Should Pastors Be Paid a Salary?
The question of whether pastors should receive a salary for their ministry work is an important one for churches to consider carefully. There are good arguments on both sides of this issue, and Christians of good faith can reasonably disagree. Looking at relevant biblical passages can help provide wisdom and perspective.
In favor of paying pastors a salary, there are several points to consider:
1. Pastors have a right to make a living from preaching the gospel. Paul argues this in 1 Corinthians 9:14, where he says, “In the same way, the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel.” Just as a soldier earns his keep from soldiering or a farmer from his harvest, so should ministers be supported by those they serve.
2. A paid pastor can devote themselves fully to ministry. An unpaid pastor may need to split time and focus between a separate career and the church. But a paid pastor is freed up to “devote themselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word” (Acts 6:4). Their attention isn’t divided.
3. The Levites lived off the offerings God commanded Israel to give. In the Old Testament, the tribe of Levi was set apart for priestly service. God directed Israel to support the Levites materially through required offerings (Numbers 18:21). This established a precedent of financially providing for those in spiritual service.
4. Workers deserve their wages. Jesus endorses this principle in Luke 10:7, where he tells his disciples on mission, “The laborer deserves his wages.” Pastors labor hard in ministry work and caring for their flock. They merit appropriate compensation.
However, there are also reasons that giving pastors a salary may be problematic:
1. It can introduce motives of personal gain. Paid clergy may be more susceptible to seeing their church as a career rather than a calling. They may be tempted to keep problematic members who tithe rather than exercise discipline. Avoiding salaried clergy can safeguard against greed.
2. Paul chose not to ask for money from new churches. When planting churches in Corinth, Thessalonica, and elsewhere, Paul supported himself through tentmaking rather than ask for pay (1 Thess 2:9, 1 Cor 4:12). He didn’t want to burden new believers unnecessarily.
3. Unpaid pastors can demonstrate sacrifice and service. A pastor dependent on the Lord and the generosity of members models radical faith and trust in God’s provision. Paid pastors may not exemplify financial sacrifice as clearly.
4. Salaried positions can attract the wrong candidates. If the pastor role provides a salary and benefits, it regrettably risks drawing in those motivated by steady pay more than a heart for God. Unpaid positions filter for pastoral candidates who are less self-seeking.
In assessing this issue, there are good reasons why churches today often provide a salary to those in vocational ministry. Pastors deserve to make a living, and being paid allows them to focus fully on spiritually caring for Christ’s flock. It is biblical for those who preach the gospel to live off the gospel.
However, there are pitfalls that an automatic salary may bring as well. So long as the pastor maintains a heart of service rather than personal gain, and the membership doesn’t become passive but shares in the support, salaried pastorates can function well. But the risks should be acknowledged, and both pastor and congregation must vigilantly guard against them.
Wise churches seek to balance competing principles, being generous in supporting their pastors yet doing so in a way that screens for godly motivations and modeling sacrifice. There are different ways churches can strike this balance, from paying the pastor a full salary to providing a simple stipend or living assistance. Open discussion, prayerful wisdom and mutual discernment are needed to determine what works best in each context.
Biblical texts that address aspects of financially supporting ministers:
– 1 Corinthians 9:14 – Ministers have a right to make a living from the gospel
– 1 Timothy 5:17-18 – Elders who preach and teach deserve double honor, including pay
– Luke 10:7 – The laborer deserves his wages
– 1 Corinthians 4:12 – Paul worked with his own hands at tentmaking to avoid burdening believers
– 2 Corinthians 11:7-9 – Paul accepted support from other churches to serve the Corinthians freely
– 1 Thessalonians 2:9 – Paul worked night and day to avoid being a financial burden to new believers
– Philippians 4:10-19 – Paul commends the Philippians for supporting his missionary work
– 3 John 1:5-8 – John affirms supporting those in ministry, that we may be fellow workers
– Numbers 18:21 – The Levites were supported by offerings God commanded Israel to give
– Acts 6:1-4 – The 12 appointed deacons so they could focus on prayer and ministry of the word
– 1 Timothy 5:3-8 – Family should financially support widowed relatives in need, not the church
– 2 Thessalonians 3:6-12 – Paul instructs idle believers to work to support themselves
– James 2:1-7 – Treating the rich better than the poor in church is wrong
– 2 Corinthians 8-9 – Churches should give to support ministry needs out of love and grace
– Acts 20:33-35 – Paul worked hard not to covet anyone’s material possessions
A few principles that emerge:
– Those in vocational ministry deserve to make a living from that work
– Asking for money can burden new or poor churches
– Pastors should exemplify sacrifice and service rather than greed
– The church should give voluntarily and generously to support pastors
– Balancing prevention of abuse with supporting ministers is needed
– Open dialogue rather than strict mandates may be healthiest
– Guarding the heart against wrong motives is crucial, for pastors and members alike
There are good-faith reasons to support a pastor salary or not. Seeking prayerful wisdom in each context is needed. The risks of each approach should be acknowledged. With open communication and godly motivations from both pastors and congregation, paid pastorates can function well, following biblical principles. But there are potential pitfalls churches should thoughtfully seek to avoid.
