by Johnathan Arnold and Michael Avery
The Bible speaks to how much a pastor should be paid. God’s Word on this issue is often overlooked for at least one reason: pastors do most of the teaching in the church, and it’s hard for pastors to talk about how much they are paid. A good pastor does not want to come across as self-serving, so they are usually quicker to surrender their right to proper compensation than to address the issue. Many pastors become bi-vocational, which often harms their health and, in turn, the health of their families and churches. I recently talked to a bi-vocational pastor who said, “It’s literally killing me. It’s taking years off my life.”
The Bible does not support the common notion that being poor is just part of the sacrifice of being a pastor. On the contrary, God’s Word teaches that pastors should (1) make their living from preaching the gospel and (2) be paid well if they are good leaders who work hard in preaching and teaching. One of the primary ways that a church honors their pastor is by paying them good wages.
A Living Wage
First, pastors should make their living from preaching the gospel. The Apostle Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 9:14, “the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel.”
Notice a few things about this verse. First, “the Lord commanded.” The Bible is emphasizing that this is not optional for churches. Churches must obey this command, because it comes straight from the Lord of the church. A pastor may willingly surrender his right to full compensation, but a church is not free to expect this. It is wrong for a church to expect their pastor to be bi-vocational.
It is wrong for a church to expect their pastor to be bi-vocational.
Next, notice the word “living.” A “living” is enough to meet one’s basic needs, which includes things like (1) housing, (2) food, (3) clothing, (4) healthcare, and, arguably, (5) retirement. When determining what constitutes a living wage, churches should take into account the size of the pastor’s family, the costs of the region, and inflation.
There are many resources to help churches determine what constitutes a living wage. MIT has a Living Wage Calculator (livingwage.mit.edu) to determine a living wage for most counties in the United States. For example, in Pennsylvania, the average living wage for 2 adults with 2 children is around $87,000.
All that is needed to pay a pastor a living wage is ten church members who make a living wage and pay tithe. This is very doable, even in most smaller congregations. If after several years a church is still unable to obey the Bible by paying their pastor a living wage, then their growth has likely stagnated, and they should consider joining with another Bible-believing congregation in their area.
To pastor effectively is a full-time job. It is emotionally and intellectually demanding.
To pastor effectively is a full-time job. It is emotionally and intellectually demanding. When the Hebrew widows needed to be cared for in Acts 6, the apostles said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables” (Acts 6:2). Rather, they said, “we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word” (Acts 6:4). Many pastors cannot fully devote themselves to the hard work of prayer and teaching because their churches have an unbiblical expectation that they should be bi-vocational. This is “not right.”
Honored by Wages
Second, pastors should be paid well if they are good leaders who work hard at teaching and preaching. The Bible says in 1 Timothy 5:17–18, “Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching. For the Scripture says, ‘You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain,’ and, ‘The laborer deserves his wages.’”
Notice a few things about 1 Timothy 5:17. First, paying pastors good “wages” is a primary way that the church shows them “honor.” All faithful pastors are worthy of the honor of a living wage. Some pastors are worthy of the “double honor” of additional pay.
One of the primary ways that a church honors their pastor is by paying them good wages.
Next, notice the two reasons why a pastor should be given greater compensation. The first reason is if they “rule well.” Another translation says that they should be given additional pay if they are “good leaders” (CSB). A pastor is a spiritual leader or overseer in the congregation. If they excel in spiritual leadership, they should be honored by higher wages.
The second reason is the most important. Pastors should “especially” be given greater compensation if they “labor in preaching and teaching.” Another translation says that pastors should be given additional pay if they “work hard at preaching and teaching.” Pastors are the teaching officers of the church. If a pastor keeps a close watch on the teaching and immerses themselves in expounding and applying Scripture (1 Tim. 4:13–16), they should be honored by higher wages.
In most secular jobs, employees receive a raise every year. Some businesses give fixed raises, while others use a performance-based model. The Bible’s instructions in 1 Timothy 5:17 support a performance-based raise for pastors. If a pastor is a skillful expositor of Scripture and goes above and beyond in teaching, they should be honored by a sizable raise every year (one that covers more than just inflation).
The Bible’s instructions in 1 Timothy 5:17 support a performance-based raise for pastors.
Most churches do not want to dishonor their pastor. They would never do it intentionally. But if the Bible says that pastors are honored by wages, it is objectively dishonorable to fail to pay a pastor well. For example, I know of a pastor who is an excellent spiritual leader and preacher, but he has felt overlooked and unappreciated for years because his church has never given him a raise.
Taking the Lead
While it is helpful if a lay person or board member takes the lead in advocating for better pastoral compensation, it is not self-serving for a pastor to share this teaching with their church. On the contrary, it is a pastor’s duty to teach “all Scripture (2 Timothy 3:16), including the Scripture about their own compensation.
First and foremost, the biblical teaching should be clearly presented. A Sunday School teacher could read through this article with their Sunday School class, or a board member could share it at a Members’ Meeting. God’s Word is sufficient to teach, reprove, correct, and train the church on the matter of pastoral compensation (2 Timothy 3:16). Pastoral compensation is ultimately an issue of discipleship.
Pastoral compensation is ultimately an issue of discipleship.
Second, churches should determine how much their pastor should be getting paid, and communicate it to their pastor, even if it isn’t possible right away. For example, “Our pastor, who has a wife and [#] children, and lives in [x county], should be paid a living wage of [x amount], plus healthcare and retirement. We might not be able to pay that much right now, but we are going to actively work towards it.” Even if pastors are being underpaid, they need to know that the church is aware of their financial responsibility.
Third, determine what the church would be capable of paying right now if its members were following biblical expectations for giving. For example, “If all of us members start paying our tithe and giving generously, I believe that we can start paying our pastor [x amount].” Galatians 6:6 is addressing church members about compensating their pastor when it says, “Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches.”
Finally, call the church to action in a concrete and definite way. For example, regularly share the following information: (1) Each month, we need to bring in [x amount] to pay our pastor and cover our other expenses. (2) This month, we brought in [x amount]. (3) To continue as a church under our pastor’s leadership, we need to bring in [x amount] more next month.
Conclusion
A pastor must “not be a lover of money” (1 Timothy 3:3), and should not seek extravagant wages. No pastor needs a private jet! But most churches are not in danger of making their pastors rich. Instead, most good pastors are forced to struggle financially for their entire lives, and many become bi-vocational just to make ends meet. It’s no wonder that pastors are leaving the ministry at an alarming rate due to physical and emotional exhaustion. A healthy church needs a healthy pastor, and that starts with obeying the Bible’s commands on pastoral compensation.
