Becoming a member of a church

Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I have recently started going to the services at a nearby church. The pastor spoke to me last time and asked me to come to talk to him about becoming a member. What does becoming a member entail? Am I expected to start tithing or contributing otherwise financially? At what point am I expected to become a member or stop going? FWIW I'm contribute generously to the collection every time, but I am not sure yet if I want to continue going long-term and become a member.


Yes, part of being a member entails financially contributing. I'd meet with him and tell him your issues and/or tell him the next time that he speaks with you, I assume after services.

As far as I know, you never have to "stop going" but I can understand the pastor's curiosity.


Not every church makes members financially contribute or tithe. No church I have ever attended has asked me for money.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:When you say pastor, do you mean like Catholic or like a giant “nondenominational” Christian church where clergy don’t have actual divinity degrees? Responses will vary based on that answer.


Maybe yours didn’t? All of mine had at least one divinity degree.


In non-denominational churches pastors can just invent themselves - be filled with the spirit. No advanced degree necessary. As long as they can build a congregation, they can rake in the dough.


I don’t know where you get this from. Every pastor at my nondenominational church has at least one degree. It’s a requirement.

Maybe you’re thinking about charismatic churches?


+1


Average: The average pastor salary is around $60,902 per year.

Median: The median pastor salary is $58,920.

Salary Ranges:
The bottom 10% of pastors make $35,400 or less annually.

The top 10% of pastors make $96,600 or more.

According to Indeed, the average pastor has a salary of $51,371 in the United States.

What dough are you speaking of?
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:When you say pastor, do you mean like Catholic or like a giant “nondenominational” Christian church where clergy don’t have actual divinity degrees? Responses will vary based on that answer.


Maybe yours didn’t? All of mine had at least one divinity degree.


In non-denominational churches pastors can just invent themselves - be filled with the spirit. No advanced degree necessary. As long as they can build a congregation, they can rake in the dough.


I don’t know where you get this from. Every pastor at my nondenominational church has at least one degree. It’s a requirement.

Maybe you’re thinking about charismatic churches?


+1


Average: The average pastor salary is around $60,902 per year.

Median: The median pastor salary is $58,920.

Salary Ranges:
The bottom 10% of pastors make $35,400 or less annually.

The top 10% of pastors make $96,600 or more.

According to Indeed, the average pastor has a salary of $51,371 in the United States.

What dough are you speaking of?


Please provide reputable links to your information about pastor salaries.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:When you say pastor, do you mean like Catholic or like a giant “nondenominational” Christian church where clergy don’t have actual divinity degrees? Responses will vary based on that answer.


Maybe yours didn’t? All of mine had at least one divinity degree.


In non-denominational churches pastors can just invent themselves - be filled with the spirit. No advanced degree necessary. As long as they can build a congregation, they can rake in the dough.


I don’t know where you get this from. Every pastor at my nondenominational church has at least one degree. It’s a requirement.

Maybe you’re thinking about charismatic churches?


+1


Average: The average pastor salary is around $60,902 per year.

Median: The median pastor salary is $58,920.

Salary Ranges:
The bottom 10% of pastors make $35,400 or less annually.

The top 10% of pastors make $96,600 or more.

According to Indeed, the average pastor has a salary of $51,371 in the United States.

What dough are you speaking of?


Please provide reputable links to your information about pastor salaries.


NP, but you are also welcome to post your reputable links.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:When you say pastor, do you mean like Catholic or like a giant “nondenominational” Christian church where clergy don’t have actual divinity degrees? Responses will vary based on that answer.


Maybe yours didn’t? All of mine had at least one divinity degree.


In non-denominational churches pastors can just invent themselves - be filled with the spirit. No advanced degree necessary. As long as they can build a congregation, they can rake in the dough.


I don’t know where you get this from. Every pastor at my nondenominational church has at least one degree. It’s a requirement.

Maybe you’re thinking about charismatic churches?


+1


Average: The average pastor salary is around $60,902 per year.

Median: The median pastor salary is $58,920.

Salary Ranges:
The bottom 10% of pastors make $35,400 or less annually.

The top 10% of pastors make $96,600 or more.

According to Indeed, the average pastor has a salary of $51,371 in the United States.

What dough are you speaking of?


Please provide reputable links to your information about pastor salaries.


NP. These numbers seem about right, based on the churches I’ve been a member of.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:When you say pastor, do you mean like Catholic or like a giant “nondenominational” Christian church where clergy don’t have actual divinity degrees? Responses will vary based on that answer.


Maybe yours didn’t? All of mine had at least one divinity degree.


In non-denominational churches pastors can just invent themselves - be filled with the spirit. No advanced degree necessary. As long as they can build a congregation, they can rake in the dough.


I don’t know where you get this from. Every pastor at my nondenominational church has at least one degree. It’s a requirement.

Maybe you’re thinking about charismatic churches?


+1


Average: The average pastor salary is around $60,902 per year.

Median: The median pastor salary is $58,920.

Salary Ranges:
The bottom 10% of pastors make $35,400 or less annually.

The top 10% of pastors make $96,600 or more.

According to Indeed, the average pastor has a salary of $51,371 in the United States.

What dough are you speaking of?


Please provide reputable links to your information about pastor salaries.


NP, but you are also welcome to post your reputable links.


If no claims are made, no reputable links are needed.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:When you say pastor, do you mean like Catholic or like a giant “nondenominational” Christian church where clergy don’t have actual divinity degrees? Responses will vary based on that answer.


Maybe yours didn’t? All of mine had at least one divinity degree.


In non-denominational churches pastors can just invent themselves - be filled with the spirit. No advanced degree necessary. As long as they can build a congregation, they can rake in the dough.


I don’t know where you get this from. Every pastor at my nondenominational church has at least one degree. It’s a requirement.

Maybe you’re thinking about charismatic churches?


+1


Average: The average pastor salary is around $60,902 per year.

Median: The median pastor salary is $58,920.

Salary Ranges:
The bottom 10% of pastors make $35,400 or less annually.

The top 10% of pastors make $96,600 or more.

According to Indeed, the average pastor has a salary of $51,371 in the United States.

What dough are you speaking of?


Please provide reputable links to your information about pastor salaries.


NP, but you are also welcome to post your reputable links.


If no claims are made, no reputable links are needed.


Another NP. You claimed pastors don't need degrees and just take the dough. Both parts of that statement need to be supported. Enough BS.
Anonymous
google pastor salary, simple.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:When you say pastor, do you mean like Catholic or like a giant “nondenominational” Christian church where clergy don’t have actual divinity degrees? Responses will vary based on that answer.


Maybe yours didn’t? All of mine had at least one divinity degree.


In non-denominational churches pastors can just invent themselves - be filled with the spirit. No advanced degree necessary. As long as they can build a congregation, they can rake in the dough.


Have you ever heard of the phrase: “Poor as a church mouse?”

https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/be-as-poor-as-a-church-mouse
Anonymous
Some individual churches, regardless of independent or some denomination, care about how many people are official members. When that is the case, the pastor(s) sometimes try to get people to become official members.

We attend a church regularly, and we donate to that church, but are not official members. If we felt pressured about this, we probably would just silently move on. There are lots of churches nearby. I do not think God really cares which church one attends.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:Some individual churches, regardless of independent or some denomination, care about how many people are official members. When that is the case, the pastor(s) sometimes try to get people to become official members.

We attend a church regularly, and we donate to that church, but are not official members. If we felt pressured about this, we probably would just silently move on. There are lots of churches nearby. I do not think God really cares which church one attends.


God may not care, but the Church Hierarchy does. Numbers are important.
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