Comments on: Profiting from the Priesthood – White, Young, Brunson, Graham…

By: Kathryn

Kathryn — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 14:21:56 +0000

Elisabeth
I think most people would agree with you. The real problem is when the church is used merely as a platform to launch a pastor’s speaking career. Smaller churches are one answer to an increasingly elite pastor mutual “bless me ” club. Did you know Ed YOung Jr says he needs his jet to fly around and help other pastors? What a pile of baloney. He should be spending time driving around to his congregation’s homes and getting to know them-the ones he is really supposed to be serving.

By: Lydia

Lydia — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 03:06:26 +0000

And for writing books.

By: dee

dee — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 18:02:00 +0000

Poor Ed. He’s slumming in that fancy house.His sidekick, Denny Brewer, is also living the high life. I used to know them.

By: dee

dee — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 18:01:21 +0000

Anonymous
Do you have any idea about how many members he has lost>

By: dee

dee — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 18:00:43 +0000

Junkster

What a fascinating comment. I might like to use this argument in an upcoming post. I, too, am a free marketeer. Corporations answer to their investors who get their by purchasing shares in the company. The CEO’s salary package is made known in this environment. I used to think that the elders were the ones who weld the pastor accountable. That is, until I saw what a crock that was in my last church. The elders merely helped the pastor keep things “quiet.” Excellent thinking. What system would work, in your opinion? My current church is smaller and the pastors are held to a high degree of accountability. Any member is allowed to speak out at meetings and many take the opportunity to express both approval and disapproval. And it seems to work.

By: dee

dee — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 17:55:31 +0000

Junkster
I was out of town and somehow missed this absolutely wonderful post. If you don’t mind, I would like to feature it as post in the near future. Let me know.

By: dee

dee — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 17:54:28 +0000

Let’s see, who would be first out the door?-Ed young Jr., Brunson, Gaines, Patterson, and on and on.

By: dee

dee — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 17:53:22 +0000

By: dee

dee — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 17:48:35 +0000

You make some excellent points. Size allows a pastor to hide. It gives him an excuse for not getting to know his flock. Some of them have no interest in being pastors. They just want to be jet setting public speakers who make good money. The church is merely a platform to launch their real careers.

By: Michael

Michael — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 04:13:55 +0000

If you really want to know what the salaries are and you are bold enough to pursue it, Georgia law allows members of non-profits to request to see the accounting records of the organizations. It has to be for a reasonable purpose and the request usually has to be in writing, but you can see the records. Records have been interpreted to mean more than just the financial statements they want you to see. It might also include the records behind the numbers summarized on the financials.

That is why members of Two Rivers Baptist Church, in Nashville, TN won their case in Tennessee to even inspect the credit card statements of the credit cards Jerry Sutton, their former pastor, used. I’m pretty confident that you could get the payroll records if you wanted them.