What Christians Owe Their Pastors
This article was first published in the Baptist Bulletin (September/October 2008) and appears here unedited. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Years ago a minister was called “the parson,” meaning “the person.” He was a VIP. He was honored as the preacher of the gospel, a molder of public opinion, and the conscience of the community. Not so today. A recently published survey revealed the most respected people in the average American community. Ministers ranked far down on the list, behind doctors, judges, psychologists, civic leaders, and police officers. Why?
No doubt the widespread sexual and financial scandals among members of the clergy have seriously affected the public opinion of them. Unfortunately, many pastors are mere puppets, moved by the whims of their parishioners. Some are controlled by a few strong laypeople, and others are “religious politicians” instead of prophets of God. Fortunate is the congregation whose pastor speaks “the very words of God” (1 Peter 4:11, NIV) and diligently leads the church.
We believe that the Bible words “elder” and “bishop” refer to and include the pastor (or pastors) of a local church. Each of these titles reveals a facet of his divine calling. As an elder, he is to provide mature, responsible leadership. As the bishop, he is to be the general manager, providing careful oversight of the Lord’s work. And as the pastor, he is charged with caring for and feeding the flock of God (Acts 20:28).
Such divinely commissioned leaders are important individuals in God’s sight—and should be in the eyes of every Christian as well. Our Lord places great importance upon the pastor-parishioner relationship. In fact, He expects every believer to voluntarily be under the leadership and teaching of a godly pastor. The Bible allows no exceptions.
Recently a pastor introduced some new members at the close of a morning service by saying, “We welcome you to all the privileges and responsibilities of church membership.” Responsibilities? What did he mean? While the pastor did not explain, the Bible does. According to the Word of God, every Christian is under divine obligation in at least three areas: intercession, remuneration, and submission.
Intercession
Paul wrote, “Brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run swiftly and be glorified” (2 Thessalonians 3:1). He also commended the believers in Corinth for helping him through their prayers (2 Corinthians 1:11). And the writer of Hebrews exhorted Christians everywhere to “remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct” (13:7). Every pastor therefore needs, covets, and deserves the prayers of his people. Unfortunately, it is much easier to criticize a minister than it is to intercede for him. In fact, many preachers experience more trouble from within the body than from without.
During a pastor’s first year, he and the church experience a period of unusual harmony, a honeymoon of sorts. The congregation laughs at his jokes and comments happily about his personal mannerisms. They appreciate their pastor’s different kind of sermons, and they usually pray for him.
By the second year, some of his personality traits start to bug at least some members of the congregation. By then they have discovered that this man is not the wonder worker they thought him to be. Members no longer invite their friends to “hear our preacher.” The critical period of any pastorate is apt to occur during this year, especially if the new pastor has followed a minister of long-standing. In just this short time, it has become easier to criticize the pastor than to pray for him.
During the third year, some members actually despise their pastor. Whisper campaigns might begin, and sometimes petitions are circulated requesting his resignation. The only intercession for the pastor is the secret “prayer meetings” called to “pray over the problem.” This is one of the primary reasons the average ministerial tenure in America is three years or less.
We need to ask ourselves, “Have I really supported my pastor in prayer?” Jonathan Edwards once said, “If some Christians that have been complaining of their ministers had said and acted less before man and had applied themselves with all their might to cry to God for their ministers—had, as it were, risen and stormed heaven with their humble, fervent, and incessant prayers for them—they would have been much more in the way of success.” If you really want to fire your pastor, then intercede for him. You owe it to him.
Remuneration
Old Testament Israelites supported their priests in grand style through their tithes. So it should not surprise us that New Testament believers are reminded that the “Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel” (1 Corinthians 9:14). Paul commanded, “Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine. For the Scripture says, You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain, and, The laborer is worthy of his wages” (1 Timothy 5:17, 18). Believer’s Bible Commentary (MacDonald and Farstad) states that the word “double honor” means “worthy of respect because of his work, but also, if his time is devoted to this work fully, he is also worthy of financial help.”
Why shouldn’t ministers have an adequate salary? Yet consistently today, pastors are often in the lower income bracket, and some are scarcely getting by.
One of the problems, particularly in smaller churches, is that many individuals in leadership have little or no experience in management. They are usually on the receiving end themselves; therefore, they cannot understand why pastors need automobile and housing allowances, a retirement program, and medical and dental insurance. Yet most employees today receive all of these benefits, plus automatic raises and cost of living increases (often under union pressure), but not the pastor.
