I would guess that at some level almost every pastor feels that s/he is inadequately paid. While some denominations like the Presbyterians have established a minimum salary that their churches must meet, it is rarely adequate to comfortably meet expenses and certainly is not consistant with the educational requirements for ministry. At the same time, we believe we are called to a servant ministry and therefore often feel guilty complaining about salary.
The problem is that an inadequate salary can have a very real effect on the pastor’s health and the health of his or her family relationships. As 1 Timothy 5:18 reminds us, “The laborer deserves to be paid.” One of the effects of a low salary in any family is that the issue of money can take on symbolic power and become more important than it should be. As many pastors with low salaries will tell you, money is the source of many family arguments.
As the issue of money becomes more and more important, it can also affect the faith of both pastor and family. Again 1 Timothy 6:10 reminds us that “The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and in their eagerness to be rich some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains.” That is true not only for lay members who have become consumed with wealth but also for clergy who measure their worth and adequacy in terms of salary and their ability to provide for their family.
It is hard to trust the words of Hebrews 13:5: “Keep your lives free from the love of money, and be content with what you have; for he has said, ‘I will never leave or forsake you.'” Instead of avoiding the subject of money in the family, it would be good to have some open conversations about the subject. It is important, when discussing money, however, to remember that it is more than a rationale subject. It has a lot of symbolic power. In a future blog, I will try to suggest some ways that this conversation can be held.
It is also important to remember that other members of your congregation also are affected by the power of money in their lives. The better a pastor can respond to the issue in his or her own family, the better s/he will be able to help the congregation.
