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.

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."

At the same time, however, it's critical to the survey respondents that a leadership team demonstrates management skill as well as personal integrity. Both are critically important.

The survey indicated that staff members want to be part of a growing church that's making an impact for the kingdom. They want to like the culture and values of their church, feel they are part of a well-managed organization, and be directly involved in planning and executing the ministry plan.

When staff members believe in their heart their church is making an impact in the
lives of those who attend, they draw significance and a sense of satisfaction from those results.

It's an interesting point given that often leaders are chosen not for their management skills, but rather for their talents in music ministry, youth ministry, etc. In these situations, fostering a healthy church culture may require some kind of intervention and training.

Culture Counts
Enter industrial/organizational psychologists. Can today's churches really benefit from the services of these professionals? Absolutely.

The truth is that today's church staffing model and culture is dramatically different from the model many people grew up with that included only a pastor and secretary. The demands and the dynamics are different. It's not usual today to find churches with 100-500 employees.

In addition, there are higher expectations today for the behavior of coworkers in a church setting of any size. There's an expectation that because people are working in a church, spiritual fruit will be more abundant, and relationships with co-workers more joyous and harmonious.

However, without intentional effort to create a healthy culture, poor internal staff cultures can grow quickly, potentially impacting the church's ministry, and ultimate witness in the community.

Satisfied Senior Leaders
What about senior leaders? What drives their satisfaction at work?

High Impact Church

  I recommend my friends worship here
  Last year, we improved for the better
  Diversity of backgrounds, styles and ideas are valued

Rewarding Job

  I have fun at work
  I receive recognition for doing a good job

Compensation

  Top performers are effectively rewarded
  I am paid fairly


According to the survey, senior leaders are influenced by many of the same factors, with one notable exception: they tend to place a higher value on compensation and financial recognition.

Age and experience could be the differentiating factors here. Often lower-level staff positions are filled by younger people with less experience. As they get older, these same individuals may begin to feel the financial pressures of supporting a family.
 
What's more, after spending several years "in the trenches," they may be a little more desirous of recognition--both financial and otherwise.

You can learn more about the results of the Best Christian Workplaces survey on Leadership Network's website.


Al Lopus is the president and cofounder of the Best Christian Workplaces Institute. Colleen Pepper assisted in the editorial development of this article.

Lencioni, Patrick, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team  (Jossey-Bass: 2002), pages 188-9.