Mark,
Thanks for sharing this interesting data from Leadership Network. Here is how I have come to think about pastoral salaries as I have studied Scripture. I will try and outline a few biblical teachings that I think are relevant.

First, I think we have to hold two biblical truths in tandem. Paul teaches that pastors labor and should thus be compensated (I Tim. 5.18). But, he also seems to speak of those who labor in gospel ministry as living a simple lifestyle so as to not give anyone any reason to doubt the free nature of the gospel (I Cor. 9.1-18). Paul did not demand payment, but he offered churches the opportunity to support him so that he could focus on gospel ministry and not have to work. However, when he wasn’t supported, he did work by making tents (Acts 18.1-4). So, a pastor’s salary should be considered due payment, but it also should be seen as payment that frees them up to focus exclusively on ministry. In some places, there is not enough money to support pastors for full time gospel ministry, and so pastors work a job as well. If we can avoid that, we probably should, but if pastors become lazy, then we should question their maturity and character.

Second, we should always be careful not to pay pastors who are ‘lovers of money’ (I Tim. 3.3). But, we should always seek to share with those who teach us (Gal. 6.6). If a congregation begins to resent a pastor who seems to make a lot while the congregation is struggling with jobs and money, then something needs to change. The pastor should probably take less money, and the congregation should desire to be able to give more. I think the mindset we see in Acts 2 is appropriate here. The early Christians had ‘all things in common,’ meaning, they shared with those in need. That should drive the way we think about pastoral compensation as well.

As one of my professors once taught me, the ideal situation is when the congregation seeks to compensate the pastor liberally out of gratitude but the pastor couldn’t care less about the money since he lived a simple lifestyle focused on gospel ministry. The worst situation is when the congregation thinks it is their job to keep the pastor poor and the pastor thinks it is his job to get more and more money.

I have asked in a number of church contexts how salaries were determined. Many use education and experience as key factors and compare pastors to teachers in the community. I have heard of other churches use education and experience compared to the business world. Those are very different scales. I am not sure which one is more appropriate, if either are in the first place.
I knew a pastor that continued to go to school while pastoring, receiving a PhD, which meant that the congregation gave him time away from the church to further his education. He turned around and demanded a higher salary when he graduated since he had a PhD while an associate pastor couldn’t pay medical bills for his kids. I was really angered by that.

My guess is that we don’t want pastors to be the richest people in the community because that will certainly lead to sin and encourage the wrong people to seek to be pastors. But, we don’t want pastors to be the poorest people in the community either because then they won’t be able to spend as much time focusing on the ministry. That leaves a large gap in between that may allow for differences in different communities.

Those are just a few thoughts. I am not sure if that helped anything.

Derek

I love to see Pastors well compensated; however, I wonder about the wisdom of Pastors driving luxury vehicles and living in the best neighborhood in town. Is it their “right”? That’s not the question. The wisdom of doing so is!

Mark,
Sorry for the length. I write like I get paid by the letter….
Derek