Pastor, Does Your Staff Have Money Issues?
As a senior pastor, you’re the lead shepherd. Your job is to not only care for your congregation, but also for your staff.
Leadership is about more than writing job descriptions and leading staff meetings. You have to be involved and present in people’s lives.
- What’s happening in the families of your staff members?
- What’s causing them personal stress?
- How are they doing spiritually?
- Are their kids struggling at school?
- Do they have healthy relationships outside of the church?
Just like you, your staff members are dealing with stuff beneath the surface. Do you know what’s really going on?
On that note …
How’s your staff doing when it comes to money?
? IF THEY’RE STRUGGLING WITH THEIR PERSONAL FINANCES, THEY WILL MOST LIKELY STRUGGLE TO DO THEIR JOBS WELL.
? IT’S IMPOSSIBLE TO LEAD OTHERS FROM A PLACE OF EMPTINESS.
? IF THEY’RE OVERLY WORRIED ABOUT PAYING BILLS, AVOIDING COLLECTORS, OR SENDING KIDS THROUGH COLLEGE, IT WILL AFFECT THEIR MINISTRY.
With that being said, let’s get uncomfortable for a second, shall we?
Helping people financially starts with fair compensation.
In too many churches, staff members are underpaid. It’s not your finance team’s job to keep the staff “humble” by failing to provide competitive pay.
While there are some profit-seekers out there who use the church for financial gain, most leaders are in ministry to serve people. Fight to pay them well.
Here’s two other ways you can practically help your staff:
- Provide health insurance benefits. Medical bills can be financially destructive to a family. As an employer, you can provide peace of mind. Build medical insurance into compensation plans for full-time employees.
- Set up an IRA or 401(k). Encourage your employees to make pre-tax contributions. If your church is part of a denomination, check with your area office to see what’s available to you.
You can also investigate a SEP-IRA, which is designed for small businesses. The Department of Labor has a step-by-step guide to set up a SEP-IRA. Encourage employee participation by matching their contributions up to a certain amount.
No matter what, pay attention to your staff and their needs.
Consistently look for ways to help them, not burn them out.
39 Things Every Pastor Needs To Know About Money is a crash-course on money that applies to your family, your church, and your future.
In addition to addressing the personal and professional financial stresses you feel now, it also covers the money matters you need to think about now to plan for the future.
You’ll walk away from this resource with tools in your pocket to make an immediate, practical change in the way you handle and think about finances!
CHECK IT OUT RIGHT HERE!
