Sunday, November 2, 2008

To Pastors Who Want To Earn Extra Income -- But Can't Get Started

By Belle B. Carrclum

Ministers are caught in an unusual situation. They are devoting their lives to the service of others and they may find that this devotion is creating hardships in their finances. Divinity schools are costly to attend and even some of the lesser known colleges and schools can require large financial expenditures.

Worship Ministers, Music Ministers, Youth Ministers, Associate Pastors, and Ministers of Education can also find themselves in a similar position. These church staff members usually make less than the Pastor, but they still have the same kind of schedule. They really need a part time job to pay the bills. A wedding ministry business such as one provided in The Wedding Income Toolkit for Ministers is very often a perfect fit for members of the same church staff because if one has an event on the evening of the wedding, the other minister can take his place and vice versa.

Many preachers and pastors today even have advanced degrees in music, counseling, or Bible studies to help them in their calling. Some of the larger churches offer their ministers adequate salaries and benefits. For a large number of ministers the salaries they receive are barely enough for them to pay their bills.

It might seem that getting a second job is the answer, but keep in mind that the local church minister is usually considered to be availabe for their members at all times. This creates a real dilemna for the minister who wants to be available, but knows that a second job with scheduled hours will detract from his or her ability to minister. It can be almost impossible to find a job with a flexible schedule that pays enough to compensate them for their time.

This dilemna has caused some ministers to take a job in desperation but with the knowledge it will interfere with their primary job. Unfortunately, there are ministers who have had to leave their calling behind to find a job that will feed their families. Those who have large families can struggle even more. Asking for a raise is sometimes appropriate, however it is not as simple as it might seem since most churches have boards that set the annual budgets.

Ministers and their wives will often make extra income from small jobs that assist the congregation. Many wives of ministers will give music lessons. These wives also may take full time jobs in order to help with household finances. Sometimes there are specific religious duties that require pastors and these jobs pay them extra money for attending to the details and services. These include baptisms, christenings, revivals, funerals, and weddings. Many pastors are happy to perform any of these duties for their church members at little or no cost, but are glad for the extra money that is given.

When all of these activities are considered, performing weddings is probably the easiest and best for pastors to do. First, it is a happy occasion and both religious and irreligious people are comfortable with paying the minister a fee to officiate the ceremony. Second, weddings are scheduled months in advance so that the minister can schedule around them. Third, a minimum fee can be set, and there can also be bonuses. An example of a low wedding fee would be about $200. If a pastor could perform one wedding a week, he or she could easily add $10,000 or more to his annual income. The pastor or staff member could, in essence, give themselves a raise, and maintain their schedule without going before a church board.

If you are considering adding another stream of income by taking on a part time job, perhaps you should consider beoming a wedding minister. One easy to use tool that will guide a minister step by step in how to establish this business is The Wedding Income Toolkit for Ministers. In less than 60 days any minister can begin doing weddings on a consistent basis. It is extremely affordable and contains the ready made tools and resources to help any minister perform excellent wedding ceremonies. But more than that it provides the instruction in exactly the best way to find weddings, publicize your business, work with couples, work with wedding professionals, and also even includes personal support. It will give someone a huge headstart instead of hoping to learn everything by trial and error. If you are already licensed or ordained you can get started immediately.

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