I'm fully aware that what I'm about to propose, in most ministry contexts, is pure fantasy. After all, how many churches are meeting their church budget, never mind exceeding it?
But, in the unlikely or fortunately blessed occasion that the bottom line is in the black, does a church even consider giving the minister a one-off raise?
I write one-off raise because many denominations advise how much ministers get paid through the means of a stipend and how much their salary goes up annually, usually by CPI, often determined by a larger governing body.
But, if the church is going through a time of growth - numerical, financial, or both - and it can be attributed to the minister, is it worth, at least, entertaining the option of rewarding the minister for the fruit of his/her labour?
I pose this question off the back of this financially themed post which points out the awkwardness minsters face in regards to bringing up financial matters, including raises.
So, what would happen if a church decided - on their own - if the budget was, say, $10,000 ahead at the end of the financial year, to give the minister a $5,000 blessing?
How would it affect the wellbeing of the minister?
How would this change the mindset of a minister who has had previous secular work where bonuses were available if you meet or exceeded quotas or expectations?
To what degree would the minister feel encouraged, appreciated and supported, three areas where ministers can be particularly vulnerable?
How would it affect the way a minister's family, especially spouse, viewed the church?
Again, I know this might be a complete pipe dream, but I'm curious if this option is even explored by any treasurers or finance teams since, in most other employment settings which most people would be immersed, the "leader/boss" would be eligible for a performance based bonus.
Why can this not, on occasions, happen in the church?
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