Pastor compensation slightly ahead of inflation, survey says
Compensation for full-time Southern Baptist pastors increased at a rate slightly faster than inflation nationally over the past two years, yet many churches continue to struggle in providing their pastors with adequate medical insurance.
These findings are part of the SBC Church Compensation Study, an in-depth survey of 12,168 staff members in Southern Baptist churches. Baptist state conventions along with LifeWay Research and GuideStone Financial Resources conduct this survey every two years. All the data acquired by the study has been compiled into an online tool LifeWay.com/CompensationSurvey...
17 Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine. 18 For the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain,” and, “The laborer is worthy of his wages.”
I Corinthians 9:7-14
7 Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat its grapes? Who tends a flock and does not drink the milk? 8 Do I say this merely on human authority? Doesn’t the Law say the same thing? 9 For it is written in the Law of Moses: “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.”[ Is it about oxen that God is concerned? 10 Surely he says this for us, doesn’t he? Yes, this was written for us, because whoever plows and threshes should be able to do so in the hope of sharing in the harvest. 11 If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you? 12 If others have this right of support from you, shouldn’t we have it all the more?... 13 Don’t you know that those who serve in the temple get their food from the temple, and that those who serve at the altar share in what is offered on the altar? 14 In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gosp
Frank, thank you for looking it up! I'm not rattling on about this junk for my own pride or something! This is real church! I'd rather get some tea, sit in the sunshine and enjoy my garden.
jpw wrote: Frank, good word there. yes, I do feel the same way. Specifically pretrib rapture is big....I've known pastors just avoid book of Revelations, because an orthodox perspective of God intervening in church throughout its history and martydom of saints which continues on was offensive to those who wanted to hear that the west will not suffer as all the rest of the world. to hear you say that pastors have actually said this confirms what I have observed and been troubled in spirit about. we have come so far in fear of offending, and yet the typical church goer thinks they are getting the straight and narrow information of the day from their fellowship. Why can I have a discussion with an abortionist who knows of Agenda 21 and the harm of GMO's (who knows people are being forced into it and will be sicker) while my Christian brethren, who are feeding their families, do not even know what GM's are!?!? what is going on with us? and yes, I agree, if a pastor must go against his conscience, he has become a hireling. this is cause for those who remain in the faith to pray for those in leadership and for us all. Good day.
Agree again, and I just looked up Agenda 21 and GMOs. Thanks, I love that sort of thing.
Frank, good word there. yes, I do feel the same way. Specifically pretrib rapture is big....I've known pastors just avoid book of Revelations, because an orthodox perspective of God intervening in church throughout its history and martydom of saints which continues on was offensive to those who wanted to hear that the west will not suffer as all the rest of the world.
to hear you say that pastors have actually said this confirms what I have observed and been troubled in spirit about.
we have come so far in fear of offending, and yet the typical church goer thinks they are getting the straight and narrow information of the day from their fellowship.
Why can I have a discussion with an abortionist who knows of Agenda 21 and the harm of GMO's (who knows people are being forced into it and will be sicker) while my Christian brethren, who are feeding their families, do not even know what GM's are!?!?
what is going on with us?
and yes, I agree, if a pastor must go against his conscience, he has become a hireling. this is cause for those who remain in the faith to pray for those in leadership and for us all. Good day.
Neil, JPW. I agree with both of your comments. Here is what I mean by a hireling. I don't remember where I read this, but I did read it.
There was a fellow named Robert Van Kampen who wrote a series of books on a concept called pre-wrath rapture. He was the richest Christian in America, so he was well known by many Christian leaders. Well after reading his arguments against a pre-trib rapture, there were many teachers and pastors who contacted him and told him that after considering his arguments they could no longer support their pre-trib positions. (he had solicited their comments) He then asked them if they were then going to stop teaching and preaching it. They said no because that would jeopardize their positions as teachers and pastors. Some would have actually been dismissed.
Now, if your livelihood, present and future, depends on pleasing your congregation and/or university above the word of God, then you are put in a very difficult position; preach what you really believe, or preach to keep your position. I understand why someone can compromise the word of God for selfish reasons and my heart aches for them, but that would make them a hireling in my opinion.
If more men in congregations would step up & share the burden of teaching, churches could dispense with professional full-time "hired guns" along with all the complications & risks (both to their families & congregations) that entails, plus the teaching would probably be *better*. Such lay preaching as I've heard has been outstanding, perhaps because being unschooled, they take more care with what they say.
Notwithstanding the encouragement I've given, the ones I know are terrified of having to do it again. What a pity, & a waste!
Sure, Frank, good for them to follow Christ, but shame on us for not supporting mature leadership!! but sending our money to tv evangelists and teachers that tickle our ears with prosperity!!
COMMENTS | 
stever: "
christopher000
hopeless wrote:
'i won't come back on sermonaudio..."
