As Director of Searches for Ministry Architects, I found this report helpful in providing a glimpse into the larger picture of church staffing today. As a former youth minister and current search consultant who helps candidates find their careers, this was a frustrating read, too. Bottom line… there’s good and bad news.

First, the good news for people in youth ministry!

The average salary of a youth pastor has increased by 12.5% over the past six years. Most employees would be thrilled if their personal salary increased at a similar pace. This 12.5% means that, on average, full-time youth pastors are making $51,234 annually. While that’s progress, here’s the frustrating reality: $51,234 is still just the average. There are still just as many salaries being reported under $51,234 as there are over. 

When I stepped out of full-time youth ministry in 2008 my salary was $49,000. (This was similar to the average annual salary of a public school teacher in my area.) With this news from the 2023 report, if I decided to get back into full-time youth ministry today, imagine my shock to learn I wouldn’t be making much more than I was 15 years ago.

Now consider if I had stayed in my 2008 position (as most churches hope many full-time ministry leaders will) and my church leadership promised to always keep my salary equal to or above the national YM average. Moving from $49,000 to $51,000 over 15 years means my salary would have increased by about $150 each year. That breaks down to about $10 per month. Yikes.

But that’s not the only frustrating news from this year’s report. There continues to be a gender pay gap when it comes to compensation in the church. According to the data, a full-time, female youth pastor with a Master’s degree makes less than a full-time, male youth pastor with a Bachelor’s degree. 

Read that again and let it sink in.

This continuation of the gender pay gap means that males with Bachelor’s degrees make more than similarly experienced females with Master’s degrees. Confirmation of this continued disparity means the church is no different than the world when it comes to this issue, and it’s incredibly discouraging. Pew Research recently reported the overall gender gap that exists in most professions today hasn’t seen much change in over two decades. In 2023, we need to ask: how can the Church be a part of the change?

I think it starts with some conversations.

Pastors, ask your female youth ministry director what you can do to help close the gender pay gap. Then ask yourself the following:

• What does it look like to raise awareness in my community networks, denominational affiliations, or church leadership? How can I be a voice advocating for capable leaders to receive equal compensation, regardless of gender? How can I help eliminate the gender pay gap?
• When was the last time our church analyzed staff compensation? Do we have differences in pay with direct correlation to gender bias? What needs attention and what can we celebrate? 
• Where there is disparity, what does a game plan look like to raise all female church workers’ salaries to the equivalent of what their male peers make?

I realize that there’s no magic button for this challenge but we can start making change by evaluating what we’re doing in our own congregations, having fruitful conversations, and mapping out strategic steps to close the gender pay gap.

In addition to the tortoise-like pace at which youth ministry compensation is increasing, and the discouraging confirmation of the continued gender gap, this data also shed light on a reality we face all the time as search consultants: the church is not supporting those called to youth ministry by adequately paying them enough from their start. 

You wonder why youth pastors move around so much? Moving to a new job is the primary way for them to get a raise.

Read that again and let it sink in.

Moving to a new job is the primary way for them to get a raise. It’s either move or get a side gig to earn more money (which takes away their energy and drive for their full-time job.)

We’re killing our youth pastors if we expect them to work 40-50 hours a week (and that’s not 9-5, as we all know) and then they have to go get another job for 10-15 hours just to support themselves or their families. Local church leadership perpetuates short tenures when we don’t pay our youth pastors (or other full-time staff) well. We burn people out and then wonder why they leave ministry – or the church altogether. 

The truth is many leaders who are youth pastors can find less stressful work at less hours and for more pay, right now. If we don’t want this to happen, or, better yet, if we want to be good stewards of our human resources in the church, something has to change.

Something has to change.

Another way we’re not supporting youth pastors in their call to serve is by not giving them annual cost of living raises. Many churches don’t give any cost of living raise but some do (thank you!). It tends to be the typical 3% raise but, in this day and age with inflation and the ever increasing costs of living, is 3% enough? 

So in essence, if you don’t give any cost of living raise annually, you’re underpaying your youth pastor and run the risk of him/her leaving to go to another church. If you do give the 3% annual raise, that’s a step in the right direction. But you’re probably still underpaying them.

If you’re a church who is doing the work of closing pay gaps, compensating your employees with livable wages, and regularly evaluating these pieces of your stewardship, thank you. 

To those who don’t know where to start, have never really thought about this, or are curious what more you could be doing, here are some ideas: 

1. Ask your youth pastor- are we paying you enough for you and your family to survive?

Here’s my own story: At my first church job, I was making $17,000 / year. This was in 1993. I could not live on that even as a single person so I ate up all my savings. Then, I found myself in trouble. I finally went to my rector and asked for help. And the church did! My salary increased by several thousands of dollars. But a year later, I took another call partly because of ambition, but mainly because I could get another raise. Having worked with thousands of ministry leaders over the last 15 years, I can tell you this – my story is not unique.
 

