I was quite shocked recently to see an advertisement posted by a church seeking a youth pastor, with the salary set at nearly $60,000.

I was always under the impression being a church pastor was not for the money, but for compassion, commitment to the role, serving God and supporting the wider community.

It seems I was wrong. There are people in other roles that earn less than $60,000 and these people are in service provision roles, helping people every day such as carers, people with disabilities and those with medical conditions.

One could argue a church pastor is also a serving role, but surely someone taking on the role if truly committed to the role and the Bible would simply receive a stipend covering their basic costs of living and maybe things donated by others part of their religion?

I did not realise church pastors were earning this much money (and there would be some no doubt on higher amounts). I am now left feeling some religions now only seem only focused on the dollar sign and not much else.

Does the youth pastor have a wife / husband and kids and a car and rent or home repayments, and registration, insurance, cost of schooling, birthdays and christmas and all the things normal people have?

Or are they supposed to single, celibate, never marry, have no kids, live in their car in the church carpark and eat from the soup kitchen?

What sort of a youth pastor would one be if they don't have any kids?
$1200 a week probably only barely covers basic expenses.

What a damn silly question. Manna from heaven hasn’t been available since the Israelites stopped wandering around in the desert.

Hi NathanJ,
Sorry if I came across a little blunt.
$1200 a week before tax isn't really a huge amount.
Look at some of these other church leaders, raking in millions and living the high life with private jets and all sorts of wealth.
They're not living a life of service with only basic costs of living.
Kenneth Copeland has several private jets as well as a private airstrip and hanger to to park them.
Some may even believe that being wealthy is Gods blessing.

Fun Fact: Before he was elected for a second term, Donald Trump was signing and selling bibles.
http://godblesstheusabible.com/

Hi Nathan,

From first hand knowledge,

"with the salary set at nearly $60,000." I think you are behind the times there a little. The cost to a parish for a full time priest is more like $125,000 pa. Made up of $85,000 salary plus supa, a rectory (house), car, petrol account, mobile phone, insurance. And those costs are not met by the diocese (Bishop) but by the parishioners themselves. Also the parish is expected to pay the upkeep costs of the parish, although the diocese has ownership of the church precinct (land and buildings) also the local parishes contribute towards the running costs of the diocese. On top of that the parish also pays admin costs associated with the parish, a part time office person if required, and maybe a part time cleaner as well.

Unless of course you are that Hillsong church, which I believe is not a church at all in Australia, but 17 registered charities (very profitable).

A Christian minister needs a Bachelor degree in Theology or Ministry. Three years full time study.

The average stipend received by a minister is $60k - $70k. Not huge in this day and age.

It is not a 9-5 job, and there is much more to it than preaching a sermon on Sundays. Weddings and funerals. Counselling. Charity work. Committees. Involvement in community affairs. If he/she has a spouse, the spouse is also expected to provide voluntary services in the parish.

Now, you might regard the bricks and mortar of religion as just another bureaucracy, and people in ‘dog collars’ bureaucrats, but that is another matter.

Ministering to Christians, and often non-Christians, is a professional ‘proper job’. It’s gob smacking that anyone could be so naive as to think that it is something else, and that being paid to do it is wrong. It’s good that God has mercy on idiots too.

The rates given by the Catholic Church in Australia;

http://static1.squarespace.com/static/5acea6725417fc059ddcc33f/t/669dd6fc804c9f5cf253610d/1721620220659/20230722+CRA+National+Ministerial+Stipend+Rates+2024-2025+Revised.pdf

Just reading some of the comments here. I will reply to some now and others later.

Armchair Critic,

<<Does the youth pastor have a wife / husband and kids and a car and rent or home repayments, and registration, insurance, cost of schooling, birthdays and christmas and all the things normal people have?>>

Well perhaps if the priest in question was not living such a sinful life in the bedroom we may not be having this discussion involving such a point.

Perhaps if the pastor did not have such a desire for materialistic items and lived a basic life also and not focusing on extravagant birthdays and Christmas celebrations either we may not be having this discussion.

It must also be noted, that a pastor that is married also is not able to remain focused on church activity, its followers and God because he has to remain focused on his wife/partner which will naturally become a distraction from his godly duties.

As pointed out a basic stipend should suffice, alongside donations and support from your church congregation and anyone else in the wider community. You shouldn't be doing it for the money - and should be able to show so by your activity/actions.

Hi NathanJ,

Firstly, you did not say 'Priest' in your opening comment.
You said 'Youth Pastor'.
Pastor's have wives in Christian churches.
Priests in Catholic churches take a vow of celibacy.
- Two completely different kinds of church leaders.

"Perhaps if the pastor did not have such a desire for materialistic items and lived a basic life also and not focusing on extravagant birthdays and Christmas celebrations either we may not be having this discussion."