In addition, there is no monetary incentive program for ministers, as there is for others in managerial positions or for salespeople. One pastor remarked, “The less I do, the more I make!” meaning that the fewer miles he drives on visitation calls and the fewer times he takes a salvation or membership prospect out to lunch, the more money he has for himself and his family. This is unfortunate, but so often true. I assure you, your pastor will be free to do a better job if he is cared for financially. Your church will prosper, and your pastor will be thankful. You owe it to him.
Submission
In these days when liberty and freedom are distorted concepts, it is imperative that we get back to the Bible, which flatly states, “Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive” (Hebrews 13:17). It is abundantly clear that in the formative days of the church, there were two primary divisions among God’s people: namely, those who led and those who were led. These same classifications are binding upon Christians throughout this age.
We recognize that all believers are “priests unto God” (Revelation 1:6, KJV) and that all share the same standing and privileges before the Lord. Yet a chain of command has been divinely established for the local church. It is absolutely essential for the proper functioning and well-being of the body. Therefore, believers must be loyal and must show respect for the men who have received their pastoral calling from Christ Himself (see Ephesians 4:11-12). To ignore or rebel against the concept of pastoral leadership is to despise the One Who appointed them.
The obedience demanded in Hebrews 13:17 refers first to the pastor’s teaching ministry. Kenneth Wuest translated this command as “yield yourself trustingly to their teaching.” To submit to a pastor’s faithful exposition and application of the Word is to obey God. However, the words “obey” and “submit” are not restricted in application to his preaching alone. God expects believers to respond to the pastor’s shepherding of the flock as well. Christians are to respect and respond to the wise leadership of their ministers as they would to the Lord Himself. Jesus said, “He who receives whomever I send receives Me; and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me” (John 13:20). The apostle Paul exhorted the Corinthian believers to “imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1).
However, a word of caution is necessary. A believer is under no obligation to obey the pastor’s teaching if it is obviously at variance with the Bible. Nor is a believer required to submit to any decision or counsel that clearly dishonors the Lord or disobedient to His Word. Every pastor should therefore encourage his people to “test all things” and to “hold fast what is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21). Paul commended the Berean believers for doing those very things with his teaching (Acts 17:11).
But for a person to withhold this Biblical allegiance to God’s man and to speak contemptuously against the pastor’s position of leadership is to despise a divine institution, because the appointment of a pastor is as much God’s doing as the appointment of the church itself. Instead, prompted by love, believers are to submit with the goal of honoring those to whom honor is due (Romans 13:7).
Pastors have a sobering, serious position under God. According to Hebrews 13:17, they are to “watch out for [believers’] souls.” This should be motive enough for any spiritually minded Christian to gladly respond to the Lord’s appointed leaders. According to 1 Thessalonians 5:12 and 13, believers are to “recognize those who labor among [them], and are over [them] in the Lord and who admonish [them], and to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake.”
A second motive for believers’ correct response to leadership is that they will give an account to the Lord. At the Judgment Seat of Christ, pastors, or “God’s stewards” (Titus 1:7), will give a personal accounting of their ministry of teaching and leading (2 Corinthians 5:10). Diligent Christians can immensely help their ministers by cheerfully cooperating with them as they endeavor to follow “the Chief Shepherd” (1 Peter 5:4).
Finally, Christians ought to gladly respond to godly leadership, because pastors will want to report “with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you” (Hebrews 13:17). God is highly displeased with insubordinate Christians; and they, too, will appear at the Judgment Seat of Christ, to “receive the things done in the body, according to what [they have] done, whether good or bad” (2 Corinthians 5:10). A godly, submissive spirit now will bring great reward in the future.
If your pastor is a God-called leader and is diligent in his work for the Lord, you owe him your constant prayers, your continued support, and your Christlike submission. To do less is to disobey God.
(Coming soon: What Pastors Owe Their Churches)
Roy E. Knuteson (PhD, California Graduate School of Theology) is a retired pastor who attends Calvary Baptist Church, Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin.
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One of the problems, particularly in smaller churches, is that many individuals in leadership have little or no experience in management. They are usually on the receiving end themselves; therefore, they cannot understand why pastors need automobile and housing allowances, a retirement program, and medical and dental insurance. Yet most employees today receive all of these benefits, plus automatic raises and cost of living increases (often under union pressure), but not the pastor.Frankly, (speaking of no church in particular), I’ve found that many Pastors have “little or no experience in management”. The housewife that pays the bills and balances the household budget often has more financial experience than some pastors.
