Rogue Mega-Church Pastors

I am noting a disturbing trend among a new strain of mega-church pastors. The denominational affiliations differ among them, but there are basic, negative similarities that unite them. I am thankful in some ways for these rogue pastors, for their excesses have quieted down petty disagreements that have often characterized evangelical believers. It reminds me of national politics – the political leanings of a new prime minister in England pale when compared to Taliban leaders in Pakistan who shoot school girls to prevent their education. Of course, in evangelical circles, there is no shooting of school girls. But, frankly, the sins among some of these pastors are not that far short.

Matthew 5 21 “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ 22 But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.

The main characteristics I see among these rogue pastors are 1) heavy handed tactics against dissenting church members/elders and 2) graft.

graft n. Unscrupulous use of one's position to derive profit or advantages; http://www.thefreedictionary.com/graft

The trail of violent language such pastors use to intimidate critics within and without their church are often publicly available, sometimes published even on their own ministry websites.   Continue at Wendy

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Eight Common Money Questions Asked by Pastors

I have informally counseled hundreds of ministers about financial matters. My background lends itself to such interaction. I have a business degree with a double major in finance and economics. I served as a corporate banker before answering the call to vocational ministry.  

In ministry I went to seminary and received two degrees. I served as pastor of four churches, and as dean of a seminary.

My life has consistently been the intersection of business and ministry. Indeed, my current position as president of LifeWay is the perfect example of that intersection.

The purpose of sharing my brief bio is not to brag, but to explain why ministers gravitate toward me on financial matters. Hundreds of ministers have sought my advice. I am humbled and happy to share my knowledge with these servants of God.

Allow me to share in this post some of the more common questions I have been asked. There are probably more than a hundred questions I omitted; these are simply the top eight I have been asked most frequently.

1. How do I broach the subject of getting an increase in my pay? Pastors and other ministers are typically very sensitive about this issue. They fear asking the question lest they appear lacking in faith or money hungry. The pastor must first determine if his pay is indeed well short of standards for his area and position. We discussed this issue in my previous blog post about pastors’ salaries. I then recommend he find a trusted friend in the church, preferably a leader and a businessperson, who can be both his mentor and guide for broaching this subject. Someone other than the pastor himself should speak to this issue.   Continue at Thom Rainer

How Much Money Do Megachurch Pastors Make?

The Story: A new study released by the Leadership Network examines the salaries of 209 of the very largest churches in North America, all with weekend worship attendance of at least 2,000.

The Background: According to the report, the study represents the "largest-scale window that anyone has compiled to date on the continent's largest churches in terms of their financial dynamics." The report includes survey results of 164 churches with attendance between 2,000-4,999 and 44 churches with weekend worship attendances of 5,000 and higher. (Among North America's 325,000 Protestant churches, only 1,600 (0.5%) have attendances of 2,000 or higher.)

The churches included in the report are from 34 states and 3 Canadian provinces. The oldest were founded in the early 1800s, and the youngest ones in 2005. In terms of ethnicity, 83% described themselves as predominantly Anglo/white. The other 17% said they are predominantly African American/black, Hispanic/Latino, Asian, or "no majority group." Selected churches also span a wide variety of traditions, both non-denominational and denominational.

The senior pastors of these churches ranged in age from the low 30s to the low 70s. The median age was 51. The median tenure of the senior pastor is 13 years at their current church. Each congregation's annual giving ranged from almost $2 million to over $30 million.

The Takeaways: Some of the more interesting findings from the study include:   Continue at Joe Carter