Southern Baptist Pastor or Leader who makes 500K per year

Making 500,000 in salary is not likely but there are pastors that make that in terms of income. Rick Warren I am sure is a millionaire many times over. Charles Stanley is supposedly a millionaire from having gotten in on the ground level with Amway. I am sure there are many pastors out there who have benefited from real estate deals and the like from their friends in business letting them in on good deals. But to say there are those making 500k is an overstatement. I can tell you for sure there are those making in the 200s.

 

I could see guys like Swindoll or Charles Stanley easily making that kind of money just from books and tape ministries. I doubt very many if any churches pay 500k in salary. I think I remember Falwell saying a number of years back his salary was 200k per year.

 

I would be surprised to find anyone making $500K from his ministry position alone. To me, that's unjustifiable, unless one is following a corporate mentality for the ministry.

However, it is not rare to find SBC ministers making close to or over $100K. Most of us, of course, never see that kind of money.

BTW, when looking at salaries, and the SBC compensation summary should show that, basic compensation (salary and housing) should be considered as income apart from retirement, insurance, and ministry reimbursement.

Blessings,
Bill

 

How many daughter churches could a church start with 500K a year?

 

Or even 200K?

AMEN AMEN AMEN AMEN AMENA AMEN !

And how many missionaries could be supported?

"Things that make you go...hmmm?"

These days 40-50K annually should be quite comfortable for a pastor/leader. Anything over that should go right back into the work of God.

In HIS service;
Jim

 

Yes, and those SBC agencies sure don't like it being pointed out. There is a lot of waste going around paying some SBC agency leaders $250,000 salaries that would be much more usefull elsewhere.

 

I make 66k per year (no I'm not a pastor), my wife makes 42k. I am a computer specialist with a four year degree, my wife has a masters. Combined we were in school for less time than my pastor...40-50k is great in some places but not here. And here's why:
The average household income in my area is 250,000. The average in our church is around that, maybe higher, we have around 6000 members and 5000 in worship every Sunday. My church's yearly budget is $14.4 million. Our senior pastor makes about $150k total package, and personally I think he is underpaid. In order to be effective in a community the pastor needs to be able to live in the community, thus he must be paid accordingly. Pastor salaries are largely dependant on the salaries represented in the church in question.

 

Yabba, I agree.

 

I agree. I think there is something wrong when a community makes on average $200K and their pastor only makes $60K (although some pastors voluntarily take less money and that is fine). There is also something wrong when a community makes on average $30K and the pastor makes $60K.

Regarding what could be done with the money instead of paying a high pastor's salary, I wouldn't be surprised if many wealthy pastors did use the money God has blessed them with to support missionaries and plant churches.

 

Not sure that anyone is really talking apples to apples here.

For one, the average salary is probably pulled down by a fairly significant number of pastors who take no salary at all.

On the other hand, $40K-$50K can be a pretty significant income if the church covers housing, utilities, medical insurance, college funds, retirement, and vehicle costs.

 

That's probably right... Where I'm from, the average yearly salery is more like $30,000 for secular work... Many pastors in this area work full time jobs on the side, and also pastor their church full time. There are however, in the larger churches, pastors in this area who make up to 100K per year, although I have not heard of any making much more than that around here.

I agree that pastors should be taken care of, after all it is the most important job on earth. But... I feel strongly that there is too much wasted money out there, that could be put to work in the ministry. When I turn on the tv and see a little 6 year old girl (here in the United States) whose mom makes her go "dumpster diving" so that she doesn't starve to death... Then I feel something is greatly wrong in the church today. I'm not saying that feeding the poor is the primary focus of the church, but I think that it, and many other areas of ministry are totally neglected. Just my humble opinion...

window_wax

 

Those churches where the pastor is paid a very significant salary will not tell the people what the pastor makes. It is "hidden" in the budget and expenses.

Some years ago several of us in classes were told by some creidble sources that the pastors of First and Second Baptist Churches Houston made over 500K per year.

We do know that O.S. Hawkins left FBC, Dallas to run the annuity board and received a pay raise.

Anyone know how much Paige Patterson makes at SWBTS?