, and the rest was very generous for him. That was ten years ago. Our ministries have more than doubled, our church attendance has doubled, and he will not accept an increase.
When we hired our current pastor, we asked him how much he needed for a salary. He said whatever was satisfactory with us. When we gave him an amount, he said put half of that into expanding our ministries, and the rest was very generous for him. That was ten years ago. Our ministries have more than doubled, our church attendance has doubled, and he will not accept an increase.
I believe that someone should call some companies and find out how much they pay their CEO. If your Church has 50 members call three businesses that have 50 employees and ask how much they pay their CEO, also ask how much education they have or need to move up. Because the reality is a elder in the mid-west is not going to get paid the same as a elder in New York city or San Diego because the cost of living is higher. But once a base celery is established and the Church grows then they need to be compensated with 10% of the offerings.
We also have to remember a elder that has no education and does not educate himself does not need to be paid more then an educated elder. I know that the lead elder where I fellowship makes less then the elder of worship and counseling because he is more educated then the lead elder. Another thing that needs to be considered is how many children do they have and the salary needs to be adjusted to accomidate these factors. If the Church is renting space to meet the elders need to be renting unless they have had a house before they were on staff or they found a great deal for a start up home.
Here is something that bothered me greatly, I went to a Church where if you were not a pastor your job was a ministry, which meant cheap pay. Which is total B.S. I do not see janitor and whatever other job they wanted to cheapen to pay less on the gifts list, but I do see pastor. That Church was part of an organization that claimed to be non-denominational and used the head pastor system, instead of a plurality of elders to lead the Church and the senior pastor got paid very well, plus 10% of the total amount of offerings. We are talking 10's of thousands of dollars a month, one thing I will say is he never drove a car that was newer than two years old, he did not live in a hugh house. But like with any 501c3 you can look at the books any time you want as a member and he was getting a grip of money. But they would only pay the others that worked there 10 bucks and hour and I am talking about San Diego 10 bucks in the 90's was not cutting it.
If an elder wants to educate himself the body should have funds for that because we are going to benefit from him be educated in his teaching, they should also have access to an education fund which includes books, software programs, eBooks and formal education taking classes at a local college, university and/or seminary, I know that there were some of the pastors from where I used to go, they went to a shcool of Law/Apologetic named after the great professor of law at Harvard. His school is the Simon Greenleaf School of Law. You could see the difference of the teaching after they had completed their schooling.
The least expensive house in the 92118 zip code (USA) is currently for sale for $1,145,000. The least expensive house in the 92067 zip code is currently for sale for $1,100,000. The least expensive house in the 10065 zip code is currently for sale for $$8,900,000—a whole lot cheaper than the house at 19 E. 61st St, New York, New York that is currently for sale for $40,000,000!
According to The U.S. Census Bureau, the median household income was $59,039 in 2016. The 2008-2012 Annual Median Household Income in Blackwater, Arizona was $9,491. The 2008-2012 Annual Median Household Income in Loudoun County, Virginia Was $117,876.
I believe that it is obvious from this data that the location of the pastor’s church is highly significant in determining the pastor’s salary. I also believe that that pastors who have earned both a Ph.D. and a Th.D. from exceptionally fine universities and seminaries deserve a salary that is commensurate with their education—and that pastors who have less education than my dog Rover do not deserve so much as an annual dog biscuit!
Cardiovascular surgeons in the United States, who perform surgery on the heart rather than on the soul, with six years in that practice, earn an average annual salary of over $560,000—with pediatric cardiovascular surgeons earning an average annual salary of over $762,000. However, becoming a cardiovascular surgeons requires a B.A or B.S. degree from an excellent college or university, plus an M.D. degree, a five-year residency, and then a post-residency fellowship in a surgical program for two or three years.
How much is your pastor worth to you—more or less than a cardiovascular surgeon? Moreover, how much education and training should a pastor have—more or less than a cardiovascular surgeon?
According to The U.S. Census Bureau, the median household income was $59,039 in 2016. The 2008-2012 Annual Median Household Income in Blackwater, Arizona was $9,491. The 2008-2012 Annual Median Household Income in Loudoun County, Virginia Was $117,876.
I believe that it is obvious from this data that the location of the pastor’s church is highly significant in determining the pastor’s salary. I also believe that that pastors who have earned both a Ph.D. and a Th.D. from exceptionally fine universities and seminaries deserve a salary that is commensurate with their education—and that pastors who have less education than my dog Rover do not deserve so much as an annual dog biscuit!
Cardiovascular surgeons in the United States, who perform surgery on the heart rather than on the soul, with six years in that practice, earn an average annual salary of over $560,000—with pediatric cardiovascular surgeons earning an average annual salary of over $762,000. However, becoming a cardiovascular surgeons requires a B.A or B.S. degree from an excellent college or university, plus an M.D. degree, a five-year residency, and then a post-residency fellowship in a surgical program for two or three years.
How much is your pastor worth to you—more or less than a cardiovascular surgeon? Moreover, how much education and training should a pastor have—more or less than a cardiovascular surgeon?
John/Yahanan 10:16, "And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to My voice. So there will be one flock, one Shepherd (Pastor/4166 –poimén)."
Mat 28:19-20,28:19, “Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, immersing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Set-apart Spirit, and make disciples of all the nations, immersing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Set-apart Spirit. Teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you. And lo, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Does anyone care what the Messiah said? It's like His words have been consiered obselete, it is so wrong.
Matthew 10:7-8, “As you go, proclaim, ‘The kingdom of heaven is near! Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, drive out demons. Without payment you have received; without payment you are to give.”