A lot of Christian church pastors have wives.
Kenneth Copeland does along with his fleet of jets.
But as for showering gifts upon your loved ones on birthdays and Christmas, and going on a family holiday for example, this is what you do for loved ones, even if you have to pay off the credit card debt for a couple of months.
What is life if you can't make the ones you love happy?
True love is selflessly doing things to make the ones you love happy, because it makes you happy to see them happy, and damn the expense.
(Within reason of course)

"It must also be noted, that a pastor that is married also is not able to remain focused on church activity, its followers and God because he has to remain focused on his wife/partner which will naturally become a distraction from his godly duties."

I think you're going a bit far here, and missing the whole point.

Human beings aren't meant to spend all their lives alone.
We are supposed to find someone to love that loves us back equally.
The husband takes care of his wife, and the wife takes care of her husband.
It doesn't have to mean the wife distracts her Pastor husband, but assists him in going about his tasks while also taking care of the family.

Man and woman are meant to be together, to experience love, to love one another and to have kids, and raise and love them and be there for them the best they can too.

ttbn said;

"the spouse is also expected to provide voluntary services in the parish." Not in the Catholic Church, not to every bloke in the parish! The "wife" is only expected to provide housekeeping and personal services to Fr Fookemup, so he stops interfering with the alter boys. A perfectly satisfactory arrangement all round.

Good movie worth a watch "PRIEST" 1994, staring Robert Carlyle

What good is a Youth Pastor who doesn't have kids?
We're talking about young teenagers 13 to 17 in the church youth group.
Were talking about Christian 'Family' Churches.
Different story entirely if you're a young female Sunday school teacher for the little ones.
This is a job for big sister, who, now grown up has spend years around her younger brothers and sisters and takes care of them from a Christian family that already knows well the bible and bible stories.

What good is a childless celibate person to young adults, many of which have raging hormones and young love and crushes for members of the opposite sex?
You need a more well rounded person who can connect with young people to take on this role.

"As pointed out a basic stipend should suffice, alongside donations and support from your church congregation and anyone else in the wider community. You shouldn't be doing it for the money - and should be able to show so by your activity/actions."

That's what $1200 a week is these days.
How much do you think a full trolley of groceries is to feed a family of 4 each week these days?
You said the wife would be a distraction, no.
Expecting someone to do this job for next to nothing, whilst their own family suffers and expecting them to spend all their time begging for food and donations, well that is the distraction.

When they pass around the church bag around to place tithings into, there's not enough room in there to put in tins of soup.
Family's are encouraged to give 10 percent of their earning to God.

$1200 a week before tax is barely enough to look after a family, but just enough that the person doesn't have to go begging or see his own family starve.
How much do you think a child care worker gets paid?

And to the rest of you Christians, who think because I often criticise Christians and Jews that I don't know how a Christian Family Church works, you're wrong, I know.
My stepmothers father was a church elder and my father, after he married my stepmum used to do the sound and audio at the church.

I went to church, I went to Sunday school, I went to youth group.
Only for about 2 years when I was in grade 8 and 9.
I would even see them go to bible study sometimes on week nights as well, when they would send me to youth group.
I know how it works well enough, and I know how these people think.
I have a huge Christian family on my stepmums side.

Religion should not be a job !

"Religion should not be a job !"

It is for these scumbag American Christians who are invading Palestinians land with the help of the IDF.

http://x.com/Issaamro/status/1991932739038151073

http://x.com/OunkaOnX/status/1991971446017442177

"Illegal settlers, armed and protected by the IDF, storm Palestinian homes they had no hand in building, on land they had no part in nurturing, and declare, "God gave this to us."

This is the core of the Zionist project: not a return to a promised land, but the world's most ongoing and documented land theft, justified by a weaponized interpretation of scripture."

If Israel is using religious texts to justify it's land theft, then all synagogues supporting this ethnic cleansing should be closed and outlawed.

It's worse than a member of a motorbike club selling drugs.
The motorcycle club doesn't have a religion that says 'God told us to'
And even if they are selling drugs, and killing people they probably aren't doing it on purpose, loss of sales and customers.

And any Christian churches providing support to Israel's genocide should lose any legal status as a church or charity, and likewise, if a mosque is advocating harm towards non-muslims (infidels)

Religions bring as much problems as they solve.
And none of them seem to be a true path to enlightenment.

Religion is big business, its all about money, lots of money. I always say the old Bishop has 2 holy books, the Bible and the Accounts book. Don't be fooled its all about money. But not if you are Pastor Bob in Boise Idaho! Pastor Bob has been building the Golden Tabernacle Cathedral under the commandment of God, since 1972! I have been religiously sending Pastor Bob $100 every week for the past 50 years, so he can complete his "Divine Mission Of The Lord", building will commence shortly, so Pastor Bob keeps saying on the telly every Sunday morning. So far all I've received back is a single pamphlet telling me how much Jesus and Pastor Bob love me, and a Glow In The Dark Jesus Doll, which I was able to obtain with 4 easy payments of $49.95 plus postage and handling! At least Pastor Bob is honest, and he's not about money!

