Working and Pastoring?

[scooter]

How do you feel about a pastor and secular work?

[RamboPreacher]

I voted pastor and work when they have to. However, "when they have to" is pretty ambiguous though.

My personal feelings is that the pastor should be pastor full time. Are they called to be pastor or not?

Money or rather "filthy lucre" (1 tim. 3:8) and the greed thereof seems to be a challenge sometimes, though. Some may justify it as "providing a comfortable lifestyle" for their family, or some other similar verbiage. So where is my challenge? I think that it's where the line is to be drawn. I believe that "comfort" isusually equated to living beyond the appropriate means.

I know that there are many pastors (with families) that would be able to be a full time pastor and not work also, as they are being paid the full-cap-salary (plus) based on HQ memo. But then there are those that feel they "need" to work, even with that.

every situation is different, and there are lots of lines to be drawn in the sand, but it is my feelings that if a pastor is getting full salary, they should be full-time pastor, with few exceptions (noting that there may be some).

[Pastor Bill]

As a working pastor I voted Pastor and work when they have to, Pastoring has to be first priority, but if a church is unable to provide a livable income (on the level of what the members would be comfortable living with themselves) then they need to work.

[dolfan]

I voted "other". Personally, I don't think there is a stereotypically good fit. Each church, each pastor, each family, their needs, etc., may differ so that it is hard to say what "ought" to be. If a church is able to support a pastor with a full time salary, my first (personal) inclination is to make sure his wife doesn't have to work outside the home if she wants to stay home with the children, home school or whatever. A pastor who works a secular job and has a wife who is content to be the at-home mom for their kids without worrying about bringing an income home will probably be more content and more effective than a non-secular working pastor whose wife must work to make ends meet. Or, a pastor who gets paid a sufficient salary may need the type of secular work he does to round him out as a person. If a pastor loves carpentry or electrical work and gets fed from the work itself, it'd be a cruel expectation to keep him from doing it and it would be counterproductive. Now, there's two sides to that, I know, and the needs of the church must also be tended -- of course. But, how that gets worked out in every case is going to differ. That's why I voted other.

[RamboPreacher]

As a working pastor I voted Pastor and work when they have to, Pastoring has to be first priority, but if a church is unable to provide a livable income (on the level of what the members would be comfortable living with themselves) then they need to work.

so if the pastor is being paid full cap-salary, and that is well above the majority of parishioners lifestyle, should he "have" to work, assuming no other special considerations?

[teach]

In CoGoP, it's just necessary

wendy k

[rev rick]

I have worked and pastored for years. At this stage I only word outside to help needy. A pastor drawing limit (CoGoP) is faced with self-employment taxes, insurance, perhaps (pvt school) retirement, and other family needs. A calling involves untold sacrifice, with joy of heart. A man may depend on outside resources, for some things . It is CHRIST first, family, and then Church. Some places can't really afford a pastor. Some men shouldn't pastor! They can't live within their means. I a very Thankful
for the privilege to pastor in the CHURCH of GOD of PROPHECY It has been wonderful, serving CHRIST, and HIS CHURCH!!

[CantBCoy]

As to self-employment taxes, our church just agreed to allow H&R Block to take care of our payroll. They only charge $25 dollars a month for a payroll of one employee. This might be of interest to many pastors out there struggling with their own taxes.

[Poimen]

I voted other. I think the Ministry has to be flexible. No one senario is "set in stone." I do think where a Pastor can be full time he probably should be. But there again that will vary on the individual circumstances.

[Shellie]

If a church is able to support a pastor with a full time salary, my first (personal) inclination is to make sure his wife doesn't have to work outside the home if she wants to stay home with the children, home school or whatever. A pastor who works a secular job and has a wife who is content to be the at-home mom for their kids without worrying about bringing an income home will probably be more content and more effective than a non-secular working pastor whose wife must work to make ends meet.

I voted other. I don't think the pastor's wife should have to work in able to allow the pastor to stay home. If the church can afford to pay the pastor what a secular job does and that salary also allows his wife to stay home then I would agree that the pastor doesn't need to work.

[Dr. Ron]

A huge issue. One point is also that most pastors have no clue what being a "full-time " pastor entails. As overseer , I used to give a daily report to my pastors at retreats or training sessions and ask them to give me a detailed report of what they would do during a 12 hour period if they were allowed to have a 'full-time" pastorate. Very few of them had a clue. The ones that did, were very ambiguous.

I have always been full time. I have worked at every kind of secular job you can imagine to stay "full-time". It's all about time management. The mentality of most pastors does not fit what it really means to be full-time.

Real office hours; the proper use of a secretary; time management, all that works together. I pastor full time , have a school, have a counseling practice, work in the chaplaincy, have a date night with my wife, always building something. Proper use of time!