Things You May Not Know About Ministry

[Nahum]

I was talking to a friend earlier this week and the topic of Bible College came up. We had graduated from Gateway together over a decade ago and were laughing about some of the twists and turns of life. Most humorous was some of the ideas we possessed as "youngsters" regarding what ministry was about, and what life would be like as a preacher in the years to come. Needless to say, we were quite mistaken!

So, with that in mind, I thought it would be kinda neat to start a thread that may help future pastors and preachers. This thread is for those of you that feel a calling to minister - but haven't yet acted upon it.

It would be nice if we could keep this a friendly, non-standards, non-critical thread. It would be nice if some of our more experienced pastors and preachers would chime in with things "they wish someone would have told them about ministry".


I'll go first.

1. A pastor would do well to gain a basic understanding of Christian sociology and psychology.
2. Less than 50% of pastors are full-time ministers.
3. Peer pressure exists in ministry. The pressure to perform is intense.
4. Watching God work and mature new Christians is joy in action.
5. Ministry is one of the most exhausting and fulfilling experiences on earth.


PP

[Nahum]

Hmmmmm, maybe the topic is not controversial enough?

[Digging4Truth]

Originally Posted by Pastor Poster

Hmmmmm, maybe the topic is not controversial enough?

Wouldn't this be a thread that ministers would post on unless someone had a comment about the post?

[Nahum]

Originally Posted by Digging4Truth

Wouldn't this be a thread that ministers would post on unless someone had a comment about the post?

Not necessarily, any thread on AFF is open to all. Post away friend!

Maybe my initial post was too narrow? Imagine that, me, a legalist!

[berkeley]

Originally Posted by Pastor Poster

1. A pastor needs to have a basic understanding of sociology and psychology.
2. Less than 50% of pastors are full-time ministers.
3. Peer pressure exists in ministry. The pressure to perform is intense.
4. Watching God work and mature new Christians is joy in action.
5. Ministry is one of the most exhausting and fulfilling experiences on earth.

1. I knew it!!! education, good.
2. Did not know that. I think most pastors out west are full time.
3. Very aware.
4.
5.

[Digging4Truth]

I would wonder where you got the stat that only 50% of pastors are full time.

Also.. is that a national stat... an org stat...

[mfblume]

Originally Posted by Pastor Poster

1. A pastor needs to have a basic understanding of sociology and psychology.
2. Less than 50% of pastors are full-time ministers.
3. Peer pressure exists in ministry. The pressure to perform is intense.
4. Watching God work and mature new Christians is joy in action.
5. Ministry is one of the most exhausting and fulfilling experiences on earth.

I have to disagree with point 1. I think the leading of the Holy Ghost supplies what we need to help folks. I have to admit I am fearful of the idea that we have to learn psychology and sociology in order to work for God. I am not saying it is sinful or anything, LOL. But I really think it is replacing the moving of the Spirit with the thoughts and inventions of men.

The disciples used the gifts of the Spirit as well as insight from the Spirit to work with people. They did not have colleges to attend in order to learn secular psychology, etc. I am not saying these things may not benefit one in ministry, but to say ministers HAVE TO HAVE these basic understandings is wrong in my opinion.

Now, I do not think it is analogous to the fact that we have technology today that the disciples never had, and if we use technology then.... They're two different animals altogether.

I think God's Spirit is meant to supply all we need to understand in these areas of sociology.

[Nahum]

Originally Posted by Digging4Truth

I would wonder where you got the stat that only 50% of pastors are full time.

Also.. is that a national stat... an org stat...

Org. Let me see if I can dig it up. Many pastors, like me, are bi-vocational.

[mfblume]

Let me clarify and say that I am all for education. But when it comes to people's minds, the Spirit of God simply and definitely dealt with that in the early church by way of the insight He offers and Gifts.

As I said, psychology MAY WORK in many cases to an extent. But I think it is settling for far less than what is available to us in the Spirit.

[Nahum]

From Barna:

The average pastoral compensation package represents just less than one-third (31%) of the median annual operating budget for Protestant churches. That proportion has remained relatively constant since the mid-Nineties.

Compensation Varies Among Churches

The Barna survey indicated that certain types of pastors receive larger compensation packages than do others. Education makes a substantial difference in compensation: seminary graduates receive an average of 38% more compensation than do Senior Pastors who did not graduate from a seminary. Currently about three out of every five Senior Pastors (63%) has a seminary degree.

Denominational affiliation also impacts earnings. The most prolific Protestant denominational grouping - Baptist churches, which include more than 20 different Baptist sects and constitute about one-quarter of all Protestant churches - has pastors who earn just slightly more than the national average (about $300 per year more). In comparison, among the least-highly compensated pastors are those serving charismatic and Pentecostal churches; their median package was 16% below the national average. At the high end of the compensation scale are pastors ministering in mainline churches, whose package is worth nearly 14% more than the norm. Pastors of mainline churches - i.e., the Episcopal, American Baptist, Presbyterian (USA), Lutheran, United Methodist and United Church of Christ congregations - average $45,510. The higher average is partially explained by congregations that are larger than the national average and pastors who have been in ministry longer than the pastors of other types of churches