Another Getting Paid Thread...

[cw4u]

I hate to post another thread like this in here but here it goes.

I've been wondering whether or not I should ask to receive some amount of compensation for my services.

I started working in our media ministry about 5 years ago just doing minimal stuff. But, somehow in those 5 years, my role has expanded to: Network Systems Admin, Podcast/Webcast Manager, Web Site SEO, Video Production, (Editing large performances for TV, creating 30 sec commercials, creating new member DVDs) Video Maintenance, Purchasing Advice, Lighting Director, Broadcast Audio Operator, and Tech Director for Student Ministry.

I usually end up coming in on Monday and Friday from 1-5 and Wednesday from 1-9 and usually spend about 8-10 hours on Sundays at church. On any given week I'm working between 20-30 hours. I'm also taking 19 credit hours at college and do IT consultation for businesses and residences on the side to supply me with some money.

I love what I do but there is a part of me saying that I'm doing a lot more than most volunteers are expected to do and as long as I keep on doing it, they'll keep on expecting it.

Any ideas out there?

[tdangelo]

Originally Posted by cw4u

I've been wondering whether or not I should ask to receive some amount of compensation for my services.... Any ideas out there?

Dereck,

If for the sake of argument we take the same exact circumstances but change the job description it may help you look at your current situation from a new perspective.

Let’s assume that someone started coming to your church five years ago, started working in your nursery just doing minimal stuff. But somehow over the course of those years their volunteer responsibilities grew to greeting new attendees, ushering, visiting infirmed members at their homes, counseling, hosting a home bible study and serving at a homeless shelter.

This person could easily look back on their week and say, “these tasks took 20-30 hours, it’s like a part-time job and I am not being compensated.” “Maybe I should be on-staff at the church?”

I think the first question I would have for this person would be, “you sure are busy …” “but are you doing what you should be doing.” “Maybe you are taking on responsibilities that you shouldn’t be?” Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” He also said, “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." The point here is not how much or little you are doing. It has everything to do with how you perceive this service. “Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” Your time is the same as your money. Are you cheerful about your service?

I would suggest that if you feel burdened and weary or if you feel that your ministry responsibilities are too great there is something else wrong. Maybe you are doing too much … or focusing on the wrong things, or too many things.

Secondly, I think the best justification for moving from unpaid volunteer service to a paid freelance or staff position is that such compensation would allow you to free even more time for even more service. Well, if you are already weary and burdened this could make a bad situation very much worse.

I think the best thing about being a volunteer is that without monetary compensation you are “storing up treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.” You also have the freedom to say, “I am doing too much,” or “I am going to concentrate myself here, and not there.”

I would encourage you to speak to whoever is the ministry leader above you. Maybe the result will be that one door closes as a better one opens.

[Arlin]

Tom said about exactly what I was thinking, but much more eloquently that I ever could.

I sometimes feel the same way (I started small, and it seems I keep doing more and more), but I approach it as part of my service and giving.

I think often about going on paid staff, but if I (or someone else) were to ever do that, my goal would be to become a volunteer manager/leader and not do any real 'work.' Actually, that is a goal of mine even now as a our head tech volunteer. I want to build a volunteer team that has the chance to use their gifts, talents, time, and even money to grow spiritually just as I have.
BUT, it is really hard for me to give up that control. I like running the sound board and doing the 'work.' I can usually do it better and faster than anyone else. But I need to let go and let someone else grow too.
We just started a Bible study around "Life's Healing Choices" and the first chapter applies REALLY well.

[cw4u]

Thanks for your response.

I honestly just wish I could get some money for gas because a lot of times I have to make a stop by church on days I least expect it. For instance, today a staff member couldn't get on our church managment software so I had to make a stop by and fix it. And as usually happens, I ended up ordering some new projectors, talking with our OCE copier guy about driver issues, and instsalling some new wireless equipment. My 15 minute trip turned into a 3 hour one.

I'm going to talk with our media ministry staff member POC about the media ministry stuff. The IT stuff is still all me though. I'm grateful that our maintenance department can take care of all of my wiring needs. That is sometimes a huge burden alone. I'm hoping I'll find some people to do support desk type work and just leave me with server level problems.

