how Long?

Three years, and I was finishing up seminary when I took the pastorate.

 

I have been at my current church for 4.5 years.

 

8 here, (well, not me lol, but dh)

 

I have been at my current position for 15 months.
I served 6 1/2 years at my last position.
Before I went into the pastorate, I served as Assistant Pastor for 7 years.

 

Right at 5 years.

 

Right at 4.5 years...

I understand I REALLY get to be the pastor when I reach 7 years...

 

I was at my last church for seven years.

 

Just curious

Just curious, has anyone ever been called and accepted going to a church for a smaller salary?

 

Yes, but I didn't know it at the time. Let's just sy that everything I was told wasn't necessarily true.

 

Started ministry in 1987. Got to my current spot in July of 2000.

Yep...once. But it was a God-directed move, and within a year, I was making more than at my previous place. (Not saying that God's will and more money are always tied together...but in this case, it was as if the raises were yet another confirmation).

 

[Yep...once. But it was a God-directed move, and within a year, I was making more than at my previous place.

The same thing happened for me at my last pastorate

 

I am making now what I started out making in my last ministry 7 1/2 years ago. I knew going in that I would take a cut in pay. I also knew that being in the center of God's will was far more important than any monetary figure.

When I went into the ministry full-time, I gave up a job working for the state of Illinois with great pay and excellent benefits. I began making the equivalent of $4.00 / hour when I accepted my first ministry position.

 

I've been in my current church for exactly four years. My last position was a mission pastorate, where I was used to plant a new church in some apartments. I stayed in the mission church for three years.

 

let's see oct 2004 till now... 3.5 years in my first (and hopefully only)pastorate.

 

It will be 3 years in July.

 

Three years.