I am going insane working for a church and need some insight.
I work for a large denominational church (average attendance is about 400 or so) as a music director.
We have three pastors on staff- senior pastor (about 75), associate pastor (about 42) and visitation pastor (about 55).
Of all three pastors, the only one who does his/her job is the senior.
1. Visitation pastor, when I came on board ten years ago, was active in several ministries, assisted with Christian education, and helped teach classes. Today, all she does for the church is visit shut ins. She doesn't attend staff meetings, council meetings, or even new members meetings. She comes to the office once a week for about 20 minutes to get stuff from her office.
Now, she doesn't even show up on Sunday mornings. I'm not kidding about this. Our denomination decided to start another church in a nearby town. She goes to this new church to preach every week and is paid by the other church. She still gets paid by our church and isn't even here on Sunday morning.
What does she get paid here? $20,000 a year housing allowance (tax free), $4,000 a month car allowance (tax free), year end bonus of $2000 (tax free), pension/benefit package of $18,000 a year. Sure, this isn't a lot, but I have never seen so much money for so little work.
2. Now, if you think this is bad, then let me show you how to make six figures and work 15 hours a week. This is the story behind our associate pastor.
He preaches sermons that are always complained about. Although some of them are good, many of them are substandard. Several members have complained about this (and they are right to do this).
He is supposed to be the "administrator" of the youth and education department. However, his personal skills are so bad that most of the education and youth directors don't want to work for him. Further, he consistently misses meetings (once missed four in a row). When he does go to meetings, he usually just plays on his cell phone.
His wife no longer attends church and he only occasionally brings his kids.
He is constantly asking the church to pay for mission trips and conferences to go to.
He sometimes only shows up at the office about 10 hours a week.
Once, when he had a conflict with another staff member, he decided to go and hide. serious. He abandoned his office at the church and decided to go stay in an office across the street (when he was actually there). Congregation members would come in to see him and no one knew where he was. Eventually, they got him to go back to his room. Then, he didn't show up for awhile. Now, he is starting to show up some more.
He does nothing to recruit new members to the church. We have less young families involved now even though he is supposedly the "young family" pastor.
His salary is $51,000 a year. Housing allowance (tax free) of $28,000, $4000 car allowance (tax free), received a $5000 bonus check last year (also tax free), massive pension. When you factor in all the tax perks, he is easily at six figures.
Our church has declined 14% in attendance in the last two years.
We are getting fewer and fewer new members.
All of the other churches in town are growing.
The council members just don't care any more. The senior pastor is old and in "retirement mode."
I am the music director for the church. I make $48,500 a year. If the music isn't fabulous every week, there is nothing but criticism. People always ask why we don't have as many musicians as before.
I am going insane.
I work for a large denominational church (average attendance is about 400 or so) as a music director.
We have three pastors on staff- senior pastor (about 75), associate pastor (about 42) and visitation pastor (about 55).
Of all three pastors, the only one who does his/her job is the senior.
1. Visitation pastor, when I came on board ten years ago, was active in several ministries, assisted with Christian education, and helped teach classes. Today, all she does for the church is visit shut ins. She doesn't attend staff meetings, council meetings, or even new members meetings. She comes to the office once a week for about 20 minutes to get stuff from her office.
Now, she doesn't even show up on Sunday mornings. I'm not kidding about this. Our denomination decided to start another church in a nearby town. She goes to this new church to preach every week and is paid by the other church. She still gets paid by our church and isn't even here on Sunday morning.
What does she get paid here? $20,000 a year housing allowance (tax free), $4,000 a month car allowance (tax free), year end bonus of $2000 (tax free), pension/benefit package of $18,000 a year. Sure, this isn't a lot, but I have never seen so much money for so little work.
2. Now, if you think this is bad, then let me show you how to make six figures and work 15 hours a week. This is the story behind our associate pastor.
He preaches sermons that are always complained about. Although some of them are good, many of them are substandard. Several members have complained about this (and they are right to do this).
He is supposed to be the "administrator" of the youth and education department. However, his personal skills are so bad that most of the education and youth directors don't want to work for him. Further, he consistently misses meetings (once missed four in a row). When he does go to meetings, he usually just plays on his cell phone.
His wife no longer attends church and he only occasionally brings his kids.
He is constantly asking the church to pay for mission trips and conferences to go to.
He sometimes only shows up at the office about 10 hours a week.
Once, when he had a conflict with another staff member, he decided to go and hide. serious. He abandoned his office at the church and decided to go stay in an office across the street (when he was actually there). Congregation members would come in to see him and no one knew where he was. Eventually, they got him to go back to his room. Then, he didn't show up for awhile. Now, he is starting to show up some more.
He does nothing to recruit new members to the church. We have less young families involved now even though he is supposedly the "young family" pastor.
His salary is $51,000 a year. Housing allowance (tax free) of $28,000, $4000 car allowance (tax free), received a $5000 bonus check last year (also tax free), massive pension. When you factor in all the tax perks, he is easily at six figures.
Our church has declined 14% in attendance in the last two years.
We are getting fewer and fewer new members.
All of the other churches in town are growing.
The council members just don't care any more. The senior pastor is old and in "retirement mode."
I am the music director for the church. I make $48,500 a year. If the music isn't fabulous every week, there is nothing but criticism. People always ask why we don't have as many musicians as before.
I am going insane.
