Posted on 08/19/2008 7:34:48 PM PDT by Alex Murphy
The average senior pastor in U.S. churches today makes more than $80,000 a year, a recent national survey shows.
Compensation packages, including benefits such as retirement, life insurance, health insurance and continuing education allowances, have increased to $81,113 per year for the average senior pastor. And pastors who hold a higher academic degree are paid up to $30,000 more per year than pastors without any post-secondary education.
The statistics come from the 2009 Compensation Handbook for Church Staff, an annual analysis of compensation packages at churches across the country, and at a time when churches begin planning their budget for the next year. This year, 4,800 U.S. churches, representing about 11,000 employees, were surveyed between January and March by the Your Church Media Group at Christianity Today International.
According to the survey, churches that draw 101 to 300 people each week pay senior pastors $72,664 per year, including benefits. The pay increases to $88,502 for pastors at churches that average a weekly attendance of 301 to 500 people, and then to $102,623 when attendance averages 501 to 750 people.
Compensation also increased among executive and administrative pastors who now earn an average of about $60,777 at churches of 101 to 300 people and $76,671 at churches of 501 to 750 people.
Pastors who lead music, choir or worship earn an average of about $51,954 at the smaller churches and $64,781 at the bigger ones.
Senior pastors, full-time secretaries and administrative assistants in the New England states have higher compensation compared to those in other regions, the survey also found.
Compensation is highest in suburban churches with suburban senior pastors making an average of 50 percent more than their rural counterparts. The pay is lower with churches in metropolitan areas, small towns and then in rural communities, respectively.
Meanwhile, executive or administrative pastors, bookkeepers and accountants earn the most in the Pacific region and administrators fare best in Tennessee, Kentucky, Alabama, and Mississippi.
Pay also differed among denominations. Pastors leading in Presbyterian and Lutheran churches earn the most with over $100,000 in compensation while executive and administrative pastors make more on average with independent and nondenominational churches ($80,469) than any other denomination.
The 2009 Compensation Handbook for Church Staff provides a complete analysis of 13 church positions and includes breakdowns for part-time, full-time, church size, income budget, and geographical setting.
In my experience as a former church treasurer, I found that those who made less gave more and more faithfully than those whose incomes were higher. I always thought that sad. That’s just my own experience though.
Good point.
10 tithing adults support the pastor
20 tithing adults support the pastor and the building
30 tithing adults support the pastor the building the mission
Does anyone here think that $80,000 is a high salary?
Couldn’t buy much of a house in the coastal states on it.
It is kinda funny that here on Free Republic we frown on people begrudging other people for the money they make. It is the politics of envy. Yet if by some chance a Pastor, who works 24/7/365.25 happens to make more than a hamburger flipper then he is looked upon with suspicion.
Ah, the religion of envy.
Every Christian should look at his job as a ministry. He is working to provide for his family and to be a witness to non-believers in his ethics and to provide offerings for the furtherance of the Gospel. The Pastor is merely a partner with his congregants and what they pay him is nobody's business except those who pay it, and even then it is probably better that they don't know. I don't know what my pastor makes and I don't care. I only pray that he makes more than I do since he has a much greater responsibility than I do. I suspect, however, that he makes much less than me. If that is the case, then he celearly deserves more.
That would be close. We do have some attendees though that tithe like most Christians tip their waitress. You know the kind, a dollar no matter how big the bill.
Bravo.
We as Christians we are all in the ministry.
We all have our roles.
The pastor or lead elder has their role and it is good that they are well paid for it.
Waitresses are like Elephants. They remember. If you are a regular at a restaurant and you are a lousy tipper, then the chances are you have eaten a loogie or two in your lifetime.
There is no worse witness than a man who publicly prays over his food and then leaves the restaurant without giving a generous tip. The absolute worst witness is the guy who leaves a tract instead of a tip. There is a special place in hell reserved for that guy.
My guess is that the average pastor is FAR below this figure. At least, that's the case for all the pastors I have known (in two dissimilar denominations, and while serving on church council and as treasurer at two churches).
Managed restaurants for 8 years, half of them before I was a Christian. Seen 'em all.
As far as the 20k vs 200k topic, we do have some unsaved in the crowd too. But we have seen big improvements in that area this past year.
I used to work with an attorney who worked 10 hours a day 5 days a week as an attorney and then worked 6 hours a day seven days a week as a senior pastor of a growing church. He never took a salary from the Church.
The church has grown and he now pastors the largest church in his city and as far as I know he is still working at least 30 hours a week as an attorney to feed his family and not taking a salary from the church. But then, unlike most pastors, he doesn't need a salary from his church. But if he were making $200,000 a year as a pastor, I would certainly not begrudge him. He's clearly worth more than that to his congregation.
LOL "senior", we only have one. We have less than 45 people as attendees. Parsonage is church owned. Pastor teaches one course at a local Christian school.
Why do I have the feeling that when they passed the plate you never gave anything?
Yes - I am being a little sarcastic but not too much.
Me too.
Are you not willing to give until it hurts? Where is the sacrifice in giving less than that which causes you some pain?
Or having an associate pastor stand up and talk out of Malichi about who's robing God.
Do you have a problem with a pastor reading God's word?
I got sick of this dog and pony show years ago.
You gave up giving?
Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. (Malachi 3:8 KJV)
Why was the tithe put into place? Because the Levitt's were with out an inheritance. Is your pastor or priest without an inheritance?
Please show me where it says to give a tithe of a sacrifice? Where does it say that giving must cause a pain in the new testament it says God loves a cheerfully giver not a painful giver.
You show me where the tithe was carried out in the NT and I will believe you.
You show me where the tithe was carried out in the NT and I will believe you.
Actually in the early church they gave 100% to the church for distribution.
The law of Tithing is older than the law of Moses.
And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God's house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee. (Genesis 28:22 KJV)
It is an honor and not a duty
Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: (Proverbs 3:9 KJV)
I suppose you are not required to give a dime. You are saved (if you are saved) by grace and not by works. However if you love the Lord I would think that you would honor him with your substance and with the firstfruits of all thine increase.
However, since you have such a bad attitude towards giving to God, I would be inclined to advise you not to give anything. God does not need your money. OTOH, as an act of honor, you really ought to give it to him.
But don't.... Unless you really want to honor God by your giving.
I do give but I will not be beaten and pastors do not beat the sheep. If you want to go back to Gen for the tithe then what did Abraham give? Was it not the spoils of war? so how does this have any bearing on the NT saint? Let me ask you this what was the tithe for?
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