2. If you’re not able to give your youth ministry staff a raise, consider other ways to compensate them. We encourage churches to get creative in this area. Here are a few:

• Provide an additional 1-2 weeks of paid vacation. God knows, they need it. 
• Give a one-time cash bonus
• Offer to pay their car note for one month (or rent/mortgage, or utility bill)
• Offer to pay for their cell phone, if you don’t already
• Have your church do a gift card collection and ask people to donate gift cards to restaurants, stores, groceries, etc. to shower the youth pastor 

It’s so frustrating to read about church staff not being compensated fairly or well enough that they can make a living and support their families. When Ministry Architects works with a church who’s hiring, compensation is one of the first conversations we have to help ensure sustainability. Sustainability of the role within the budget of a church is key to sustainability of the person who will inhabit that role. And the compensation report for youth ministry is a good resource to share with your church leadership to start these conversations. 

As the church, we get to be different. Our founder, Mark DeVries, has a mantra that has become part of our culture at Ministry Architects. Mark asks, “What can Ministry Architects be doing to bless you AND your family?” I challenge church leadership to adopt this mantra. 

You know the saying, how do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. Grab a spoon and let’s get started.

Note: There is so much more data in the Youth Cartel’s report to chew on. I offer my gratitude for the work they do every year to produce it.

The post Youth Ministry, the Gender Pay Gap, & the Problem of Underpaid Staff appeared first on Ministry Architects.

Rest in peace, CE dollars. Rest in peace.

But it’s a new year! And, whether or not your church has budgeted money for your continued leadership development, there is still time to ask your boss or board for help becoming an even better leader in 2023. I know because I’ve done it. And you can, too!

To help you think through how to make the asks you need to make, I’ve invited my friend and former boss to lend his voice to the conversation, in order to get a supervisor’s perspective on what I’m suggesting. Anthony Prince currently serves as the Executive Pastor at a growing church in the foothills of Los Angeles, CA. I’m Brandi Kirkland and I’ve previously answered to the titles of children’s pastor, kids lead influencer, and various other global roles at multiple single and multi-site churches. Now, I’m a staff consultant with Ministry Architects helping churches make their ministries more sustainable, the marketing more effective, and their searches run smoother.

When Anthony and I worked together, I was one of over a dozen direct reports he had on our family ministry team at a large multi-site church in North Carolina. Anthony talks a lot about trust when it comes to the relationship we have with our bosses and that’s especially true in conversations about money and resources.

ANTHONY: Do you trust your boss? Or, more importantly, do you believe that your boss wants you to succeed in your ministry role? As a supervisor, I want the teams that I work with to have the resources they need to accomplish the work that God is calling them to. When Brandi and I worked together, there were days when working together was difficult, but I always wanted her to succeed. If you find yourself in a ministry calling where it’s hard to believe that your supervisor wants what’s best for you, then we’d invite you to use THIS HANDY TOOL to help determine if you should stay or leave the role you’re currently in. With that said, we’re going to assume that this statement is true: “Your leaders want you to succeed.” If it helps, write this statement on a post-it and put it in a spot where you can see it as you: “The leadership at my church wants me to succeed”.

That said, here are some basic principles for making an ask. Some Anthony taught me and others I learned the hard way. Let’s go…

1. Always tie budgetary requests to your leadership’s goals.

Trust me. Your direct supervisor has goals for the future, goals for the church, and goals for your ministry. Hopefully, they’ve shared some of that vision with you, but even if they haven’t, you should be able to glean some ideas by looking at where they’ve put money in the past. (And if it’s the squeaky wheel… it might be time to get a little squeaky, friend!) But seriously, if you can tie your goal to the goal of your leadership, you’re halfway there already.

ANTHONY: Your goals aren’t the ones that keep your boss up at night, theirs are. Learning how to integrate what your hopes are with what your leader is hoping to achieve is a great place to start a conversation. If you’re not sure what your supervisor’s goals are, one way to find out is by asking them to help you do some goal-setting for the next three to six months. While they’re helping you, feel free to ask to clarify some of their goals so that you can see where there might be some integration and synergy. Just make sure it doesn’t come across like you’re accusing them of not having goals or vision when you ask – it’ll be harder to have a conversation about resources if your boss feels like they need to defend their leadership ability.

2. Don’t spring the conversation on your boss.

Imagine walking into your supervisor’s office and saying, “I want to take a $2,000 class. Will the church pay for it?” Most likely, they’ll spit their coffee across their desk and then YOU’D owe THEM for the replacement Bible, the Macbook Pro, the Batman bobblehead, AND the coffee. Depending on the size of the ask, it’s probably a good idea to send an email to schedule an actual chat. I’ll let Anthony jump in here, but I’m betting he’s going to say PLEASE let them know that the reason for meeting is to discuss continuing ed rather than not giving a reason and adding to an already existing stress ulcer.