About “automatic raises” …. GONE GONE GONE in the secular world (if you’ve been following the economic news). Not to say that a Pastor should not be adequately compensated!
Re 1 Tim 5:17-18, “Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor”
Yup! Don’t bury the Pastor’s salary in the budget (like some general category called “Salaries and Administration”. If I’m accountable for my Pastor’s remuneration I need to know what it is. A church member can hardly be accountable for this command unless it is public to the membership.
- End stuffing envelopes for missionary prayer letters and putting a stamp on ‘em: Use [URL=http://www.mailchimp.com/ Mailchimp] or [URL=http://www.constantcontact.com/index.jsp] Constant Contact] instead. If my 90 year old mother can use email anyone in your church can too!
- Secretaries - don’t need them. I can think of countless examples in my company where there might be one administrative assistant shared among 60-70 employees. My own wife manages a team of more than 50 employees with a budget more than a million and has no secretary.
- Technology and servers: I don’t think any church needs a server or a server administrator. Use Google mail (can be branded to your own domain name) let “the cloud” manage your data
- Use financial tools like QuickBooks Pro - online. Do we really need Financial executives for churches?
- Have complex ministries like a day school: Use web based educational software.
- Print much less or none at all. I doubt copiers can be eliminated but the use of can be greatly reduced. I work in a fairly complex environment. I don’t even use a copier! Print to PDF. Publish on the web with a service like [URL=http://www.scribd.com/ Scribd] (there are others). Bulletins? I really doubt we need them. Display a slide or two in the lead up to the worship service. Communicate news via a blog or email marketing.
I can think of many smaller or newer churches that are doing these kind of thinks: Janz, Doug Roman, Greg Linscott, etc.
Make the back office efficient so that members have a sense that monies are being used wisely by the church
Note to the guy with 5 kids - this church will not be able to pay you a full time salary. If you are “called” there better have another plan to make ends meet
Note to the church mentioned: You may need to settle for a retired Pastor who is on SS. Or a bi-vocational guy.
Note to the starry-eyed idealist kid in Bible college who is called to the ministry. Many many Pastors are unpaid. One can lament it or bemoan it but it is a fact of life. Some are underpaid because the church just does not have the capacity to pay a guy a full time salary. Others because of carnality or other issues in the church. It may be that the church you are called to undertook a glorious building project funded with debt. That Pastor has passed that debt along to you! That debt will take precedence over your salary.
Why not write an SI article about good business principles for churches to use in order to survive the depressed economy? You had a ton of interesting things to say in your triple posts. A few thoughts…
About secretaries: While businesses may have trimmed these positions (and while they certainly avoid the antiquated label!), they still operate under a hierarchy of administrative tasks coordinated with salary level. Good companies still preserve the idea of entry level job positions for entry level tasks. How can churches and ministries adopt this idea?
About Jim’s note to the guy with 5 kids: I’ll take a double helping. My own view is that ministry compensation committees (and mission boards) essentially misunderstand the dynamics of a large family—regularly citing family size as a concern, but never quite embracing how large families look at the world in a fundamentally different way. Having made significant and deliberate choices in order to accommodate their larger family, they can (and do) live on the same salary as the guy with three kids. Their family budgets look quite a bit different than “normal” families—and most compensation committees can’t even begin to wrap their minds around the lifestyle differences. I think it is better to leave “family size” out of the formula when trying to come up with a fair salary amount.
Select “ECFA Best Practices - customized for churches”
A church member should be provided:
- Timing: Quarterly
- What:
- Income and expense statement
- Balance sheet
As a aside, we recently gave funds for Haiti Relief. We picked Baptist Haiti Mission because
- We purposed to give to a Baptist organization
- Their doctrinal statement was posted and is very close to our own
- They purposed to be financially transparent. On their website: http://www.bhm.org
- Also their 990 was open to public inspection at [URL=http://www.guidestar.com] Guidestar]
[URL=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generally_Accepted_Accounting_Principles] Generally Accepted Accounting Principles ] should be followed
Every church should have an independent audit committee that reviews the books annually.
Advice to Pastors: Don’t handle church funds.
