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would you work for/in a church?

Christ_empowered

Christ_empowered

Member
I think I've settled on a History major for my undergraduate degree (I transferred in 70 credits and I've taken some courses already, so...it won't be long before I have my long awaited degree...). Since my loan debt for undergraduate won't be too terrible (I didn't have to borrow for those first 70 hours and I get Pell Grants now), I was thinking about getting a graduate degree. Well...that, and I've just now checked back into reality after about 10 years, lol, so...no work history, no technical skills, no references. I need at least a 4 year degree if I am to get off disability and support myself w/o ongoing help from (loving, much-appreciated) parents.

So, yeah. Are church politics as vicious as I hear? Is the pay that terrible? I know wherever there are people, there will be politics, but...I dunno...I've heard its particularly bad w/ churches and religious organizations. I was looking at Liberty's masters of divinity programs, kinda sorta, but...what I've heard about working for churches and ministries kinda scares me.

What do y'all say?
 
I work at my church and I like it, but at $40 a week it's nothing I could live off of. (But, y'know, I only work there one day every two weeks.) But it's something I can put down as work experience and that's where one of my references is from.
I'm just on the janitorial team, so I don't get involved in church politics.
 
for me personally I am way too nervous and anxious around people to begin with so the way Im built I like the behind the scenes nobody knows about it type of loving/serving people.They seem to do allright at my church but it is also a young church .
 
Christ_empowered said:
I think I've settled on a History major for my undergraduate degree (I transferred in 70 credits and I've taken some courses already, so...it won't be long before I have my long awaited degree...). Since my loan debt for undergraduate won't be too terrible (I didn't have to borrow for those first 70 hours and I get Pell Grants now), I was thinking about getting a graduate degree. Well...that, and I've just now checked back into reality after about 10 years, lol, so...no work history, no technical skills, no references. I need at least a 4 year degree if I am to get off disability and support myself w/o ongoing help from (loving, much-appreciated) parents.

So, yeah. Are church politics as vicious as I hear? Is the pay that terrible? I know wherever there are people, there will be politics, but...I dunno...I've heard its particularly bad w/ churches and religious organizations. I was looking at Liberty's masters of divinity programs, kinda sorta, but...what I've heard about working for churches and ministries kinda scares me.

What do y'all say?
Click to expand...
depends on what you are doing for them and whom you ask. I worked for one as a janitor. sadly it was wrong what they did to me but I also wasn't the best employer. I will gladly volunteer time to work but not get paid to work. this Saturday is a clean up day. I don't mind the minor sacrifice.
 
I worked for focus on the family for a while - Im not Christian, but I didn't advertise my Islam either - it wasn't bad, the money was fair, the office politics were typical - the only thing that I noticed that was unique to religious non-profits was that people would occasionaly get targeted if they demonstrated a belief that the leadership did not agree with - I personally never was questioned about my faith, it may have been because I was only contracted as a consultant for 60 days. This was just my personal experience.
 
M.Abdullah said:
I worked for focus on the family for a while - Im not Christian, but I didn't advertise my Islam either - it wasn't bad, the money was fair, the office politics were typical - the only thing that I noticed that was unique to religious non-profits was that people would occasionaly get targeted if they demonstrated a belief that the leadership did not agree with - I personally never was questioned about my faith, it may have been because I was only contracted as a consultant for 60 days. This was just my personal experience.
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correction: I just remembered, I was questioned about my faith - by former Mossad security personel - but it was at the very end of the project - I suspect they put me on blacklist of some kind and wont hire me for any more projects in the future. but I think that's fair - private religious organizations should be allowed to discriminate based on religion in my opinion.
 
In the various locations in which I have lived during my lifetime, there have been excellent churches where politics were sensible and not destructive. Then again, I have left a couple of churches where the politics became dictatorial.

As for working in a church, the pay would depend upon the job, the size of the congregation, and the ability to afford a salary paid.
 
I've worked as a paid job in two churches. One as a youth pastor and one as a sound technician. I'm sorry to say both of them ended negatively because of church politics that would have gotten any secular company sued for creating a hostile work environment. This wasn't just my opinion because I was the one affected. It was the opinion of other people in positions to observe what was going on as well, and I was not the only victim. In a way, it's my fault because I could see the potential problems before taking either job. But I also think anticipating what could happen in the beginning of each job allowed me to stay in each for several years by being aware of situations of potential conflict and avoiding them whenever possible, plus ready ahead of time when things went bad so it didn't take me by surprise. Even still, in the end bad church politics ruined both jobs for me.

