Our church leaders want us (the teachers) to share data on how teachers are compensated / appreciated for their time and effort in different parts of the world. Do you have any shareable data points from your speaking engagements in different places? — G.K.
The Bible says nothing about this, apart from verses like 1 Tim 5:17-18 and Gal 6:6, suggesting it’s good to compensate teachers. Different denominations may have different policies. In my world—the churches and conferences where I have spoken—this is what I have experienced:
- There is no single system in place. So it seems to have been in the world of the New Testament. Elders and evangelists could be compensated—evangelists / itinerant preachers receiving room, board, and (sometimes) travel expenses, elders who served well receiving adequate compensation.
- Some teachers work for the church and receive sufficient salaries; they don't require as much compensation. Others take a loss when compensation is stingy, especially those whose entire income depends on teaching. (This used to be the case with me, though these days I don't usually charge, as the international Bible teaching is on a solid financial footing.)
- In general, the smaller churches are often more generous than the larger ones. (I know, it’s counterintuitive.)
- The more that top-level staff are invested in the teaching ministry (pursuing continuing education for themselves, facilitating exposition of the scriptures, open to change), the more they value teachers—and want them to be reimbursed for their expertise and time.
- Since a teaching day is worth a lot more than, say, 4 hours of classes. When we include the preparation specific to the event, this can easily tally up to 12-20 hours. Factoring in years of study and experience, a good argument can be made for a higher level of compensation.
- So—sorry—I offer only observations, not data points. But, in short, if we want high-quality teaching, we should be prepared to pay for it. After all, generosity and gratitude are Christian virtues.
