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At Antioch Community Church--a growing congregation of more than 2,000 in Waco, Texas--every staff member on the church's full-time payroll makes the same $40,000-a-year base salary, or roughly what a teacher makes in the community.
With that kind of compensation, it's doubtful any of Antioch's staff members are in it for the money. But as a recent survey finds, few people in ministry are, even in churches with a more traditional salary structure.
In fact, among the 1,900 staff members from 14 large churches who participated in the Best Christian Workplaces survey (data collected from 2005-2007), fair pay was the least important factor influencing their satisfaction or commitment at work. Instead, character and competence of the leadership team topped the list.
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Character counts in ministry, whatever your vantage point. As in the pews, staff members are weary of pastors who don't walk their talk. They want to see their leaders striving to live like Jesus day in and day out. It's not that they have to be perfect, but they need to be real. According to the survey, |
staff members are looking to their leaders to behave with authenticity, transparency and humility.
Best-selling author Patrick Lencioni diagnoses that "when there is an absence of trust it stems from a leader's unwillingness to be vulnerable with the group." Likewise, "leaders who are not genuinely open with one another about their mistakes and weaknesses make it impossible to build a foundation of trust."
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Entrepreneurs as Big Donors
Entrepreneurs are among the most generous donors in the U.S., giving 25% more on average to charitable causes than other wealthy people, according to a Bank of America report.
Christianity Leads World Religions
Among the world's 6.7 billion population in 2008, 2.2 billion identify with Christianity (Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox and other), 1.4 billion are Muslim, 0.9 billion are Hindu, and 0.4 billion are Buddhist, and only 15 million (0.015 billion) are Jewish, according to International Bulletin of Missionary Research Vol. 32.
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U.S. Adds One Every 13 Seconds
The 1/1/08 population of America was projected to be 303,146,284—up 2,842,103 or 0.9% from 1/1/07. In January '08, the U.S. is expected to register 1 birth every 8 seconds and 1 death every 11 seconds. International migration will 1 be person every 30 seconds. The net result: a total US population increase of 1 person every 13 seconds. (U.S. and World Population Clock 12/31/07) |
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2008 Salary Survey
The 2008 Salary Survey is now underway! This report is our most popular download by far, and participants help shape the perceptions of thousands of churches.
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Visit Leadership Network Advance Archives for valuable information on a variety of ministry topics, including the links to recent issues listed below. Select VIEW ARCHIVES LIST for the full list of Advance archives.
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