Church Bookkeeping

Working for a Church (Roles, Salary & What to Expect)

Working for a church is not something most of us dream of as a career choice. In most cases, people aren’t even aware that churches have career options besides secretarial roles. However, according to recent data, the average annual pay for a church employee is $43,185. 

You’d be surprised to know that churches are full-fledged businesses and offer people career choices they never even dreamed of. People prosper in roles like graphic designers, music directors, accountants, etc. Plus, given the statistics above, the average hourly pay is approximately $20.76. Not a bad gig, huh?

This way, not only will you be working in a role that pays well, but you’ll be among like-minded individuals in a place that is like a second home to you. With rising technologies, churches even have church management software, such as ChMeetings, that makes task delegation, data exchange, staff communication, event management, and goal tracking a piece of cake!

If you want to learn what’s it like to work in a church, the benefits, and the career options available, then continue reading! 

5 Roles in a Church You Can Pursue

If you’ve decided to kickstart your career in the church, there are countless job opportunities for you! Here’s a list of five career options in a church.

1- Music director

Average salary: $30,797 per year

Here’s a job that surprises everyone! So many people think a job in a church would be tedious, but after reading the job requirements of a music director, we won’t blame you if you rush over to apply!

The role of a music director is to lead a choir and worship music ministry. They’re also responsible for planning and organizing all the music and media to be utilized during worship services. As a director, they’re also in charge of the music program’s budget. 

2- Receptionist

Average salary: $40,949 per year 

A receptionist is vital for any church. As this is a front-of-house position, they’re ensuring the smooth running of the administrative tasks. At a church, a receptionist is responsible for answering phone calls, managing the front desk, and, if need be, typing documents. 

3- Pastor

Average salary: $42,586

Arguably, one of the most critical positions in a church, a pastor is the captain of the ship who leads the congregants and is a symbol of hope and faith for them. 

The responsibilities of a pastor include preparing sermons, guiding and counseling church members, preaching during services, and explaining the biblical scripture to the church members. 

4- Custodian

Average salary: $23,540

Many might overlook a custodian’s job, but without them, the church won’t ever be able to operate smoothly. They are the backbone of the church and ensure all rooms and spaces are in top condition. 

The primary responsibilities of a custodian include cleaning all the buildings and the grounds of the church and performing basic repair services, such as changing the lights, fixing wires, mending ornaments, etc. 

5- Accountant

Average salary: $55,904

The church receives plenty of funding and donations, plus with so many events and charities to organize, someone needs to keep track of all the expenses and cash flow. This is where a church accountant comes in. 

The responsibilities of a church accountant include maintaining the congregation’s financial documents, keeping track of contributions and church spending, and recording all expenses. Creating and managing budget sheets and important documentation isn’t easy and can quickly overwhelm someone. With a management software in place, an accountant can perform their duties better, and there will be less margin for error. 

There are numerous other career options besides these, too, such as church secretary, youth pastor, worship leader, graphic designer, chaplain, office manager, etc. if you have an idea of the kind of job you want but don’t know where to apply for it, Indeed, Glassdoor, and LinkedIn and great websites to browse! 

Benefits of Working in a Church

Like any other corporate job, the church offers its staff numerous work benefits too. While these benefits vary depending on the state and the church, in most cases, you can expect paid time off, insurance, employee assistance programs, numerous discounts, and much more. 

Other than these, here are some additional advantages of working in a church that you probably won’t have elsewhere:

You can pray with your co-workers

Nothing feels as good as turning to the Lord during difficult moments and stressful periods of your life. Of course, there’s no shortage of stress during work, so how amazing is it that you can pray alongside your employees whenever you’re about to make a difficult decision, require guidance, or just pray for the health and wellness of anyone you know. A bonding like this, you won’t get anywhere else. 

As the Bible says, “For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.” – (Matthew 18:20) 

Employee review is more than just job performance

We all have mixed feelings about the dreaded employee review; for some, it’s the means to promotion, while for others, it’s highlighting their shortcomings and areas where they can improve. This is done very differently in a Church.

Staff reviews focus on one’s character and how they’re performing inside and outside the church; if they’re following the teachings of the Bible and doing their best to be more like Jesus. This not only builds honesty, integrity, and character that improves the quality of your work but also serves as guidelines on ways to better your life outside of work. 

Your work is directly impacting the Kingdom 

Even if we’re not working in the church, we try our best to be model Christians. However, the work we do in the corporate field has a time limit; all the goods and services are temporary. This is different in the ministry, where your work is for the eternal. 

There is no greater joy in this world than to work in the ministryーthere’s a lot of pressure and expectations, but the results make it all worth it.

ChMeetings Benefits Both The Church and its Employees

Not only is the number of religious people increasing, Christianity, in particular, has a growth rate of  1.17%, with almost 2.56 billion people identifying as Christians. Since more and more people are turning to Christianity, it’s expected that people seeking jobs in the church will rise. 

With the changing trends and rapid technological advancements, the church has to keep up to ensure all employees are content in the workplace and their needs are being met. One way to do this is to invest in church management software. This will improve your communication channels, reduce friction in task delegation, improve event management, and much more. 

ChMeetings is here to help you grow and enhance the workplace culture. With your employees happy, the church will perform at its best. For more resources and questions related to pricing, get in touch with us today!

Share this post