Where do Pastors get their Salary?

Question

I always wonder about that
How about Elders and Leaders where do they get their salary ?
I wonder why a church organization ask for tithes and love offerings?
I know it's in the bible but I don't want any quotes from the bible
Isn't Religion supposed to be free?
Why can't pastors work the same time serve God, like the rest of us?

Call me ignorant if you like you can even rate thumbs down

I still feel you don't ask money from people who comes to church

it's really a turn off
then ask you how's your job then
if you're bless double the offering
ok maybe this is only my own experience from the church I used to go to

And the pastors has huge bellys and as well as the leaders then they have totally ignore their health then they ask for prayers for good health

Answer 1

Thoughtful question.

Difficult to answer without some reference to the Bible though, so forgive me. The apostle Paul DID work to support himself. But then, he wasn't married and had no family to support. Peter apparently did accept support so that he could support his family (he WAS married) and still be free to minister on a full-time basis.

Currently, the source depends on church affiliation. In most churches, the minister's pay comes from the offerings through the church treasurer. Many do work part-or full-time in addition to their church work (Methodist local pastors, Nazarene missions church pastors) but the reason for pay is two-fold...

1. "The workman is worthy of his hire" -- Paul said that faithful leaders in the local church were worthy of being practically rewarded for their service.

2. As with Peter, eliminating the need to work outside the church for a living allows the clergy person freedom to devote him/her-self to full-time ministry and study. Over the centuries, the work of the clergy has required them to have more and better, broader education and the qualifications in many denominations have become more stringent. To ask someone to spend 6+ yearsget a Master's of Divinity degree and then not treat him like any other professional is completely unfair.

In some churches, noteably the Roman Catholic church (if my understanding is correct), the ministers are paid through the diocese, for the same reason.

I am not aware that Elders or leaders are generally paid (Well, in the Methodist church, 'elder' is a classification within the 'professional' clergy, but elders in the Presbyterian church aren't paid.) Lay Leaders/Speakers within the Methodist church aren't paid (if they're supposed to be, my church owes me ten years back pay and my former church owes me for several years of working with the Junior High age youth.)

Tithing is an Old Testament practice instituted by God to provide for the Levites who oversaw worship, the Tabernacle and later, the Temple. Again, because they were to devote all their efforts to these tasks. They weren't even given land when the tribes split up the land of Canaan.

You're right religion IS free. No one has been REQUIRED to give anything since churches stopped renting pew space (Honest, you used to have to pay so much a year for your seat in some churches. Tremont Temple was the first church in Boston to stop the practice.) But giving is a valuable thing, nonetheless. It is an expression of worship, giving back to God for the support of His church, in response to what He has given you. Tithing is good for discipline in selflessness and faith. Giving is an investment in the church community, a way of establishing 'ownership' in the work of God. Giving enables the church to respond with practical compassion to human need, providing food, clothing, etc.

Giving is also not restricted to money. I came to church one Sunday morning about a month ago to find one of our elderly men up on a ladder cleaning up an area where he'd been painting (without pay, I might add.) He was wearing an old shirt, stained jeans and work boots. I commented laughingly that I saw he was 'dressed for worship'. At first he didn't understand, so I explained that I really believed he WAS dressed for worship; that his selfless work maintaining the church building was very much a PART of his worship, as much as any prayer or any amount of money he might put in the offering plate.

I used to produce a radio show for a minister in suburban Boston. Once a year he would do the obligatory sermon on stewardhip and talk about how we are custodians of what God gives us, not owners; how we are to use what we have for him. In reminding people of their membership pledge to support the church (in part with their finances) he would refer to 2 Corinthians 9:7, "God loves a cheerful giver" and he would say, "We only want happy money in this church. If you can't give out of joy, keep your money." I always liked that.

