SBC Voices

LifeWay, Guidestone, and the state conventions do a compensation study of SBC pastors and staff. The numbers in it come from self-reporting by churches and church staff. Here's the way Baptist Press reported the 2022 results: SBC pastor pay stuck at same level since 2018  It's a good article. Read it. Here's another way to look at the pay of SBC Senior Pastors who are the largest respondents to the survey: Average SBC Senior Pastor pay package approaches $100,000 That's right, brethren (and there are no sistren who are SBC senior pastors) - The average pay for Senior Pastors is … [Read more...] about Average SBC Senior Pastor pay package approaches $100,000 or how inflation is the real pastor killer

My wife, Vera, recently walked into my home office with two pictures in her hand, and asked me, concerning one of them, “Who is this?” To which I responded, “I don’t know.” I then asked her, “where did you get the picture?” Holding an envelope in her hand she responded, “From this envelope, cleaning out a box on the back porch.” She then handed me the envelope; and the first thing I noticed was my father’s handwriting on the outside of the envelope, where he had written, “Dwight” and “Rev. West.” I then took another look at the picture and told my wife, “That’s Ralph West.” The reason neither … [Read more...] about PICTURES CAPTURE MEMORIES by William Dwight McKissic, Sr.

There he or she stands, waving their arms at a bunch of people holding books and singing. Maybe they are all dressed alike. Maybe there's a solo part. Maybe there are musicians. Maybe the music is piped in. The congregation watches. Maybe they are thrilled. Maybe they are bored. Question for the ecclesiastical expoits: Is not having a choir a thing these days? The churches I pastored all had choirs. If I had attempted to replace the choir with any kind of alternative band, praise team, permanent ensemble, barbershop quartet or whatever, that would have gotten me a quick ticket to … [Read more...] about The death of the church choir

During my long years of ministry, I have, for the most part, observed the so-called Billy Graham Rule. I wasn't legalistic about it, but I used it as a general guideline. It was considered a ministry mandate in my early days of ministry, as if it were written on a third stone tablet from Sinai. I remember a seminary professor, way back in the 70s, telling our all-male class, Men, there are many problems that will hinder your ministry. There are two that will destroy it - money and women. Don't mess around with either. As I shush the downhill slope of my ministry, I see the wisdom of that … [Read more...] about The “Billy Graham Rule” – Biblical Mandate or Sexist Relic?

Yesterday, I finished a 17-year ministry at Southern Hills Baptist Church. We had a great day with our highest attendance in a long time. We celebrated the Lord’s Supper after I did what I’d done week after week, Sunday after Sunday, since August 28, 2005 – preach a text of Scripture. After church, we had a potluck dinner, enjoyed a warm fellowship, and member after member expressed their love, their sorrow we were leaving, and their prayers for our future. We received a basket of cards with some generous gifts and messages that made my wife cry. It was a wonderful way to wrap things … [Read more...] about We Need to Stop Applauding Fallen Pastors