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bamabob1 · 07-25-2011, 08:25 PM

This is a figure that can be hard to get as in some churches it is guarded like it is the code to fire off nuclear missiles. Also pastors have creative ways of getting paid that are tax free that the average person does not have. Allowances for cars, homes, etc. keep their tax burden low. Also with a church credit card they can charge a number of expenses which the church will cover. Something the average church member cannot do. So calculating their pay can be challenging.

To be honest I am guessing our pastor makes between $80,000-$85,000 a year. This could go higher depending on what the church gives him for his birthday and Christmas. Our church is around 200-225 members.

**Presbygirl** · 07-25-2011, 08:40 PM

Haven't seen the numbers from my current church but as of 7 years ago at my former church, the total package was around 100,000. That included everything such as insurance and home allowance, retirement and everything even down to a book allowance.

bamabob1 · 07-25-2011, 08:47 PM

I guess I should have termed it pay or salary package.

Faith · 07-25-2011, 08:55 PM

It's a line item in the budget at my church. And it's not much.

grace2live · 07-25-2011, 08:57 PM

The last time I looked, about ten years ago, it was $65,000. This was for a church of about 400 people, and he does not get a separate housing allowance or anything like that. Plus he has to pay taxes out of that, plus set aside $$$ for retirement. I think it's pretty fair.

**Presbygirl** · 07-25-2011, 09:01 PM

(07-25-2011 08:47 PM)bamabob1 Wrote: I guess I should have termed it pay or salary package.

I read it that way. Smile

. Ok so excuse my ignorance, because I left Fundy land way before I was curious what a pastors' salary was, but is that not common knowledge in many denominations?? Not as in, there's a sheet that gets passed around to everyone with the breakdown but that you could ask your CFO of the church and see the report?

Why do I feel like I am showing my "non-Fundy" rear end right now by asking this question? I hope Don doesn't nave an emoticon for this!

There are so many denominations around here. What does the Catholic church do or the Anglicans or....?

**laurat99** · 07-26-2011, 06:21 AM

My church is SBC and we have line items in the budget that anyone and everyone can see. The total compensation package for the pastor is around $43,000, which is a bargain in my mind.

I would be wary not seeing a specific number laid out, because then it's what anyone wants it to be.

elfdream · 07-26-2011, 06:58 AM

We get a budget report in the church bulletin once a quarter. I can't remember a number but I do remember it seemed very fair. I could easily call up the office if I really wanted to know.

Our priests live in the church rectory and have no families to support. They have not however taken vows of poverty so they do own things like cars and must pay for things like insurance out of his own pocket. We have a congregation of about two thousand parishoners.

***Darrell*** · 07-26-2011, 07:12 AM

I think the number has to be balanced against things like

what's the cost of living for an average middle-class white collar worker in your area?

how big is the church?

what are his weekly responsibilities in terms of hours worked?

how many years of accredited education does he have?

And so on.

There are some pastors who live high on the hog while their people suffer.

But there are also pastors who have earned doctorates, live in urban settings, and work 80 hour weeks who deserve way more than the $40k a year they're being paid.

Charity in all things.

Waldo L · 07-26-2011, 07:15 AM

(07-25-2011 08:25 PM)bamabob1 Wrote: To be honest I am guessing our pastor makes between $80,000-$85,000 a year. This could go higher depending on what the church gives him for his birthday and Christmas. Our church is around 200-225 members.

Do you goto my church? Those numbers are dead on for my place. But I know for sure about the salary because it's in the budget and the business meeting was just last week. And they voted to freeze his salary again instead of adding a COLA. Seriously, expenses are going up, he's got 7 kids, and they lock his salary down?! Let's say I was not one of the ones who said "aye!" He's worth every penny of his $81,xxx.