ANTHONY: Let me take a moment to double down on what Brandi is suggesting. When I receive a message from a staff member or congregant that asks “Can we talk?”, I start playing through the scenarios that I could be walking into. And, depending on the day, I might walk into our conversation with more anxiety than is helpful for the situation. Knowing that my team is wondering about goal-setting or pursuing a resource they’re curious about helps me frame my posture going into the meeting. You don’t have to say everything about the meeting before the meeting, but a general framing is always helpful.

3. Always put the dollar amount at the end. 

This seems so basic, but it still needs to be said. DON’T LEAD WITH THE PRICE TAG. Sticker shock is a real thing, especially when it comes to managing nonprofit budgets. Come prepared with a great brochure and all the reasons this opportunity is going to help build your ministry. Tie it back to the goals of the leadership, like I said before. And then, AND ONLY THEN, talk prices. If you have a couple of different price points, even better. Do your research ahead of time so you can answer questions in the meeting you asked for. If lodging, transportation, food, or books will be needed, know these details (and prices), too.

ANTHONY: Your church’s budgeting process is something you should be familiar with before going into conversations like this. If what you’re asking for exceeds what is allotted for personal development or continuing ed, that should frame the way you go about asking for the additional resources. Though you shouldn’t lead with the price tag, I always appreciate when I can tell that my team members aren’t making their ask in a vacuum because they’ve considered how their request fits into the rest of what we’re trying to accomplish as a church. Additionally, Brandi suggests bringing a brochure to the meeting, but this is another area where you need to know how to speak to your boss. Brandi knows I love a good powerpoint presentation, so she always knew the best way to pitch an idea to me was with visual aids. If it involved a whiteboard, I almost always said yes.
(Brandi: That’s true!)

4. Never, ever, EVER rely on the adage, “It’s better to ask forgiveness than permission” …even for continuing ed

Both as a former employee and boss, this one makes me nauseous. It’s not better. This frame of mind breaks the trust that your boss has in you, it brings up questions about your leadership, and it can disrupt your overall integrity. It doesn’t just have the potential to hurt other ministries and what they are able to accomplish this year, it hurts you for the months and years to come. No conference, cohort, or membership is worth losing credibility as a leader and starting (or exacerbating) a distrust that could lead to the people you minister to having to miss you in the future.

ANTHONY: I’m both thankful and frustrated that we have to say things like this to Jesus-followers, let alone church leaders. Nothing erodes trust faster than this sort of mindset.  Not only that, but spending church resources without permission can lead to your removal from a ministry position… and that’s a hard thing to explain if you try to pursue a future position at another church.

So, these are the basics. And they apply to most of the asks we as ministry leaders are going to address throughout our working life, though with varying degrees of gravity. For example, a book is a much smaller investment than coaching. Thus, depending on your relationship with your leadership, it’s probably a much smaller conversation. But the same principles generally apply. 

There are a plethora of options when it comes to reaching your leadership goals and expanding your ministry tool belt. And, in part two of this resource, Anthony and I will walk you through some of our favorite options AND how to ask for them. 

For now, Here’s the key takeaway: You are worth investing in. Whether or not you trust that your leadership team wants what’s best for you (and we hope they do!), you are worthy of growth and development. Just like the people in your congregation or parish, God has a plan for you, for your life and your ministry, and for the people you will reach. And if you want to talk more about any of this, we hope you will let us know.

The post How to Ask Your Pastor for Continuing Ed Money (Pt. 1) appeared first on Ministry Architects.

But where there are nuances to be mindful of, we didn’t want to leave you without help. Listed here are some great ways to spend the continuing ed (CE) budget you either have, or wish you had, and how to ask your leadership to invest.

1. Buy a Book

This is the easiest of the asks, so it’s a great place to begin. In fact, if you’re someone who has paid out of pocket for books you need to improve your ministries – just so you didn’t have to bother your bosses – you’re not alone. (Guilty!) And it’s why we wanted to start here as you begin learning how to ask for support. 

So, what are some approaches you can use to ask for a book?

• If you have an existing continuing ed budget or a rule that allows you to spend up to a certain amount without approval, try this:
  *Knock, Knock*
  “Hey [Boss], I was just wondering if this [budget/rule] included leadership development books for clergy and staff?”
  • Nuances:
    1. A special meeting probably isn’t needed for purchasing a book if there is already an existing budget.
    2. If your supervisor has further questions, let them know where you heard about the book (podcast, facebook group, review, Google search, friend, etc.) and tie it back to your goals and, especially, your leader’s goals.
    3. If they say “No,” this is a good time to ask for clarification on what that continuing ed money can be used for or what continuing ed or professional development items might be inline with the budget this year.
• If you have no continuing ed budget and are bringing it up in your regular 1-on-1 meeting, try this:
  “I’ve been thinking about [your boss’s goal] and [your own personal goal for the ministry], and I heard about/found this book on [specific podcast, Google search, Facebook group]. I’d love to read it and see if we can pick up some new approaches. Would that be something the church could pay for? It’s $12.95 on Kindle.”
  • Nuances:
    1. If they have more questions, give them any more details you have about the book that tie into the church’s goals or issues you may be facing currently and how you hope this book might help. 