Recently I started working in a Christian organization where I have the opportunity to work with and help people directly (which, unlike being a sound technician, is my true main calling), it's paying a full time living wage which no church ever did for me even though as a youth pastor I put in full time hours and more most weeks, and they have a reputation of treating their employees good. I got smart this time and checked them out first by talking to ex-employees as well as current ones. Everyone was complimentary of them and those that had left did it for other reasons, not because they were treated badly.

So my suggestion to anyone considering working in a paid position in any church is to check them out thoroughly first and don't jump in to quickly. Many times you will find your "supervisors" are unpaid volunteers who are secretly jealous and resentful that you are being paid and they are not. This leads to bad politics and grief! Talk to people who have left as well, and if there experience was negative, don't just write it off as "sour grapes". Most likely there is a reason they had a negative experience that very well may have been no fault of theirs. That's about the best thing I can say about it.
 
Obadiah has shared a vast amount of wisdom!

My experience is similar, I was a children's ministry director for several years, everything was fine for the first few years, but the church was successful in that it began to grow, and not long after that, the pastor's and other higher up leadership began to believe it was all about them and took their focus off of God's mission for the church. Soon there began a great exodus of the congregation and staff (I was one of them), and so what God had given, He also took away.

I now work for a non-profit Christian organization that helps children with developmental delays and, like Obadiah, I researched it to the bone and even went as far as asking old clients, and it seems to have stood the test of times. I just started there recently and it's the best job I've ever had! People are sincerely happy to be on board. Management doesn't make a ton of money either.

I wouldn't brush off all churches or Christian organizations, but don't go in expecting they will be perfect either.
 
Abigail123 said:
Obadiah has shared a vast amount of wisdom!

My experience is similar, I was a children's ministry director for several years, everything was fine for the first few years, but the church was successful in that it began to grow, and not long after that, the pastor's and other higher up leadership began to believe it was all about them and took their focus off of God's mission for the church. Soon there began a great exodus of the congregation and staff (I was one of them), and so what God had given, He also took away.

I now work for a non-profit Christian organization that helps children with developmental delays and, like Obadiah, I researched it to the bone and even went as far as asking old clients, and it seems to have stood the test of times. I just started there recently and it's the best job I've ever had! People are sincerely happy to be on board. Management doesn't make a ton of money either.

I wouldn't brush off all churches or Christian organizations, but don't go in expecting they will be perfect either.
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Sounds like we've been on similar paths! I'm working with developmentally disabled people as well, only with adults. It's a Christian organization that hires Christian people and serves mostly Christian clients (and some who simply don't have the mental capacity to accept Christ). It's a lot like youth work in that I get to work directly with people in a lot more intimate way than just leading a Bible study or whatever most church volunteers do. So far it's been more of a blessing to me than to anyone else!
 
Obadiah said:
Sounds like we've been on similar paths! I'm working with developmentally disabled people as well, only with adults. It's a Christian organization that hires Christian people and serves mostly Christian clients (and some who simply don't have the mental capacity to accept Christ). It's a lot like youth work in that I get to work directly with people in a lot more intimate way than just leading a Bible study or whatever most church volunteers do. So far it's been more of a blessing to me than to anyone else!
Click to expand...

Bless you Obadiah for doing such great work in your community and for God's Kingdom! We are on the same path, isn't that interesting, we both began at churches and ended up (for now) at Christian organizations...I had a few other jobs thrown in, I owned my own business for instance, serving mostly the Christian community.

I do have adult developmentally delayed volunteers that will come in and do work for me, they usually have a coach supervising them. The little kiddos issues are anywhere from speech delays to serious motor skill issues, it's an array of issues for them. We serve all different kinds of families in the community, because of where we are located and the clients we serve are from varying cultures, religions and ethncities. It's interesting and a chance to share the love of Christ with those who may have never experienced it.
 
