A couple questions about full-time Baptist pastors? Just curious.?

Question

My friend's pastor & his wife live in a house next to the church on the same property. Its a smallish, rural church, with one full time pastor. In the past, all the pastors they have had have lived in that house. When they quit being the pastor they had to move.

So I'm curious, and my friend didnt know: If the pastor keeps on being pastor til he is too old to give sermons anymore, then what? It wouldn't be very church-like to kick him out in his old age. But if the old pastor keeps living there, what do they do for/with a new pastor? Then, if the old pastor dies in the house, the new one wont want to live there will he? So what does the church do?

Also, since he's full time and the church pays his salary, does the church pay him less because he doesnt have rent or a mortgage to pay for (since he lives in that house by the church)? Who decides how much he gets paid? It wouldn't be right if HE did, would it? Do the deacons vote or something, how does it usually work?

Answer 1

I can't help you with the paycheck part of your question, but I think I could give you a little advice on the housing.

I'd recommend for the deacons to talk with the pastor and plan out when happens if this situation arises. You are true in saying that it would be mean to evict him after he's served so long leading the flock. However, that house has a history of housing the current pastor, not previous ones.

I think it'd be best for the deacons, and the church as a whole, to have a plan. When he finally steps down, he will be older, so he may have to rely on everyone else for help. Maybe the church members can help to find him a place to live, whether that be a house, or if he's older, a retirement community.

Of course, this should be at the descretion of the new pastor. If it happens that he lives just down the street and doesn't mind him living there, then obviously your problem is solved. I just think there should be a plan in place, just in case he needs to vacate.

Answer 2

In most baptist churches, the congregation votes on a pastor's salary upon recommendation of the deacon body or finance and budget comittiee. because pastors are considered self employed - one can speak of his entire salary package- his income, his housing allowance(or in this case the parsonage house) his insurance and retirement. Normally, when a pastor retires from a church where he lives in the parsonage, its is considered good form for the congregation to buy him a house of at least make the down payment on one, so that the parsonage can be free to house the new pastor.