Life in the pastor's house

[Abiding Now]

Got this in an email.




LIFE IN THE PASTOR'S HOUSE

Do you think your Pastor gets paid too much?

Let me show you something.

Recently a minister, who retired from pastoring for over 40 years, was asked to come to work for a Hospice Company. In talking to him, I just started laughing at all the people who think pastors get paid too much. To start with,

Hospice Chaplins on call gets 10.00 per hour. So let's add that up for the full time Pastor and wife who are both on call 24/7. Let's see...that comes to $1680.00 × 2=
$ 3,360.00 per week just for being on call when you need them.

Hospice Chaplins on duty get $25.00 per hour. Let's just add up the hours your pastor is on duty. (Hours vary according to congregation size and demands. This is when it all happens in a week and it happens very often)

STUDYING: 6 hrs.
PREACHING: 3 hrs
TEACHING: 2 hrs
HOSPITAL VISITS: 3 hrs
FUNERALS (Family care before and after, Visitation and Funeral): 10 hrs. Easily
COUNSELING: 5 hrs (low figure for phone calls and in person)
STAFF MEETINGS (group and personal): 5 hrs
MANAGING BENEVOLENCE: 2-3 hrs
HOSTING VISITING MINISTERS (4 X per year) 6 hrs for a weekend or even housing them in his home for duration of a week long revival.
THESE duties alone could average $1050.00 - $ 1525.00 per week for one. If your a pastor and his wife are both performing full time in your congregation, that would come to $ 2,100.00 - $3,050.00 per week.

Preachers are allowed .55 cents per mile for ministry wear and tear on his vehicles. It's easy to travel 500 miles per week (low figure) for ministry in larger towns which comes to $275.00 per week for milage

So, if your Pastor isn't making over $8,210.00 per week, Let me encourage you to respect that you have a true MAN OF GOD Pastoring your church and not just a hired employee. Oh, and did I mention that many of us spend hours on our phones during our "Vacations" counseling and trouble shooting on our cell phones. And there is no such thing as being off the clock for a MAN OF GOD.

I was raised in a Pastors home and married a pastor. I am now the mother of a pastor. My whole life has been about people. I love people and my greatest hope is that I can make a difference in one persons life. The only thing that cuts me, is when somebody thinks pastors should be full time for peanuts. GIVE YOUR PASTOR'S high respect for what they do. If you can't afford to pay him the salary he deserves, for his duties, make sure you never forget to honor him highly on his birthday, anniversaries, holidays, special occasions. Always prefer him as your MAN OF GOD. It is popular these days to say, "Yes he's the Pastor but he's just a man". I truly understand that many "Wolves in Sheep's Clothing" have caused the loss of trust in a Man Of God, but If your Pastor is truly GOD'S MAN, God will control him, that's not your job.

As the pastor prays for, respects, loves and forgives the members of his congregations, so should the congregation pray for, respect, love and forgive their pastor. Anything else is not of God.

Go forward in understanding with clear purpose for the a kingdom of God. We are all members of one body, THE BODY OF CHRIST. Some are the head, some are the hands and feet, some are the inward parts that nobody sees. However, without each other we aren't a whole body.

Much Love,

THE PREACHER'S KID/WIFE/MOM