How much to pay pastors is another important question beyond just whether a salary is appropriate. Factors like church size, budget, location, and pastor family obligations will influence suitable pay amounts. Average senior pastor salaries range from $30,000 at small churches to over $100,000 at large ones. Additional key considerations when setting pastoral pay include:
– Compensating experience and education
– Accounting for workload, responsibilities and hours
– Benchmarking against average salaries at churches of comparable size and region
– Building in annual cost-of-living adjustments to keep pace with inflation
– Rewarding exceptional performance through periodic raises or bonuses
– Comparing pay for associate pastors, youth pastors, etc to lead pastor
– Considering total compensation beyond just salary, like health insurance or retirement
– Reviewing compensation annually and determining percentage increases
– Setting formal salary bands or ranges based on church income and attendance
– Avoiding arbitrarily capping pastor salaries at a low number out of distrust of paying clergy
– Including paid sabbaticals, vacation time, and professional expense budgets
– Seeking input from finance committee and personnel committee on salary proposals
– Getting feedback from pastor on whether pay allows them to support their family
– Ensuring salary allows for paying taxes as clergy are considered self-employed
Again, open communication between pastor and church leadership can help determine fair but not extravagant clergy salaries. Reasonable pay demonstrates appreciation, while excessive pay can lead to unhealthy entitlement. Seeking wisdom, balance and unanimity is key.
Beyond just salaries, here are some other ways churches can financially support and care for their pastors:
– Providing full or partial benefits like health, dental, disability, and life insurance
– Contributing to retirement savings through a 403(b) plan with match
– Offering allowances for ministry expenses like books, training, and hospitality
– Covering costs to attend denominational annual meetings or pastoral networks
– Paying dues for professional associations like Evangelical Theological Society
– Setting up a sabbatical program allowing periodic extended rest
– Reimbursing work-related travel like conferences or speaking engagements
– Establishing annual bonuses or Christmas gifts from the congregation
– Honoring years of service through salary increases or one-time gifts
– Paying moving expenses if the pastor is relocating for the position
– Being generous with time off including vacation, sick days and holidays
– Approving funding for continuing education like seminars or online courses
– Allowing pastors to do outside consulting or receive honoraria with limits
– Being flexible about study leave for working on advanced degrees
– Granting paid family leave for new parents beyond vacation time
– Remembering the pastor’s birthday or pastoral anniversary
Caring for a pastor’s material needs through appropriate pay and benefits enables them to stay focused on caring for others spiritually. But churches should also care for pastors in non-financial ways through encouragement, expressing thanks, praying for them, nominating them for awards, flexibility around family needs, sabbath rest, and not overworking them. Supporting pastors holistically demonstrates Christ-like love.
In addition to paying the lead pastor, larger churches also have associate pastors, youth pastors, worship pastors, small group pastors, administrative pastors, and others on paid church staff. Balancing their salaries requires similar wisdom and communication:
– Base associate pastor pay on a percentage of lead pastor’s salary, often around 70-80%.
– For other pastoral roles like youth pastor, set pay also as a percentage based on job scope.
– Consider experience, education, and responsibilities compared to lead pastor in setting pay.
– Weigh if they should be full-time with benefits or part-time without.
– Ensure associate staff feel valued via pay, inclusion and opportunities.
– Clarify expectations about which ministry expenses are reimbursed.
– Provide budgets for their specific ministry areas like youth ministry or worship.
– Give periodic raises to retain valuable staff long-term.
– Establish clear accountability and reporting lines back to lead pastor.
– Communicate openly with staff about how salaries are set.
– Avoid drastic pay gaps between highest and lowest-paid staff.
– Seek consistency and fairness in compensation philosophy across roles.
When it comes to paying pastors, whether lead pastors or other staff, prayerful wisdom is needed. Churches must balance stewardship with generosity, accountability with grace, and supporting ministers without catering to greed. With open dialogue, financial transparency, and godly motivations, reasonable pastor salaries can demonstrate Christlike care and free pastors to spiritually nurture their flock. The principles offered in Scripture should guide healthy, fruitful practices.