ANTHONY: Most leaders love the idea of learning, but don’t have time to read all of the things we should be reading. One of my favorite things a staff person has done is read a book in their field and then give me a bookmarked copy with the 3-5 things they wanted me to check out from what they read. Because what they did helped me grow, it made it that much easier to give them permission to pursue future resources. I knew they’d bring something back to me that would help me better understand their ministry area and help me grow in my own leadership skills. Just be mindful that a book titled, “I’m thinking about quitting my job” or “How to lead when your boss is a bad leader” might create some relational tension between you and your supervisor – so tread lightly.

2. Go to a Conference

Conferences are great! They’re exciting, they’re educational, and they pump you up for another ministry year. Coming out of 2022 (And 2021. And 2020.), they could be just what the doctor ordered for a discouraged spirit. But you probably can’t tell your boss that you need them to pay for the conference ticket (Ouch!), transportation, and accommodations because “it’ll be fun!”

So, what do you say?

• [Disclaimer: This one needs a meeting!]
  “I’d love to talk about conferences. I know we’d like to [insert ministry goal here], and I’d really like to hear some new tips on how we might achieve some new milestones. I found this conference in [location hopefully nearish to you] that could be great.”
  • Nuances:
    1. Answer questions here, enthuse about speakers who will be in attendance, and offer to send your supervisor the link when you get back to your office. 
    2. Share any anecdotes you’ve learned at previous conferences that have helped your ministries in the past (if you have them.) 
    3. Talk pricing when asked. (Recall from part one: always put the dollar amount at the end.) Include anything that will make it easier on the church’s budget. Are you carpooling with someone at another local church? Are you able to stay with a friend who lives near the venue? These things aren’t mandatory by any means, but if you’ve got a trick up your sleeve, now’s the time to play it. 
    4. Consider having a smaller ask in your back pocket. If the answer is “no” or “not this year”, is there a smaller, local branch of that conference coming nearer to home for less that you can start with? Do they have an online webinar? It can’t hurt to be ready for a “no” with a smaller request.

ANTHONY: Some leaders love conferences while others wonder about how the investment in attending one can actually translate into practice. Before you make this ask, know which camp your boss lands in. Brandi didn’t name this, but she is the kind of person who takes things she has learned and tries to pass them on to others – which makes a conference a great investment for a church. Imagine what it would look like if you followed up attending a conference by hosting a training event for your volunteers where you shared the best things you learned with them to equip them for the year ahead. As a supervisor, I’m always looking for the biggest bang for my buck. If my staff team used conferences as a training ground to then bring those things home to our church, I’m much more likely to say “yes” to that investment. 

3. Join a Cohort

Cohorts are life-giving, like conferences, but they last longer and generally offer a little more accountability. They’re a great way to grow your skills, pursue your ministry goals, and find a community of people who do what you do all across the country. They also vary widely in price and can include resources like books and even coaching.

They are a great investment, but how do you start that conversation?

• “I’ve been looking at the challenge we’ve been facing with [recruiting volunteers] (you can insert your own challenge here, but let’s be real, it’s probably recruiting volunteers), and I found a cohort that teaches some new strategies for [recruitment]. It has a lot of great reviews and I’d love to chat with you about it.”
  • Nuances:
    1. Again, you’re going to want to answer questions here. Share anything you know about the cohort and cohort leaders, especially as it pertains to the church’s goals. 
    2. This is also a good opportunity to share how you might be able to share what you learn with the rest of the team who won’t be in the cohort. Sharing new tips and tricks can make the investment feel more reasonable, and can even take some of the load off of your supervisor, who has to come up with something inspiring for your staff meeting every week. 
    3. Offer to send your supervisor a link to the website with all the information.
    4. Again, talk about the price when asked. Don’t avoid or rush into it. It’s also good to know if there are any alternatives. For example, some cohorts are offered with or without coaching options, and there may be different organizations at differing price points. Do your research, pitch the one you’re hoping for, but be prepared to pivot!

Interested in joining a cohort?
Check out these options from Ministry Architects!

ANTHONY: As a supervisor, I can sometimes get overprotective when it comes to who’s coaching the staff I provide support for because the last thing I want is to have staff getting mixed messages from different voices. Connecting your request to be in a cohort to the church’s goals would help me feel like we’d be moving in the same direction. Additionally, I appreciate when my direct reports let me know that they’ll run new ideas and initiatives by me before they decide to roll them out. Your leader might be more hands off and, if that’s the case, you probably need a cohort more than most people! Having a group of people in your life who are voices of encouragement can be a ministry-saver. Just make sure that you pitch this as a resource that will work in tandem with your boss and not something they’ll have to work against in the future.

