So You Want to be a Preacher?<\/a>” Preaching is not an occupation where you make much. If the amount the congregation is providing you is not enough to live on, ask the elders to consider increasing it. If they are unwilling or unable to help you more, then you can ask other congregations that know you if they would help support your work. The other alternative is to work a part-time job to make ends meet. The latter is done by many preachers, including myself. Many years ago, an elderly preacher told me to avoid being dependent on other congregations’ support. Some think that because they are supporting the work, they can decide what should be done and taught. Others will drop their support at the least provocation or budget problem. Over the years, I found his advice to be true.<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Question: Hello! I have a question regarding a pay raise as a preacher. I love the congregation I am with. I have been here for 3 years. I am the full-time minister. There is a part-time one as well. How do you approach the eldership with this? I understand talking about money can be awkward.…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_seo_schema_type":"","footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[20],"tags":[1681,536],"class_list":["post-96214","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-answer","tag-preacher","tag-preaching"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":91347,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/must-a-congregation-support-a-preacher-who-was-hired-by-an-eldership-that-later-dissolved\/","url_meta":{"origin":96214,"position":0},"title":"Must a congregation support a preacher who was hired by an eldership that later dissolved?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"October 17, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Many years ago, an eldership hired a preacher. Upon hiring the new preacher, the eldership promised the preacher a certain amount of pay, pay raises, and other perks. A few years later, the eldership dissolved due to elders moving away, death, etc. From when the preacher was hired many\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":62140,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/when-should-i-share-the-pulpit\/","url_meta":{"origin":96214,"position":1},"title":"When should I share the pulpit?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"August 12, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Greetings to you, sir, I trust you have been doing well with your family. I have this concern bothering me. As a preacher, I understand that at some point I will have to share the pulpit with others, but at what point should that be? I have some who\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":8733,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/what-would-you-tell-an-eldership-who-rejects-a-preacher-because-his-wife-wears-a-head-covering\/","url_meta":{"origin":96214,"position":2},"title":"What would you tell an eldership who rejects a preacher because his wife wears a head covering?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"February 21, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: What would you tell an eldership who thought that it would be divisive to have me as a minister? I mean I don't want to make an issue of it. Shaina my future wife would wear a head covering, but I would not teach something the elders do not\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":22060,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/how-should-a-congregation-go-about-selecting-another-preacher\/","url_meta":{"origin":96214,"position":3},"title":"How should a congregation go about selecting another preacher?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"February 21, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I was wondering if I could get your advice on selecting a pulpit minister. Our minister stepped down due to fleshly and worldly desires, like Demas \"having loved this present world.\" We have an interim minister at this time. We have other ministers who sent resumes but didn't have\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":51459,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/why-churches-should-rethink-their-preachers-salary\/","url_meta":{"origin":96214,"position":4},"title":"Why Churches Should Rethink Their Preacher’s Salary","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"September 22, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"by Wes McAdams via\u00a0Radically Christian The job a preacher does, and the money he takes home seems pretty cut-and-dry to most church members, \"Our preacher 'ministers' to this congregation - he visits the sick, he counsels, he evangelizes, he preaches, he teaches, he writes bulletin articles, and does whatever else\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":96567,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/can-a-congregation-ask-its-preacher-to-step-down\/","url_meta":{"origin":96214,"position":5},"title":"Can a congregation ask its preacher to step down?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"July 11, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Dear Sir, I greet you in the name of Christ, and thanks for all that you do for the church.\u00a0I would like to ask a great question that has been bothering me. Can a congregation tell a preacher to step down from his role because of old age? 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