2006-12-05 03:42:26 · 17 answers · asked by PAM 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
That depends upon the size of the parish/congregation, the demands placed upon him, and how much the church can afford to pay him. I don't think there's a set principle that indicates that he should or shouldn't.
2006-12-05 03:44:11 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
some do, some don't . A new church usually doesn't have the funds to fully support a pastor. A larger one puts a lot more responsibility on the pastor and takes up all his time. There is a spot in the bible where I think it is Peter talks about how he has another job so the people don't have to support him. I think it's a matter of neccessity and the means of the church. A good pastor will do what is necessary to support himself and his family. The church usually loves their pastor and wants to support him.
2006-12-05 03:46:54 · answer #2 · answered by BaseballGrrl 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The church is supposed to fully support the pastor. Unfortunately may small churches do not have enough offerings to do that. Most denominations require a pastor to have a Master of Divinity degree. This is a professional graduate degree that requires at least 90 semester hours of graduate work after college and usually 2 foreign languages. Most professionals with this level of education would expect to make about 150k per year in industry, but in ministry about 1/10 that amount.
So, to answer your question-no, a pastor should not need to work outside the church, but if they want to eat -then they must. Probably a pastor who delivers effective sermons will work about 50 hours per week just preparing sermons. In order to do an effective job in the pulpit-he would not have the "time" to work outside his ministry.
2006-12-05 03:57:11 · answer #3 · answered by Desperado 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Only if there are a very small number of people attending the church. The average tithe in the American church today is only 2%. If everyone tithed the way they were actually led we would be able to take care of our pastors at all but the smallest churches and we would be able to feed the hungry and meet other needs as well.
2006-12-05 03:54:49 · answer #4 · answered by cropdownunder 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Some pastors may be able to do this. They might have a very small congregation and very little pastoral duties to take care of. My pastor works about 60 hours a week. He doesn't have time for another Job.
2006-12-05 03:49:41 · answer #5 · answered by Chad H 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Some churches are so poor that they cannot afford to fully support their pastor. Many pastors are so dedicated to their calling that they will work another job to support their family, rather than give up their vocation. Paul was a tent maker.
2006-12-05 03:45:50 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
I have known many Bi-Vocational Pastors in my life. When the church cannot afford to pay him enough to meet his bills then yes it is.
FYI:
In a recent studt they found that 50% of Christians attend "mega" churchs (more than a 1000 members) which account for 7% of the total churchs in the US. So 93% of the churchs survive on income from 50% of the rest of the Christians (only 8% thithe) so you will see more and more Bi-Vocational pastors
2006-12-05 03:49:20 · answer #7 · answered by ML 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In the Church of JESUS CHRIST of latter day saints none of the ministers receive compensation from the church, we have a lay, volunteer ministry. In my church the equivalent of a pastor is a Bishop. And he has a full-time job to support himself and his family, his calling (in our terms) is also fulltime, requiring his time and resources but his compensation is the blessings that come from service to the Lord. A true minister of God would not preach or minister for "filthy lucre" He would support himself and his family by the sweat of his brow and not on the backs of the seekers of truth. "Filthy lucre" Being a minister to the flock is not a job, it is calling from God, and God has required that we give everything that we have in service to Him.
2006-12-05 04:13:08 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
everything we have was given to us by the lord and if a pastor needs to work to support his family then the lord will provide that job. I belive it is the pastors responsibility to support his family if the church can sustain him then he need not work if the church is unable to sustain his family then they will need to work
2006-12-05 03:49:09 · answer #9 · answered by steelrzs1 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The apostle Paul made tents to support not just himself, but those with him.
Jesus said you receive free, give free.
So if a "pastor" wanted to follow the bible's example in Paul, he wouldn't accept payment from the congregation, but would support himself.
2006-12-05 03:48:37 · answer #10 · answered by TeeM 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i have a friend her step father is a pastor. i am not religious but i find i have alot of respect for him and his wife. they both have cadilac's but they both have other jobs that they have worked at long enough that they can soon retire. they have a nice house and everythin gut they worked for it. they didn't take it from the "donation plate." To be honest i don't think they have a donation plate. i thin kwhat he decided was that they would do fund raisers and playes and stuff to raise money. I can respect a church for that. they understand that they could never convert me too. but they don't try to either.
2006-12-05 06:47:14 · answer #11 · answered by kaluah96 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