4. Find a Ministry Coach

Ministry coaching is one of those things that feels more like a far off dream than it really is. I remember in my first ministry, my senior pastor told me to “go find a coach.” No leads. No “let me introduce you.” DEFINITELY no budget. Just go find one. It was like searching for the white stag. Or Big Foot. (To be clear, I never found any of them.) If you are feeling like you need the support of an experienced coach who can help you face the everyday challenges of ministry AND equip you to achieve those pesky goals we keep referring to, it’s not impossible.

Coaches are out there and they are worth the investment. So how do you ask?

• “I’m excited about the goals we’ve been setting for the upcoming year, and I’m excited to get started. We’ve got a lot going for us, but I think we could go further, faster if I had a ministry coach. I’ve been looking into ministry coaching, and it seems like it could be a solid investment for the ministry.”
  • Nuances:
    1. For this one, I feel like it’s really important to know what organization you’re looking into and why. The good news is that many organizations and individuals offer multiple levels of coaching packages with more or less months, and varying levels of engagement throughout the coaching relationship. This means that the price can be very attainable, but it also means you need to narrow this down for your employer. What’s the ask specifically?
    2. You also want to have something you’d like to learn in mind. Some coaching can be more like counseling sessions where a pastor or staffer goes to complain once a month, but the sessions don’t accomplish much. If your boss has experienced this kind of ministry coaching, they may be less inclined to fund the expedition. However, if you can name some things you’d like to achieve through coaching – becoming more organized, creating new and sustainable systems for student retention, developing strategies for volunteer recruitment– they will probably be much more willing to hear you out.
    3. When it comes to pricing, you’re going to want to know ahead of time the cost of 6 months, 12 months, or whatever you’re looking at and why you think that amount of time will help you AND THE MINISTRY succeed. It also might be good to have a cohort with coaching options on hand to discuss, in case your supervisor leans toward a little more bulk for their buck. 

ANTHONY: Asking for a ministry coach can feel like a gutsy ask for some because it feels like a vulnerable ask. Not every boss creates a space that’s safe enough to ask for this sort of help. Saying you need the help of a coach might come across as you saying that you’re not up for the job you’ve been hired to do. However, there are ways for a supervisor to hear this request without coming to that conclusion! The best athletes in the world have multiple coaches, so the idea that only people who aren’t good at what they do are the ones who need coaches is a myth that’s easy to bust. As Brandi said, knowing if your boss has been given coaching in the past lets you know what sort of bias you’re working either with or against. Beyond that, having a clear start and end point lets a boss know that this tool you want to spend church resources on is a temporary investment with lasting results! Depending on your need and/or your church culture, you may be in need of a Spiritual Director instead of a Ministry Coach. Knowing your need will help clarify your ask and can set you up for getting a “yes” to the thing you need most.

Unsure of whether coaching or spiritual direction are right for you?
Here’s a great blog to help you decide.

Friends, that’s a lot of options, and you’ve got a lot to mull through. But we’re going to end this part the same way we closed part one: You are worth investing in. Whether or not you trust that your leadership team wants what’s best for you (and we hope they do!), you are worthy of growth and development. Just like the people in your congregation or parish, God has a plan for you. For your life and for your ministry. For the people you will reach. And if you believe that you could be helped by any of the above options, then we say GO FOR IT! 

I know that a “no” might hurt your feelings. (Trust me! I’m the queen of rejection sensitivity dysphoria!) But a “YES!” could change your life. You can do this. But you don’t have to do it alone. Reach out if you need a little more encouragement. We’re just an email away.

The post How to Ask Your Pastor for Continuing Ed Money (Pt. 2) appeared first on Ministry Architects.

Because these shifts occur more frequently when our time, energy, and resources seem most limited, one of the rhythms that I try not to lose sight of is showing pastoral generosity to the people in my community. 

What is Pastoral Generosity?

I’m so glad you asked.
In its simplest terms, pastoral generosity is the act of taking time to care for the personal, spiritual, and emotional needs of our congregation members.

Essentially, in the height of busy, I often try to ask myself, “what can I do for someone else?“

It’s not always easy, but it’s worth it. In addition to the physical and mental health benefits that directly correlate to living generously, there’s the spiritual experience that happens when generosity is expressed through showing care for others. As we learn in Proverbs 11:25, “A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.”

As the days and months roll along, and seasons wax and wane in the need for our attention, many of us reach points where we are tired and feeling far from refreshed. But, could it be that if we want to feel refreshed in our ministries, then the first step may be to intentionally refresh others?

If you’re looking for a way to experience more refreshment these days, here are three shifts I’ve found that can be of tremendous help.  

