Negotiations, yuck!

“Contract...negotiations” - they almost sound like “dirty words” to those of us in ministry. As a result ministers most often end up with pretty raw deals, with little retirement or much to fall back on should they be fired, released or worn out and have to quit.
“Sacrifice...dedication” - those are the words that most ministers more readily identify with. So ministers end up “running” huge volunteer organizations with little support and virtually no external authority. And that with almost universal responsibility for the organizations growth, health and financial burden. If you question that tell me the last time an eldership was fired for the church not being motivated, not growing or not reaching it’s budget.
John Piper didn’t help my mind any with the title of his hit book a few years back - “Brothers, We are Not Professionals”. And while I see the concept we can become such “professionals” that we are white collar, untouchable, never get your hands dirty with ministry hirelings: More concerned about making sure we keep our salary and position than about reaching the lost, preaching the challenging truth, serving and helping the needy. But that represents exactly 0% of the preaching brothers I know!
On the other hand “a laborer is worthy of his hire” and many of God’s most dedicated servants in the text were not poverty stricken. I know minster friends of mine who through the years have sacrificed to the point of having nothing at the age when they could no longer work. I know young ministers who live below the poverty line, who work full time and faithfully yet qualify for food-stamps (yet if they were to get them the church would be embarrassed and probably demand they not get them). I’ve known guys who have gotten them so their family could be fed - the church didn’t pay them enough to feed their families but refused to allow them to supplement their salary with a second job - so they would get food stamps but go to the next county to buy groceries so they wouldn’t be shame the church. In my first full time work the prevailing opinion was that I should make less than the lowest paid adult man, so that I could relate to everyone. They didn’t appreciate it when I argued that that way I could only relate to one person - that guy who made virtually what I did. They didn’t take my happily my “tongue in cheek” suggestion that they pay me a little more than the highest paid man and I could relate all the way up :)!
Brother Clark used to say “our brethren will do better when the know better” and I mostly believe that. Not that I’m the guy to do this, but someone needs to and maybe if I fire the first volley somebody will take up where I fail and improve on it. Please do. So here are some thoughts on ministers and compensation:

First to preachers:
1. Don’t complain about what you make if you agreed to the compensation you receive. If you don’t want what they offer try to negotiate, if they won’t it probably says something about what your working relationship with them is going to be. Note that.
2. If you cannot live on what is offered - go to the leaders, show them what you make and ask them to help you figure it out. They are probably wiser than you are about money and will have some thoughts that may help you.
3. One more to preachers: It is not a sin to move for money. I never see anywhere in the scriptures where that is a sin - but I do see that a man who will not support his family is worse than an infidel.
4. Be prepared to be compared to everyone’s favorite former preacher.

Now a couple for the leaders:
1. Try to think about the preachers family as your own children if possible. Would you want your son or son-in-law to make “that” amount? If you’d consider it an insult - it probably is. Would you want your grandchild to have that little to live on? Now, I know you started making less than that - but - get real, that was 40 years ago.
2. If you WANT to pay your minister more but don’t see how it can be done, or if you are hiring a guy and the amount he needs is a little away from what you can pay, go before the church and say - “We are $1000 or $5000 apart from getting the man the leaders believe we need. We need 20 of you to raise what you give $1 a week or we need 20 of you to raise what you give $5 a week.”
3. Give the guy a raise! The first person I heard say this was Jerrie Barber. If you do not give a cost of living raise then you are saying he is worth less to you than the year before. If you do that to me 3 years straight I’m going to get the message that you must not be pleased with my work.
4. This has nothing to do with negotiating, but I need to say it: When you are hiring keep guys posted as to what you are doing. I know of churches who have let a guy hang on for nearly six months never communicating anything after an interview. It shouldn’t kill him for you to say - “we’re still looking but you are not under consideration.” And it certainly would help him to hear about once every three weeks, “we are still looking and you are still in our mix.” And, I’m sure one of your elders has email AND I know they have a phone. Show some common courtesy.
5. Try to avoid comparisons. Celebrate what you have - there’s probably a reason you couldn’t get Gus Nichols to come there.

Now a few general tips:
1. While working on a contract TALK. Work together. Be Christian but discuss it more than 30 seconds. Find out why they think you should make that amount. Find out why he can’t come for that amount.
2. Build in incentives to stay: Don’t hire a guy who you don’t think you want to have around 5 to 10 years. Most every study I’ve heard says our most fruitful years with a church come after 7 years. Here’s some ideas:
a. Give him a signing bonus: You’ve probably been without a preacher for a month or two. Take some of that money and let the guy pay down some debt or put some more in his retirement.
b. Give him incentives to stay: After 5 years we will give you a $5000.00 bonus. After 10 years we will give you a $10000.00 bonus. That will make a good preacher think twice before moving. After 15 years we will pay 25% of your existing mortgage off. Do something that makes him think before him moves easily. It is worth it to you as well as to him.
c. Give him some time off: Find out when your lowest attendance days are and offer him one or two of those days away.
d. After a set period of time give him some sort of sabbatical. I contend that nothing is as emotionally taxing as ministry. You are on 24/7 and have to be available. You are expected to always be at your best. A counselor has to hear everybody’s problems but she leaves them at the office - it’s a job. In ministry it is a soul and he can’t set it aside if there is a problem. He carries the burden that there is ALWAYS someone shooting at him - always. He carries the burden that he is always one word, one sentence, one sermon away from being fired. I have known guys so burnt out they can’t “preform” and the church wonders where his fire has gone. I have known guys who moved when a 2 month paid sabbatical would have rejuvenated him his spirit but he would not ask for the time away.

Finally, obey Romans 13:7. Honor his good work. Way too many churches are afraid to give honor: afraid they will offend the person who doesn’t like the minister (they won’t), afraid he will get the “big head” (he won’t). Let him know openly you are glad he is your minister. In a good relationship he will feel honored to be your preacher and you should feel honored that he is yours. You should both feel blessed above the other that you have each other. I don’t know how many guys I’ve heard say: “I just wish they’d say, ‘we’re glad you’re our preacher.’” The truth is I’ve said it myself - often. We don’t do it for that reason but it sure would be nice to hear it. It is nice to be loved and appreciated. We are human and we wonder if we will still have a role in this place we call Family next month or year. We wonder why there is no notice of our successes but high notice of our faults. We wonder if the church would hire us again given the chance? We do not do this for praise of men - if we did we would have quit a long time ago - but it is nice for our efforts to be appreciated. And, preacher, if you are blessed (as I am) to work with a church that loves you, let them know you appreciate and love them back.

P.S. Andy is “for” it.