Mat 28:19-20,28:19, “Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, immersing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Set-apart Spirit, and make disciples of all the nations, immersing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Set-apart Spirit. Teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you. And lo, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Does anyone care what the Messiah said? It's like His words have been consiered obselete, it is so wrong.
Matthew 10:7-8, “As you go, proclaim, ‘The kingdom of heaven is near! Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, drive out demons. Without payment you have received; without payment you are to give.”
Matt. 10:5. These twelve Jesus sent out, charging them, “Go nowhere among the Gentiles, and enter no town of the Samaritans,
6. but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
7. And preach as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’
8. Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying, give without pay.
9. Take no gold, nor silver, nor copper in your belts,
10. no bag for your journey, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor a staff; for the laborer deserves his food.” (RSV)
Moreover, the twelve disciples were NOT pastors. Furthermore, there is absolutely nothing in any of gospels that suggests that the twelve disciples were to continue evangelizing in this manner after the death and resurrection of Christ Jesus.
When passages in the Bible are violent ripped out of their biblical context, they can be interpreted to say any number of ridiculous things!
6. but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
7. And preach as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’
8. Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying, give without pay.
9. Take no gold, nor silver, nor copper in your belts,
10. no bag for your journey, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor a staff; for the laborer deserves his food.” (RSV)
Moreover, the twelve disciples were NOT pastors. Furthermore, there is absolutely nothing in any of gospels that suggests that the twelve disciples were to continue evangelizing in this manner after the death and resurrection of Christ Jesus.
When passages in the Bible are violent ripped out of their biblical context, they can be interpreted to say any number of ridiculous things!
Mat 10:10 says "food" so making that “money” would be “violently” ripping that out of not just context but what is actually written. Also I don't think that is a contradiction of the verse i quoted:
Matthew 10:7-8, “As you go, proclaim, ‘The kingdom of heaven is near! Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, drive out demons. Without payment you have received; without payment you are to give.”
"payment" and "food" are 2 different things.
This thread is about "What is the proper salary for a pastor" I believe if one wants to give that is completely OK to accept, however none should be required nor expect a "salary" or "regular monetary payment" I believe if we look at everything Yahshua said on this topic that is the conclusion. Of course different people see it differently, but "Without payment you have received; without payment you are to give" to me is clear and means share the word freely without any requirement nor expectation of monetary pay.
Mat 10:10 says "food" so making that “money” would be “violently” ripping that out of not just context but what is actually written. Also I don't think that is a contradiction of the verse i quoted:
Matthew 10:7-8, “As you go, proclaim, ‘The kingdom of heaven is near! Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, drive out demons. Without payment you have received; without payment you are to give.”
"payment" and "food" are 2 different things.
This thread is about "What is the proper salary for a pastor" I believe if one wants to give that is completely OK to accept, however none should be required nor expect a "salary" or "regular monetary payment" I believe if we look at everything Yahshua said on this topic that is the conclusion. Of course different people see it differently, but "Without payment you have received; without payment you are to give" to me is clear and means share the word freely without any requirement nor expectation of monetary pay.
Matthew 10:7-8, “As you go, proclaim, ‘The kingdom of heaven is near! Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, drive out demons. Without payment you have received; without payment you are to give.”
"payment" and "food" are 2 different things.
This thread is about "What is the proper salary for a pastor" I believe if one wants to give that is completely OK to accept, however none should be required nor expect a "salary" or "regular monetary payment" I believe if we look at everything Yahshua said on this topic that is the conclusion. Of course different people see it differently, but "Without payment you have received; without payment you are to give" to me is clear and means share the word freely without any requirement nor expectation of monetary pay.
Mat 10:10 says "food" so making that “money” would be “violently” ripping that out of not just context but what is actually written. Also I don't think that is a contradiction of the verse i quoted:
Matthew 10:7-8, “As you go, proclaim, ‘The kingdom of heaven is near! Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, drive out demons. Without payment you have received; without payment you are to give.”
"payment" and "food" are 2 different things.
This thread is about "What is the proper salary for a pastor" I believe if one wants to give that is completely OK to accept, however none should be required nor expect a "salary" or "regular monetary payment" I believe if we look at everything Yahshua said on this topic that is the conclusion. Of course different people see it differently, but "Without payment you have received; without payment you are to give" to me is clear and means share the word freely without any requirement nor expectation of monetary pay.
Is it not that a pastor is living with his family in the church house? I.e. he should not have a need of buying a house for himself.
Also, nobody buys a house at once, except of really rich people, average families will take a loan and are paying it whole life from their wages every month. (in the USA maybe every year, not important).
Also, nobody buys a house at once, except of really rich people, average families will take a loan and are paying it whole life from their wages every month. (in the USA maybe every year, not important).
Last edited:
Also, an economical question:
Why are houses so expensive in the USA? 300,000,000 of inhabitants on so large area that you can ride from one city to another for hours in a complete wilderness. Your houses are from wood or what it is, not from bricks like in Europe, so they must cost less.
So tell me, why such a crazy cost? Maybe because of high wages for the workers?
Why are houses so expensive in the USA? 300,000,000 of inhabitants on so large area that you can ride from one city to another for hours in a complete wilderness. Your houses are from wood or what it is, not from bricks like in Europe, so they must cost less.
So tell me, why such a crazy cost? Maybe because of high wages for the workers?
Free healthcare would not work out very well at all in the US (except for the people riding in the cart) because there are way too many people riding in the cart and not enough people pulling the cart, so technically, it would only be free for the people riding in the cart and very expensive for the people pulling the cart, who have to pay for everyone else.