It's time to equalize pastor salaries
Not a day that goes by that I don’t wonder if I chose the wrong profession. Friends who went to graduate school for disciplines other than theology—law, business, or medicine—pull in six figures; their lifestyles make me a bit envious. I heard a story on the radio recently of a CEO who makes $13,000 an hour (not, it turns out, an unusual CEO pay rate) and my first thought was, “Damn. I’m young … I could still do that.”
Instead, I’m a pastor. I love the work I do and how my job asks me to use my gifts and energy. Aside from occasional moments of financial envy, I’m content with what I do to make a living. And, with a household income of more than $80,000 a year, our family makes an excellent living. I’ve served two churches in two states, and each paid me well. Our family has a mortgage, some savings, we pay the bills, and take vacations. We’re blessed. We’re upper middle class.
But when I scan the church landscape, I wonder about the financial well-being of my pastoral colleagues. How do you make it in a church where they pay you the judicatory minimum, half of what I make? How do you pay school loans, afford a mortgage, make car payments, save for college or retirement, and occasionally enjoy a night out? God forbid you have a health crisis. How is scarcity of money not a constant fear for my colleagues … and a constant push toward seeking a higher-paying job?
