LOW SALARIES AFFECT HEALTH
At some level almost every pastor feels that s/he is paid inadequately. Some denominations establish a minimum salary that their churches must meet, but it is rarely adequate to meet expenses comfortably and is not consistent 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 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 is that the issue of money can take on symbolic power and becomes more important than it should be. 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. As many pastors with low salaries will tell you, money is the source of many family arguments.
LOOKING FOR A HEALTHY RESPONSE
As the issue of money becomes more and more important, it can affect the faith of both pastor and family. 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.”
The healthier a pastor’s response to the issue of finances, the better s/he will be able to help the congregation.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07MC58W2Q
This volume, Clergy Financial Health, will have
specific strategies that clergy, clergy families, congregations, and judicatories can take in response to the tensions and stresses of finances in the ministry. Sometimes a particular procedure may be repeated in more than one suggestion. Your task is to evaluate each idea and identify the ones that offer positive possibilities for you and the people you care about.
SUPPORT OTHER CLERGY
If you think that these volumes can contribute to healthier clergy and healthier congregations, you can:
Share your opinion by writing a review on Amazon.
Speak to other clergy, churches, and judicatories about how this resource is helpful.
Purchase one or more of the volumes as a gift for a clergy friend.
Encourage a congregation and or judicatory to implement some of these strategies.
Good points, but your links to your Clergy Financial Health book didn’t work for me. (I’m using a Chrome browser.)
Keep up the good work!
Steve — this topic is crucial for all church fiduciary officers to take up much more comprehensively than just “salary and benefits + retirement” typical of HR provisions in private industry. When our congregation had more $$$ capacity, we made certain to have a line item for the pastor’s continuing education every year. The pastor was free to use that money for conferences, books, videos, and the like, and also to travel to resource centers, libraries, and so forth. He and she had only to report the expenses to the financial officer. So often, all the other noise in a pastor’s life makes avoidance of lifelong learning too easy. This support sends a strong message to pastor and congregation that we want intellectual vitality in our witness.
I’ve converted the link to Bitly. Try this http://bit.ly/ClergyFinancialHealth
Hope these ideas can support clergy affected by MAD or Money Anxiety Disorder–Of course, I just made that up.