Music Minister #5 Most stressful job that pays badly...

[travisvwright]

Previous answers.

[klimis]

i think "good" worship leaders are THE most underpaid people.

heres why....HALF of the service is in the hands of the WL! Half of the responsibility as the pastor in some respects.

With responsibility should come compensation.

Churches want worship leaders to create awesome music, environments that draw in people from all walks of life, Pastor the band and grow the congregsation through the ministry, etc....and not pay them even enough to pay their bills.

I guess some would say, "the better you are, the more people will be willing to work with you", which is CORRECT. But if someone if a WL is expected to give their fulll attention to the job, practices, staff meetings, planning events, etc....then they need to paid enough to pay their bills.

OK!!! IM DONE GRIPING!

[Maggievt]

My concern the last year or so is with burn-out. I teach music (for my income) at a public elementary school and I TEACH it, which means I do band, chorus, classes and musicals. This Dec, I was in the middle of getting my elementary musical going (with 125 kids) and rehearsing/presenting the Church Christmas production. I put an average of 20 hours a week in on Worship Music, around an average 50-55 hour week at school (and, for part of last month and all of this month, add in 6-8 hours on Saturdays for the school musical). And, yes, I DO work in the summer - I do theater camps for a chunk of the summer. I DO try to take August off every year, so, I do get some break from young ones. My church is small, my church band is very small, so I really don't feel comfortable taking many Sundays off.

I'm exhausted, even though I love what I am doing.

My church had hoped to be hiring me by now - but, we are so in the hole that, last year, they were able to gift $500 toward the NWLC for my work. This year, the staff took a 10% pay cut and they were not able to do anything for me. Hiring me is not in the forseeable future.

Someday, this is going to catch up with me and I am going to have to do some heavy praying, that is for sure.

[chipshot0701]

I don't recv pay either. but I am rewarded. When its time to relax I just tell everyone that I won't be around for a couple weeks and that they can deal with it all! Always works for me! Instead of "just do it" My motto is sometimes "Done doin it!"

[Maggievt]

Actually I said I was taking a break in Feb around my school break and I am looking forward to it, for sure!

[THEJustinK]

I agree with this.

Being one of the only other people on staff besides the pastor, I am the catch-all guy when it comes to sound, media, janitorial work, etc. So at times, I am very stressed out because I can't focus on music- because that is "Just something you do- it's not difficult"

ha.