Armchair Critic,
Palestinians are invading all over the World too now. There's no group that hasn't invaded somewhere. Palestinians are the only ones who can't come to grips & making it harder for themselves day in & day out.
Islam is openly declaring their intention of taking over the World. So, it really makes no sense to rile up about some sand pit over there.

Armchair Critic,

<<Firstly, you did not say 'Priest' in your opening comment.
You said 'Youth Pastor'.
Pastor's have wives in Christian churches.
Priests in Catholic churches take a vow of celibacy.
- Two completely different kinds of church leaders.>>

I generally see pastors and priests as the same thing, although physically and technically they may be different.

<<A lot of Christian church pastors have wives.
Kenneth Copeland does along with his fleet of jets.
But as for showering gifts upon your loved ones on birthdays and Christmas, and going on a family holiday for example, this is what you do for loved ones, even if you have to pay off the credit card debt for a couple of months.
What is life if you can't make the ones you love happy?
True love is selflessly doing things to make the ones you love happy, because it makes you happy to see them happy, and damn the expense.
(Within reason of course)>>

In terms of making loved ones happy, it should be your presence that does that, not expensive gifts or holidays. True love doesn't involve giving items that are material and nor should we send a message that it involves such an activity. A church priest/pastor is there to be a role model to others and if they are nothing much more than a clone of everyone else, then I am not fully sure what their exact role actually is.

<<Human beings aren't meant to spend all their lives alone.....>>

You may like to know there is nothing wrong in living your life as a single person. This though does not mean spending your entire life alone. It can involve helping and assisting others and guiding people down a pathway that is positive. Something you can focus on without a wife and children, with a focus on your Godly duties and helping others. You can also experience love in so many ways. It doesn't just involve having a wife or some sort of lust in the bedroom.

"In terms of making loved ones happy, it should be your presence that does that, not expensive gifts or holidays. True love doesn't involve giving items that are material and nor should we send a message that it involves such an activity. A church priest/pastor is there to be a role model to others and if they are nothing much more than a clone of everyone else, then I am not fully sure what their exact role actually is."

It doesn't matter how much sun shines out of my backside in a kids eyes,
whether you play and connect with them, tell lies about everything when they're little and make them cack themselves laughing all the time.

Like it or not, the world is materialistic.
And it's not necessarily about being materialistic, but of the kids you love not feeling like they came up short with the cards life dealt them.

Of course they want to pinch mums fone and play games, then have their own ipad, then they want to places, experience things, next they want to play roblox with their friends, and your shelling out for in-game purchases, then you're buying all sorts of junk off Temu, and they want an iphone etc. etc. and it all costs money.

You want to be the one to tell them they don't deserve to have what the other kids have?
No kid wants to not have what the other kids have.
Not even the most perfect children who ask for little and never complain.

If you really love them, then it makes you happy to see them happy.
The smile on your face seeing the smile on theirs is all you need.
- And the money is well spent.

"You may like to know there is nothing wrong in living your life as a single person."
- I never said there was anything wrong with being single.

Armchair Critic,

In the Bible it says:

"Those who want to be rich, however, fall into temptation and become ensnared by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. By craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows." From 1 Timothy 6:9-10

So, as a principle, a church pastor or priest should not go against the readings of the Holy Bible. It is meant to be their guiding direction and they should follow it. They should take it as it says.

They should treat its words with respect. There are so many words of meaning in the Bible and a church pastor or priest should be setting a good example for their followers on what pathway to go down. A life based around money is not one of them and nor should it be.

I hopefully one day will see a church pastor or priest who chooses to take nothing from their church or religion, except a basic stipend and maybe a box of food to go through each week and some clothes to wear. They may also be provided a home via a church member or members as churches used to do in previous times, like a church manse or place for the pastor/priest to reside. Some churches I believe still have such places from previous time periods and still use them for such purposes.

Hi Nathan,

Probably the closest to what you see as ideal, are traditional Buddhist Monks who totally rely on the generosity of the community for sustenance as they travel around the country. Buddha extolled his disciples not spend more than 3 days in any persons house as it could be too great an imposition upon the people.

who totally rely on the generosity of the community for sustenance as they travel around the country
Paul1405,
Now there's a principle for those who don't have any allegiance to Australia yet live here & promote dark ages ideology even to the point of exploiting the term racism to achieve this Nation's downfall ! All in the name of religion !

The Dalai Lama does not have a salary because he is a Buddhist monk and his monastery provides for his basic needs like food, housing, and clothing. All monetary donations made to him go to charity and the monastery, which uses the funds to operate and support its charitable work.
No salary or personal finances: As a monk, he does not receive a salary, own personal finances, or have personal possessions beyond what is needed for his religious practice and daily life.

Catholic Church in Australia:
While there is no single salary figure for all bishops in Australia, diocesan bishops' minimum recommended stipends are projected to be around $82,464.74 from January 1, 2026. Bishops also receive benefits like housing, a travel allowance, and superannuation contributions, which can significantly increase their total compensation.

BTW: The Pope does not receive any direct payment.

Claiming not getting paid whilst receiving everything you need is in itself corruption or at the least a severe example of parasitism .