Shift #1: Start with something small

The first move toward generosity is the act of being charitable with what we’ve been given. That might seem oversimplified, but those of us who have learned, lived, and discipled others in the ways of generosity know it’s always the first step: give something small out of what you already have.

3 starter ideas:

• Write five thank you cards this week to let families in the church know you’re grateful to have them in your life.
• Go out of your way to comment on social media pictures that celebrate significant moments in the life of those you lead in worship.
• Send a couple of text messages to some of your core volunteers to let them know that you’re praying for them. (And actually pray for them.)

Look for opportunities to bless others right where you are with what you already know you can do. Such simple acts may take only a matter of minutes but they jumpstart that generosity back into our own lives and start refilling that refresh tank.

Shift #2: Incorporate something new

Once those more familiar opportunities have a place of regular rhythm in our pastoral care, our next move is to consider something new.

I know a pastor who has a printed birthday directory of her church’s membership and she gives each person a birthday phone call, aiming to spend 10-20 minutes in conversation with each person. In doing this, she’s being more than just charitable with her time. As you consider your congregation and their needs, it’s easy to become overwhelmed if you think you have to be everything to everyone. Instead, choose a rotating circle of people to connect with in extra-generous ways – where it might require a little more of you. I believe you’ll begin to see the shift in yourself and your bandwidth for caring for your people if you incorporate something completely new.

Shift #3: Step into sacrifice

You’re probably familiar with the story from the Gospel of Luke where Jesus sends out the 72 to do ministry in His name. But did you know that this story contains THE key to what helps us make the final shift into an increased level of pastoral generosity?

That key is sacrifice. 

After giving what many coaches would call the worst pep rally speech ever (“Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves.” – Jesus, Luke 10:3), followers of Jesus are sent out to do work in His name, with very little to call their own. One might think that such a stressful task would wear a person out but, instead, Luke tells us that they “returned with joy” after seeing God’s power lived out through their ministry.

Pastoral generosity can wear a person out, whether it’s done charitably or sacrificially. The difference is often found in our ability to find joy in the work we’re doing and our desire to share that joy with others. The key to avoiding burnout when we shift into sacrificial pastoral care is finding ways to spend our time beyond our margins in ways that bring us enough joy that we can’t help but share it with others.

If your joy quotient is low, consider scaling back and assessing what acts of pastoral care you could focus on that would bring you joy. 

• Some pastors enjoy spending Saturdays at the little league field and praying over kids and families before the start of each game.
  
• Others are filled up by spending time in the homes of new parents, holding their little ones while mom or dad can take a much-needed chance to catch their breath.
  
• In a recent year, as I fought off my own experience of a joy-less season of ministry, I joined a friend from our church and became a high school football referee. Though it meant that I was sacrificing three nights each week where I wouldn’t be at home, the joy that I found more than filled my bucket and gave me a renewed energy for caring for those in my local congregation.

As you focus on what’s happening now and what’s coming up next, I hope you can find some time for self-reflection around your own generosity-meter. Schedule a half-hour in the next week to consider where your pastoral generosity dial sits these days and what your next step can be to live into your role as caregiver and shepherd within your congregation a little more fully.  If the teachings of scripture are true, and I believe that they are, then I hope you’re refreshed as you refresh others.

*Bonus note: these three shifts are the same three shifts that I’ve used in my local congregation to develop generosity in service and financial support of the church’s ministry.

Anthony Prince is a husband, dad, and pastor—in that order. Anthony currently serves as the Executive Pastor at Real Life Church of LA, a growing multi-site church plant in the foothills of Los Angeles, CA. He is a graduate of Fuller Seminary, with an M.A. in Global Leadership and an emphasis in Youth, Family & Culture. Anthony is a sought-after speaker on the topics of children & family ministry, strategic church leadership, and volunteer recruitment. 

The post Three Shifts into Pastoral Generosity appeared first on Ministry Architects.

The quick answers are: (1) People give to causes that reflect their values and passions, and (2) Yes, it would, but you’ll have to earn it. 

And you’ll have about five years to get it established before the next recession comes along (eleven recessions between 1945-2001).

TIP #1 – You Can’t Eat the Apples If You Don’t Plant a Tree

Picking up on a line from my last blog post (maybe it’s worth repeating), we have to be reminded from time to time that things don’t just happen, that many of the best things don’t happen without hard work and long-term investment. That’s the way it is with trees. You don’t get a large expanse of shade at your house unless a tree is planted (or is at least allowed to grow). It will do even better if it is tended and nurtured. And if you pick the right kind of tree to plant and nurture, you might even have fruit to share in the long run.

If you are thinking about supporting a ministry for the long haul, then you have to get started, and it would be great to start when the times are not so lean. Some folks think that you have to start with a big tree, i.e. big money. But I like what my garden center owning parishioner told me. He said, “Some folks like to buy a $100 eight-foot tree. I like to buy the smaller $20 tree and put $100 worth of ‘good stuff’ (root starter, good soil, etc.) in the hole. You come out much better that way.”