Expenses: There should be a clear expense policy and Pastors should follow this with timely (like 7 days after the close of the month) expense reporting (for reimbursable expenses)
Don’t bury the Pastor’s salary in the budget (like some general category called “Salaries and Administration”. If I’m accountable for my Pastor’s remuneration I need to know what it is. A church member can hardly be accountable for this command unless it is public to the membership.I don’t agree with this. The church no more needs to know what the Pastor(s) makes than the Pastor(s) need to know what the attenders make. The elders and financial deacon(s) hold the purse strings and should evaluate the compensation, ensure adequacy/sufficiency, as well as accountability for the pastor(s) level of work. (seems like there was a monstrous thread on this topic the last time this article or type of article was published.)
As to new technologies…utilize them. BTW, there are very few “secretaries” anymore. We utilize an Office Manager/Executive Assistant model. This person splits time between basic office/communication duties for the church at large, and keeping the Teaching and Executive Pastors schedules together.
I semi-agree with the Quickbooks/No Need for a financial executive comment. However, this article and that response appear to focus on small churches with a “senior” pastor. I totally agree with most of these thoughts for smaller assemblies and individual pastors. There are a few more factors for larger churches with more pastoral and support staff. As our church has grown, I have begun to sense the need to have a person on staff, who among their duties, will handle the financials. It has outgrown a small time commitment and should not take away from my regular duties as XP. I think the threshold for this is roughly at $1M in annual budget. This would be laid across the complexity of ministries and size of staff, and such, but somebody on staff to look after capital resources would be recommended. I will still have a dashboard for macro level metrics, but financials shouldn’t hog a pastor’s time.
Overall, as a pastor, I agree with the article. On the flip side, I think pastors and church staff should perform at a very high level in exchange for compensation and the general benefits (meals, flexible schedules, direct/indirect gifts) that often accompany full-time Christian service. We expect our ministry staff to maintain a 50 hour work on paper with that often fluctuating up. We make this fact known to the body b/c we want them to know that while we invest heavily in staff salaries, there is an expectation of excellence and large amounts of work coming out of the staff. In this way, the body and the staff work together biblically. The leaders equip the body spiritually, the staff provides an efficient organization in which the church body can minister/serve and the body supports itself/leaders/staff through service and giving. (highly simplified, i know.)
A change of direction from the comment stream.
My experience becoming senior pastor of a small church was the opposite as the article spoke of. My first year was my roughest (the honeymoon lasted about 2 months) things have been progressively getting better, but one of the areas I still struggle with is balancing out leadership. I struggle with dear members who want me to dictate as leader, but I am opposed and refuse their advances to make decisions I think ought not to be made. For instance, some might want me to set a dress code for choir members or special music people. I care about how people are dressed but I will not legislate external dress codes for the church. It is a struggle at times, because those individuals look at that as me being a weak leader. Some want me to change translations while others would be fundamentally opposed to any kind of translation change and would no doubt leave the church (I am talking about good people, not trouble-makers). Both probably tend to look at my inaction on both sides as weakness, but really my inaction is based in conviction. It would actually be easier for me to be dictatorial and tell people what we are going to do with these secondary issues, but I fight my fleshly desire to revert to controlling and instead am convinced that I will give principles and let the Holy Spirit lead people. I guess what I am having a hard time saying is that I struggle over how much leadership is too much and how much is too little. I want the lead God’s people, but I want God’s people to be led of God. Any thoughts or discussion on this?
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-CZtVxNFsac/S6EzCmRPQFI/AAAAAAAACoc/itilGfLqu…
the image is from the article in the ESV study Bible.
Many fundamentalists have made convictions and opinions = absolutes. And some have no questions.
[dmicah]Well, I disagree with your disagreement. The difference in the pastor not knowing what the attendees make is that he is not paying their salaries. Anyone who pays mine, or works in a position for my company where they work with payroll, etc., will know my salary. So does my manager. That’s the way it is. And do you think stockholders have no idea how much the CEO is being paid in salary and bonuses? They can find out, even if they have to dig for it.Don’t bury the Pastor’s salary in the budget (like some general category called “Salaries and Administration”. If I’m accountable for my Pastor’s remuneration I need to know what it is. A church member can hardly be accountable for this command unless it is public to the membership.I don’t agree with this. The church no more needs to know what the Pastor(s) makes than the Pastor(s) need to know what the attenders make. The elders and financial deacon(s) hold the purse strings and should evaluate the compensation, ensure adequacy/sufficiency, as well as accountability for the pastor(s) level of work.
