Church Value Pt. 3: What's a Servant or Worker Worth?

At a time where many church boards and staffs are holding or have held their year end meetings, I thought it'd be interesting to take a look at what the value of a church is in the local and global community.  For the sake of the next few pieces, when I say church, I'm not referring to the Church as described in 1 Corinthians 12:27,  Colossians 1:18, and other places.  I'm referring to the business of church, which would include the sale of what's known as Christianity.  To guide this, I've identified four areas where we can look at various regulation and data to get solid opinions about the church; the value of a pastor, the value of the music department, and the value of the worker, and the value of the congregant or consumer.  Let's take a look at the worker or the servant.

I can't remember having a job where I worked on Sundays, and once I understood the truth about the Sabbath I haven't worked on Saturdays either.  Since a teenager with a work permit, the first job I got I made strong assertions that I wasn't to be scheduled on Sunday so I could be free to attend church services.  For me as a kid it wasn't so much about just attendance, but usually I was scheduled to serve.  At the least, I had to be available to serve...and that has stuck with me over the years.  In fact, I don't know how to go to church by just going and "getting the word."  Because of this, I can't understand when an aspiring preacher says things like "going into ministry full-time."  From what I understand, being a Believer, showing the love of Jesus, has always been a 24/7 gig.

There's millions of people like me.  Grew up in the church, working in the church.  And if we were to talk labor costs (which we are for these pieces), there are four Richmond-area churches that have gotten millions of my work.  Using some generous math (in their favor) I would've been paid over $100K working 10 hours a week for 27 years.  Aside from being a kid taking church trips and things like that, neither church has paid me a dime.  Is that fair?  Should a church servant get paid?

I think the best answer for this would be to look at how the first Christian body (or church) did it.  Acts 4:32-37 details how the first members funded the church mostly with selling their possessions.  But not only was there a building fund, there was a thriving "reward" system where the all of the sales proceeds were brought to the apostles for even distribution among any and everyone.  The idea was that all who were dedicated to the cause of spreading the gospel shouldn't have to be concerned with financial needs.  This model comes from Jesus' own outline of compensation; as in Luke 10:7 he tells his evangelizing followers to stay at one location, ministering to the house, and "eating and drinking" what was offered...further closing this thought that "a worker is worth his wages."  Practically speaking, there's not an entertainer on the planet whose team...no matter if they're the sound man or the lowest person on the entourage....that doesn't get some form of pay.  In fact, the only industry where the opposite dominates is the church.  The non-profit status that nearly all churches fall under is a legal smokescreen to this reality, but the scriptural and practical truth is the people should get paid.

But how much?  Part-time, minimum wage?  That's fair...I guess.  I mean, the average person works...what 2-6 hours a week at church?  And no matter how many leaders like to preach that the "real" ministry is done in places like the parking lot, the lobby, and the hallways; no one's coming to see the portly greeter.  The worker might help sell the tickets, but his name isn't on them.  So to the church organization, it's only fair.  To the worker though, if the the church decides to move on this fairness, then the question is what particular worker is worth a hire?

Here's an easy way to identify: any person looking primarily (or close to it) to receive compensation for serving in a church organization in any way should not only not get paid, but they should be considered for temporary removal from their position.  Why?  Because that person is an employee who's only concerned earning the lowest level of compensation...which is a pay check.  Any job in the church, from women's ministry leader to senior pastor, requires that the employee invest their career in people.  They aren't tracking their performance so it can be reported on a duties sheet, but so it can be cemented in eternity with the Lord God.  These people are working for what Jesus describes as "treasures in heaven" that don't "rust", not the ones that the IRS monitors.  In my mind, that "they need to pay me" for my time person is actually not worth any ministries' time.  Their intentions not only are very low for value, they can in many ways hurt the kingdom's bottom line...which is names staying in the Book of Life.

What ministry pays as good as heaven anyway?

Peace