So if you want support for your ministry, put the good stuff in the hole – get clarity on your mission, know the impact that your ministry is having, and be prepared to invite others to gather around and nurture your tree.
Share on X

TIP #2 – Long-term Support Comes from Long-term Relationships

In the best case scenario, you are receiving support for your ministry – financial, voluntary, and advocacy – because people have found that their values and goals align with the values and goals of your ministry. Because they believe in the work and its impact, and because your ministry has done a good job of inviting people to come alongside your ministry as an expression of philanthropic endeavor.

I remember a seminary class discussion about marital counseling in which my professor remarked, “Money is one of the two things that couples most often fight about. But it is not the cause of conflict; it is a symptom.” In other words, arguments about money often become the expression or symptom of poor communication, struggles for control, and other problems in the marital relationship. I suppose that’s a pretty negative look.

But when a ministry can establish and maintain strong relationships over a long period of time with like-minded people, these people often become inclined to offer their support as an expression of their belief in a ministry or cause. It becomes paramount for that ministry to stay in touch and to share the ministry’s story, to do all of those things that we do to maintain friendships – to care for people, to seek to address their needs, and to help them see how they can change their world through a ministry of generosity.

TIP #3 – Starting an Endowment Is Often the Trailer That Gets Pulled By a Larger Vehicle

If an endowment is what you seek, a good way to get it established is by attaching it to a larger component. One example might be by “tithing” to an endowment the proceeds of a larger capital campaign. If you are planning to build a new $1 million building, why not raise $1.1 million and set aside 10% to establish an endowment for ministry or for capital maintenance. The building is the larger vehicle; the endowment is the trailer.

Or through action of the church’s governing board, you might start an endowment as a portion of ongoing fund-raising efforts, perhaps 5-10% of every dollar raised over a certain period of time.

Either larger vehicle could help to establish an endowment, and then a well-conceived, intentional program of philanthropic donor development could perpetuate it.

TIP #4 – There Are Some Good Questions to Be Asked About Endowments That Can Make People Nervous

The answer to either of these questions could be ‘yes,’ but it doesn’t have to be.

Will endowments drain from critical ongoing operational funding? Studies show that offering more avenues for giving increases the total given to all causes within an organization. What is vitally important is the proper structuring of a financial plan that takes into account short-, medium-, and long-term avenues of funding.

Will the church lose interest in a ministry funded by an endowment? This will not be true in an organization with a healthy system of donor care. In fact, it should be the telling of the ministry story that enlivens interest in the ministry.

Remember, fund development is an expression of relationships – the values that people share, the impact of ministry upon their lives, and the opportunity to extend their reach together.

TIP #5 – Endowment Purposes and Processes Must Be Clear

1. The first lesson to learn in establishing an endowment is the importance of legal advice. There are legal requirements which may vary from state to state. An attorney will be able to guide you through what can be a fairly simple process and assist you in drafting proper documents, if necessary, depending upon the restrictive nature of the fund.
2. Endowment (or trust) documents must be clear in identifying the purposes for which long-term funds may be used. These will thus establish the values by which the fund operates and by which potential donors will make their decisions about giving.
3. Fund documents should identify what portion of funds are available and when. Most endowments or trusts disburse their funds in such a way as to be self-perpetuating.
4. Fund documents will identify who is in charge of decisions regarding the fund. Most funds are usually governed by persons skilled or interested in either ministry or financial management or both.
5. For the worst-case scenario, most fund documents would determine what would happen to the funds if the church were to be dissolved.

Conclusion – If Employed Well, An Endowment Can Be the Springboard to Even More Effective Ministry

Establishing an endowment can cause a ministry to take a good hard look at itself and at how it treats the people with whom it is in relationship.
Share on X

As part of a fully structured giving plan, an endowment can be the foundation piece that turns loose other funding for other purposes.

If you want to explore more about funding your ministry through a multi-layered approach, email me at david.carroll@ministryarchitects.com. I’d love to spend some time talking with you about planting trees and reaping the fruit!

The post Five Tips for Funding Your Ministry Over the Long Haul appeared first on Ministry Architects.

Every church has the ability to build a thriving, sustainable stewardship ministry by attending first to two key foundational areas: 1. Architecture: the structures of sustainability and 2. Atmosphere: the culture, climate, and ethos that sustains the health of the congregation. So why do countless congregations, across the country, struggle with finding willing bodies to fill their finance and stewardship committees? It might have something to do with this infamous, anonymous definition of the (oft) dreaded B-word: “Budget: A method of worrying before you spend, instead of afterward!”

Ever wonder how to clear a room full of well-intentioned lay leaders in your congregation? One sure fire way is to ask them to discuss, out loud, their relationship with money, their personal finances, and their family’s budgeting and spending practices!