Members are expected to give to ensure the pastor has a good working wage — i.e., they are paying his salary. Hiding that information from the members is a good way to either generate resentment or contribute to a spirit of things being hidden. Making all church financial figures open to all members lets them know where all church finances are going. That allows the members to understand the church finances and to exercise good stewardship, even if their ability to do anything about it is limited to things brought up at the business meetings. Even financial items that were recommended by the deacons or missions committee, etc., are brought up at a church business meeting for the members to approve. The NT says much about “the church” agreeing on things. Well, I can’t agree to something like “The deacons and financial officers have decided on a new salary for the pastor. We’d like a motion for approval,” when I know nothing about what is going on, or whether it’s even a raise or a reduction, etc.
On the flip side, if the pastor is not being paid enough, the numbers can shame people into realizing this, enough that they will do something about it.
Dave Barnhart
[Matthew J] I guess what I am having a hard time saying is that I struggle over how much leadership is too much and how much is too little. I want the lead God’s people, but I want God’s people to be led of God. Any thoughts or discussion on this?Well, I’m no pastor, but I’ve seen what has been done in churches when this kind of thing has come up (and I’m sure you’ve already thought of this) — a message or series of messages is preached on why things are done the way they are, etc. This can be a good use of topical messages, especially for a new pastor.
If you are against setting a dress standard for church functions, but people think you are “weak” for not giving to their demands, once you preach about it, they will understand your position, even if they disagree. And if it turns out that from your study of scripture, you find that it’s you that need to change your position, well then, that’s a good result as well.
When people are dealing with a new pastor who thinks differently from the way they do, and differently from the way their previous pastor did, it helps a lot for them to understand *why* the differences are there. You won’t get full agreement, but the members won’t be able to claim they don’t understand your position. If the members are truly interested in what the scripture says, and in being all Christ wants them and the church to be, then going back to the scriptures on some of these issues that come up is (IMO) the best way to handle it without coming off as a dictator or weak.
Dave Barnhart
[KevinM] Hey Jim—This is so true. The previous pastor of one church we served in had two kids and we had eight, but we virtually had the same salaries (ours was a couple hundred a month more). He worked a part-time job because the pay wasn’t enough, but we lived on the church’s salary package. Those with fewer kids can’t figure it out, but in all reality, sometimes we can’t figure it out! God just takes such good care of us. One church turned us down because they couldn’t get past our family size, yet their parsonage and salary package were considered more than adequate from our viewpoint.
About Jim’s note to the guy with 5 kids: I’ll take a double helping. My own view is that ministry compensation committees (and mission boards) essentially misunderstand the dynamics of a large family—regularly citing family size as a concern, but never quite embracing how large families look at the world in a fundamentally different way. Having made significant and deliberate choices in order to accommodate their larger family, they can (and do) live on the same salary as the guy with three kids. Their family budgets look quite a bit different than “normal” families—and most compensation committees can’t even begin to wrap their minds around the lifestyle differences. I think it is better to leave “family size” out of the formula when trying to come up with a fair salary amount.
http://sharperiron.org/article/what-christians-owe-their-pastors#commen…
That church’s proposed salary package is $ 1000 per month
I am not against Pastors with large families (my wife is the youngest of five). I don’t even consider 5 kids (a family of 7) particularly large
I was trying to make a point and perhaps I failed that “Not every church opportunity will be a fully paid opportunity “
Not personally going to debate which of these models (if either) is “correct,” but pretty much congregations decide what they believe about these things.
Of course, the old Pastor=Czar model also requires no salary disclosure.
(Personally, I do not want to answer at the judgment for executing the responsibilities of a Czar. So I’m glad to be far, far below Czar status… and also happy to have my salary open to the congregation in the bargain)
Views expressed are always my own and not my employer's, my church's, my family's, my neighbors', or my pets'. The house plants have authorized me to speak for them, however, and they always agree with me.
The church no more needs to know what the Pastor(s) makes than the Pastor(s) need to know what the attenders make. The elders and financial deacon(s) hold the purse strings and should evaluate the compensation, ensure adequacy/sufficiency, as well as accountability for the pastor(s) level of work.I used to think this way and then I encountered a situation where the elders were so intimidated by the pastor that they let “trusted” him to set his own pay. No one except the pastor and treasurer knew the pastor’s benefits and the treasurer, who was not an elder, assumed that the the elders had approved the checks that were being written. (Have you heard of private inurement?) The “our business and no one else’s” mindset was also the rationale that caused them to reject any attempt at having the books audited internally or independently.
"Some things are of that nature as to make one's fancy chuckle, while his heart doth ache." John Bunyan
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