I'm not really wanting to get paid a ton of money but a mileage reimbursment check wouldn't be so bad.

[Paris MkVI]

Much good and Godly is spoken above.

Derek, I hear you striving and struggling to manage a great variety of responsibilities.

What I do not hear is whether you have a call to leadership. That is not a criticism - only an observation.

It seems your leadership should - and would - want you to be building teams of servants in these disciplines. I firmly believe in ministry that is my job to work, train and give away my job. I must give away my knowledge gifts and abilities to others. I must always be looking for my replacement, and making it possible for them to replace me, so God can move me to a new, probably uncomfortable position in which to grow me.

Are you given authority by your leadership to train and support others to go along with all this responsibility? If so, pray for God to send them to you and actively seek these people! They will want to serve!

If you do not have this authority, then authority and responsibility have been separated. This is unhealthy, and will lead to disappointment, burnout, communications breakdown, and likely, your departure, thinking, "This is not how church was supposed to be."

Perhaps it is time to go to the person who leads you - your covering in your church family - and let them know you will eventually begin to fail if you continue this workload. Whether we fail in our ability or not, we all eventually fail in our desire when things in our lives get out of balance. Let them know you need to talk about and understand the plan for a year from now, five years from now, and where leadership imagines things being ten years from now.

If those questions cannot be answered, it is time for a searching season of prayer to seek God's will for those answers. You need more information from within to settle this uncertainty in your heart, brother.

There's a lot of if-then statements in my unpacking of things above. If my "if's" are wrong, feel free to disregard "then". Without detailed information about everything going on, I can only presume some things. All of it is intended to be helpful, not critical of your situation. You are priceless in the eyes of the Savior, and I will agree with you in prayer for His desire!

[[Admin] osborn4]

I started backing off other things for exactly that reason. Although I could website and membership database design and network work, I've stepped away and others, more talented in those areas, are doing those things.

I just create graphics and run the projector a couple of times a month. It's where I feel most strongly called.

Not only am I less burnt out, others are getting the blessing of being used in God's service as well.

[EmilBarnabas]

At some point you have to say, "I'm sorry but I can't come over today to help. Here is the phone number of someone you can hire to do that."

[samchuck]

Interesting read....

I am definately overworked and heavliy burdened. I am the tech ministry ay my church and do not get paid. My "job" continues to grow and the hours I spend at the church sometimes get out of hand. But.... I do not think they will ever pay me. Thing is, is that stuff needs to be done and we do not have anyone else willing or able to do it.

[Gracetech]

...just to add to the thread.

Something is wrong if you are working these kinds of hours and no one has approached you and expressed their concern or offered compensation of some sort. Just recently i offered compensation to one of my volunteers that has been putting in just 7 hours a week. The reason being is that he is a volunteer and his spiritual health and time is very important to me. I want to let him know that his week to week time is valued.

In the end he declined the compensation. I let him know that i was working hard to raise up more volunteers to take the load off of him, so as not to burn him out. His reply was "there's no hurry, i love this".

One of the biggest concerns of mine is that someone in my ministry will get burned out and have a bad taste about the church. At all cost i guard against this.

I hope you find solace in this situation.

crt

[rjwalker]

Originally Posted by samchuck

Thing is, is that stuff needs to be done and we do not have anyone else willing or able to do it.

Is this "job" meeting your spiritual needs and helping to create God's kingdom here on earth?

God will provide for your church's needs, either by way of another tireless volunteer [I edited out another word which started withe 'suc' and ended with 'ker'] and or a recognition that "the worker deserves his wages."

"7 Stay there, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house."

A line of various possible interpretations....

One might even go so far as wonder what it means to be welcomed:

"8 “When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is offered to you. 9 Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ 10 But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say, 11 ‘Even the dust of your town we wipe from our feet as a warning to you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God has come near.’ 12 I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town."

= = = =
Maybe I'm wrong, but it seems to me that answering a calling is sometimes smooth sailing, and sometimes one is driven by God's storm. Being driven by God's and being driven by some skinflint church committee are two very different things, however.