Christ_empowered said:
I think I've settled on a History major for my undergraduate degree (I transferred in 70 credits and I've taken some courses already, so...it won't be long before I have my long awaited degree...). Since my loan debt for undergraduate won't be too terrible (I didn't have to borrow for those first 70 hours and I get Pell Grants now), I was thinking about getting a graduate degree. Well...that, and I've just now checked back into reality after about 10 years, lol, so...no work history, no technical skills, no references. I need at least a 4 year degree if I am to get off disability and support myself w/o ongoing help from (loving, much-appreciated) parents.

So, yeah. Are church politics as vicious as I hear? Is the pay that terrible? I know wherever there are people, there will be politics, but...I dunno...I've heard its particularly bad w/ churches and religious organizations. I was looking at Liberty's masters of divinity programs, kinda sorta, but...what I've heard about working for churches and ministries kinda scares me.

What do y'all say?
Click to expand...

I am going to go the other way with this.... :confused
How much time in prayer over this have you put forth ? Do you have any idea where God wants you to work ? If God sends you to be a pew duster in a church and you obey and go, He will take of you for the sallary of the job is not your source. He may want you there to bring light into the situation and down the road you are there so He can fill a position... Just thought I would add this thought
:amen
 
Christ_empowered said:
I think I've settled on a History major for my undergraduate degree (I transferred in 70 credits and I've taken some courses already, so...it won't be long before I have my long awaited degree...). Since my loan debt for undergraduate won't be too terrible (I didn't have to borrow for those first 70 hours and I get Pell Grants now), I was thinking about getting a graduate degree. Well...that, and I've just now checked back into reality after about 10 years, lol, so...no work history, no technical skills, no references. I need at least a 4 year degree if I am to get off disability and support myself w/o ongoing help from (loving, much-appreciated) parents.

So, yeah. Are church politics as vicious as I hear? Is the pay that terrible? I know wherever there are people, there will be politics, but...I dunno...I've heard its particularly bad w/ churches and religious organizations. I was looking at Liberty's masters of divinity programs, kinda sorta, but...what I've heard about working for churches and ministries kinda scares me.

What do y'all say?
Click to expand...
First of all, you are supposed to be working for the church if you are a part of God's temple. Your work is to bring in the fish from the deep sea of darkness you catch for the kingdom of God to advance.
A worker is worth his wages. When Jesus sent the 70 out, they were not to take anything with them, no money either. Why? Because he was going to show them how when you work for God, Men will give into your hand by the favor of God for working His field(world).

It is God who gives us advances and positions of authority in our job place that God has given you to work for Him in as a fisher of men.

I don't mean to offend or put down but to open eyes for edification. For I too used to think as you, until I seen the truth. We say our time is valuable, So think about this, how is it that one can talk about how little the church pays to help in God's household, yet we despise the Pastor who takes up offerings for his work in the church, of which consists him to be on call 24/7 for our souls benefit?
That amazes me, that we(I used to too) think that God does not allow His ministers to have funds for their house payment, their clothes, their children, or a vacation or to travel to other congregations to share his bread with them. This actually shows how little we value our spiritual meal he prepares and his time!
In reality those who work for God should receive the Best of the land for they are giving their life up for the glory of God. And also, if God does not allow us to have much money, then why do we sneak around Him to seek a raise or a new higher paying position from the hand of man so that we can have more money that we believe God says is evil? Isn't it the LOVE of money, over the Love for the Truth of His Word that is the evil? When we have a willing heart to be unfaithful to God's Word/Jesus to steal, kill or destroy for gain, that is the evil. To gain with honest work, good integrity without grumbling and complaining of what God has given us in life to do, praising Him for our little in Thanksgiving, allows Him to bless us with more as we learn to put our trust in Him, not in wealth, not in man, nor our ability to climb the ladder of success, but look to Him for His rewards for our faithfulness.
There is only one whom I know that hates for the people of God to be without, so that they have to beg, borrow or steal. I am sure that you can guess who that is?
We forget that it is our God who owns this whole world, and all that we see is HIS. For there is no man who did not make money off of something they pulled up out of the ground of God's earth. WE all owe God everything we have, for it is His already. We should honor working for His house to keep it clean and running smoothly, because when we set our minds to do right before Him first place, He gives us first place in His thoughts for blessings.
Have a beautiful day!
 
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