Preacher’s Pen Survey
Across the country, many preachers live in a somewhat isolated world. Their closest friends might be hundreds of miles away preaching at another congregation. It is seldom to find preachers eating lunch together are the nearest restaurant like you see many people eating together from work. Preachers have a tendency to be “lone rangers” of the working world. I wanted to dive into the lives and the work schedules of preachers a little more than usual, so I have added a survey below. Please take a moment and fill out the questions as best as you can.
The survey is designed for preachers; whether part-time or full-time. I wanted to gain some insights into the number of hours preachers place in certain areas. This is helpful for many reasons. It helps each of us to gauge our current work and see what other preachers are doing in their time. The survey is conducted on an anonymous basis. Only the results will be seen, not who answered the questions.
If you will, please take a moment and help me out by taking the survey.
I know some of the information in this survey might have been difficult to “pinpoint” to a number, but hopefully,the results will provide a good look at all who participated.
Thanks,
Chris
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Wasn’t sure how to answer the bit about paid to preach vs paid because I preach.
The congregation I preach for is way over represented by intorverts. Bunch of great folk, but public speaking is not their thing. So, having some small gift in speaking and evangelism, I am supported to supply what is missing. I’m not viewed as an employee, I am a brother the congregation willing supports to fill a needed role.
Scott,
That question is a tough one. I believe there are churches who pay their preacher to preach instead of support him because he does preach. I will share some thoughts on that idea in the next few days.
Thanks for your input.
It has been my experience that what exists in most congregations is a “hirling” system which is foreign to the New Testament. In this system the preacher is treated more like an employee who is “hired to preach” and perform other expected job duties. It also seems (again…in my experience/opinion) that, generally, the NT authority given the evangelist has been stripped away.
It has been my experience that what exists in most congregations is a “hireling” system, which is foreign to the New Testament. In this system the preacher is treated more like an employee who is “hired to preach” and perform other expected job duties. It also seems (again…in my experience/opinion) that, generally, the NT authority given the evangelist has been stripped away.
I, too, wondered about that question on paid to preach … my last ministry (15 years in Long Beach, CA) was definitely a place where I was supported so I could preach. Since I’ve been out of that role for three years, I did not respond to your survey, but will be interested in the results. For the most part, I was a part of the family and not the hireling, but there is always some aspect of that mentality with some people. Unfortunately. So to them I was never family. Just “the preacher.”
When it comes to the role of the preacher – or even a supported elder or teacher or deacon or secretary or the building maintaince folk… Several dynamics come into play.
One is the culture in which we live, in many regions whoever is supported in viewed as an employee. In others, whoever is in the pulpit is viewed as the leader before whom all others are to line-up like ducks in a row. The idea of a brother simply being a supported brother is too far outside the box for most folk to seriously consider w/out it being drawn to their attention. And even then, old habits and thought patterns die hard.
Another, in my – obviously less than universal experience – when folk take the stance that the preacher is an employee (for reasons other than subconscious, cultural assumptions) its due to a bad experience in the past. Burned once, twice shy.
And then ,conversely – again my experience is not universal – some preachers, either jealous of others’ big-shot status or simply being full of themselves often see in the “preacher = pastor” system an elevated position and cultivate that status. And/or in some places folk like/expect/assume that kind of thing.
I don;t think the reasons behind either the preacher as employee, or the preacher as the big shot, are a one-size-fits-all deal. Different issues in different places probably drive what are often sub-consciously derived assumptions and attitudes.
FWIW
Revel,
I believe you make a good point. Manytimes we look at the role of a minsiter different than those of the first centruy, or even the last century.
I believe our choice now, must be to move away from the stereotypes and move to the truth of what a minster is.
Thanks for stopping by!
Greg,
Go ahead and particpate in the survey; I would be interested in your feedback.
The question about “paid to preach” vs “paid because you preach,” should provide some interesting conversation, because there is a great difference.
I have had different feelings at each congregation where I have shared my ministry.
Thanks for stopping by,
Chris
Scott,
Great thoughts. I believe our culture does play a definite role in the “minister description.” I imagine many of us have grown in in various congregation and each had its own view of the ministry.
Hopefully, this survey and the results will provide some information for further discussion.
Thanks for your input,
Chris
Since I did not know how to respond to the results, I come here. For me, some of the options were not very adequate. For instance, I read a tremendous amount of Bible and critical works related to that which I study. This alone could be used in the sermon prep category; if so, that would easily amount to 30 hours a week. Whatever else there may have been that I wished could have had another option is not so important. I did appreciate you sending it out.
Ron Thomas