Answer 2

We pay our preacher out of our tithes and offerings. It is set at the business meeting, we have a budget every year with our obligations. The pastor's salary is included in budget. In the gospels Paul talks about when he was preaching and working to support himself. I can remember when our preacher was young, he drove a school bus, and that left him time to do his work but then he worked for the post office. It's hard to do the things a pastor needs to do and carry on a job. The bible says a workman is worthy of his hire and it also says don't muzzle the ox that's treading the corn. It is selfish and cheap to expect your pastor to work for his living and still be at the beck and call of every member in the church. There is the sick to visit, the funerals, the families of deceased to visit, sermons to prepare, counselling, weddings, etc. We don't pay our deacons, but your tithes and offerings support your church, the work of God, and also whatever obligations like missions, electricity, water. Stop and think how much you are working and serving God and compare it with your pastor. Do you really work as long and hard for everyone in the church as he does? I bet not.

Answer 3

In our church Pastors are not paid a salary.- I'm sure they will get their reward in heaven.They do a full time ministry. They never ask for tithes and offerings. We on our part give the tithes because it's Biblical and as a gratitude and it's not an obligation.God is the source of all blessings and wealth and our tithes are a mite to Him.
Working and serving God is ,as Jesus said serving two masters.Spirituality and Worldliness are two poles.

Answer 4

The Bible tells us to give 10% of what we earn. God owns everything on this Earth, including all of the Money. All he asks for is 10%! That's 10 cents on every dollar. The Money "does" go to God, when the collection plate is passed. The Pastor gets his salary, for preaching God's Word, The Eletricity for the building, Water Bill, Books, Building Repair. The "People," are what make up the "Church," but the "Building," where the Services are held, cannot "take care of itself." The Bible, tells us to give and it will be given back to us, ten fold. We cannot actually put the Money into "Gods Hands," but we are Giving to Him, through the Church.

Answer 5

To answer your first question, obviously, Pastors (generally) get their salary from their congregants. Churches ask for tithes and love offerings due to tradition, mostly. Tithing is no where encouraged in the New Testament, even Paul instructed people to simply be a "cheerful giver" and not give out of obligation.

Tithing now is simply wrong. People who use the OT to support their views take it out of context. Christians don't follow the civil laws of the OT anymore, such as tithing.

Answer 6

Religion and salvation are for free...but churches got a lot of bills to pay (electricity, cleaning service, etc.) just like any other instituction. Being a pastor is a job like any other, and if you do it full time you have to get paid, just like any other proffesion, doctors, teachers, firemen, they all get salaries...why pastors shouldn't if they work all day long as well?
Nobody forces you to give offerings or tithes...giving is voluntary. If you don't want to give, don't do it...but i want to and i do because i love my church and pastor.
I don't know why people has a problem with that...isn't their money any way (most people who ask those question has never gave an offering but they get mad to people that does it)

Answer 7

You are showing your ignorance about the job of the Pastor. As manager of the Church He is responsible for ALL things concerning the Church building and the Church people.

The church uses electricity/water/equipment for Maintenance and Sunday school supplies.


This IS a full time job!

Answer 8

I don't have to give to the church, I give because I want too. I could tith in many places but, if I don't support my local church, who will.
Many pastors do work other jobs but, I'm glad that mine is able to have a salary from us so that he can continue to do the work God intends for him and our church.

Answer 9

Hello there...Ministers and Pastors earn BIG BUCKS depending on the amount of money the members of the church are able to give each Sunday..They receive housing and car allowances too. It is a very lucrative profession. Religious leaders remind me of politicians...slick and manipulative.

Of course each church has a budget and also guarantees the salary of the pastor to lure him to the job...most deacons of a church are large money donators..

In my church I recall...the whole experience seemed to be about money and power...one big social club!!

Answer 10

Where the priest' salarys are , bookkeeper is. The effective answer is: Is bookkeeper a lay or clerical person? Rectory is not his. Rectory belongs to the communion of Christians. As a rule, the salary of the priest is equal with the salary of the teacher.