Money tends to be a topic full of peril and pitfalls, giant “caution” signs, family systems drama, and the ability to both stifle vision and encourage vision. And not just for congregational leaders, but “talking about money” for pastors can be as highly charged as talking about politics with your relatives over a Thanksgiving meal! Is it any wonder, then, that we often can’t seem to find a solid group of volunteers tasked with, some might say, the most important work of the Church: Evaluating how God will use them in the coming year via their church’s operating budget.

Laying the budgetary groundwork to accomplish the work of the church is no easy task! Did you know that Ministry Architects has an in-house financial coach who has been helping churches, non-profits, and missional entrepreneurs wade through the myriad of denominational, secular, and charitable financial resources to connect their mission and ministry dreams to their budgets, all within the context of breeding a culture of generosity? We do! She is busier than ever these days as many of our partner churches find themselves stuck between the best of intentions and some of the lowest levels of congregational engagement in finance and stewardship work that we’ve ever seen.

So where do you start? Building a sustainable stewardship ministry in a congregation, similar to how we evaluate any (specific) ministry area’s long-term sustainability, begins with doing the hard work of evaluating, refining, and/or building guidelines to clarify roles and help establish procedures that will meet the objectives of the ministry area. This architecture, so to speak, must be both foundational and innovative. It must be adaptively strategic as well in order to offer the means to celebrate the financial vision of the church while narrating, not simply by the overly complex, “decades in the making” excel spreadsheet alone, the financial realities of that vision.

Relevant, practical advice for congregations struggling with tremendous shifts in giving and financial engagement can be found in dozens of places and yet how many reading this could actually raise their hands to describe the deliberate process of their congregation’s creation, prioritization, approval, sharing, and celebration of what God is doing in and among them via their operating budget?

This speaks to the “atmosphere” aspect of stewardship ministries: Doing the (even harder) work of evaluating an operating budget within the context of income (from all sources), expenses, ministry priorities, and vision casting assumes your committee members begin this task from the vantage point of a healthy culture, climate, and ethos. There is nothing more stifling to generosity than fuzzy vision! Dramatic, sustainable stewardship ministries happen only when we’ve invited the entire congregation to join in a shared vision with their time, talents, and treasure. As Ministry Architects’ founder, Mark DeVries, eloquently says: “Sustainable change happens when leaders recognize the power of incremental revolution, the power of one small change after another, until the incremental changes result in exponential change.” Imagine the power of religiously celebrating how God uses YOUR church to make a difference in the lives of the congregation and in the greater community. An unstoppable force for sure!

So what’s next for your church or your stewardship ministry? We want to help your church find clear direction and sustained momentum! Ministry Architects’ innovative approach may very well be your solution to moving beyond the unruly stewardship and budgetary challenges that have kept your church “stuck” or “plateaued”, sharing the load as you strengthen the culture of generosity, giving, and gratitude in your congregation. What do you have to lose?

-Aly Eaton, aly.eaton@ministryarchitects.com

The post Financial Stewardship appeared first on Ministry Architects.

When I was a kid my dad always told me, “Heather, money doesn’t grow on trees.” I wish my dad’s statement wasn’t true, because if it wasn’t, I’d ask for a youth ministry money tree this year for Christmas. If you know my dad, he is a very hard-working man. Every dollar to him mattered. To him, it wasn’t a dollar to waste, but one to steward well. You and I are in a similar situation, wanting to be good stewards of our youth ministry budget, but also getting really tired of all the fundraisers we have to do just to keep the ship running at full speed.

Here’s a few tips to keep things running smoothly (dad approved) without taxing your budget.

1. Contact local businesses to see if they can offer free things for outreach events. I can’t tell you how many free slurpees, ice cream cones and hamburgers I’ve gotten from doing this.
2. Do your research before you buy. Some businesses look to get rid of nearly brand-new stuff. I used to get day old donuts for free from the local grocery store and Panera Bread too. They give all their bagels and breads away for free at the end of each day. All it takes is a phone call and a quick ask. Other places are looking to sell nearly new furniture, too, for next to nothing.
3. Utilize your congregation. Does anyone own a business, work for the school or have a heart to go above and beyond? Keeping things within your budget is all about playing it smart. Building relationships and making connections with your church congregation brings people on your side. You’ll find more often than not, as long as you’re not just using them for free stuff, people will be quick to come alongside of you. I’ve gotten buses, hundreds of apples, trailers, tons of food, and school gyms all for free or nearly nothing thanks to this approach.
4. Find fun things to do that don’t tax your budget. Bringing in Lecrae for your next big youth event would be cool, but is it necessary? What about a local Christian band the kids love or something as simple as a dodgeball tournament or movie night? Kids care more about the relationships that are being formed than they do about the thing they’re doing.

Before you fire up the engines for the next spaghetti dinner, think about applying some of these principles if you’re looking to become a budget savvy youth ministry.

The post Youth Ministries on a Shoestring Budget appeared first on Ministry Architects.