Articles on Staffing

Whether you have a staff of 3, 30 or 300, your staff leads the way in growing the church in your community. Having the “right people on the bus, in the right seats” is important for the health of your staff and church. Are you treating your staff right and helping them grow in their abilities and spiritual walk?

Teacher Salaries

March 18th, 2024|Comments Off on Teacher Salaries

Hey Fletch—Why do you utilize teacher compensation data for comparison data? I don’t necessarily believe they are compensated very well on average. Fletch—Some folks don’t think teachers are paid a fair and living wage. [...]

Avoiding Succession Sins (or Potholes)

March 18th, 2024|Comments Off on Avoiding Succession Sins (or Potholes)

What has changed since Covid on Pastor Succession? What are the biggest mistakes and traps that do-it-yourselfers in this process tend to make? The webinar will address these topics and: How a church can [...]

Compensation: A How-to from the Salary Guru

January 22nd, 2024|Comments Off on Compensation: A How-to from the Salary Guru

Fletch knows church salaries! He will walk you and Mike through how to set compensation for your church staff. This will feature the just released Salary Forecaster 2025. The Forecaster is free and has [...]

Is There Life After Ministry?

January 8th, 2024|Comments Off on Is There Life After Ministry?

Helping Staff Transition To What's Next A question that lingers in the hallways of church offices and in the hearts of some pastors is, "Is there life after vocational ministry?" We know ministry work [...]

5 Ways to Protect Against Being a Bad Boss

October 12th, 2023|Comments Off on 5 Ways to Protect Against Being a Bad Boss

There was a recent study that showed that two Walgreens stores had completely different success metrics and employee retention even though they were close to each other, had the same clientele, had the same [...]

Is There Life After Vocational Ministry?

October 12th, 2023|Comments Off on Is There Life After Vocational Ministry?

When I was a pastor, I would have days where I thought I was the luckiest person on earth. Standing in front of a couple renewing their wedding vows, preaching a message I was [...]

Sabbaticals—Sayonara or Siesta?

July 25th, 2023|Comments Off on Sabbaticals—Sayonara or Siesta?

Leading a church can be a 24/7 role. Even when taking a regular day off, stress can accumulate over the months. Many churches have instituted sabbatical policies to help their key leaders get needed [...]

The Two Biggest “Misses” in DIY Senior Pastor Succession Plans

June 5th, 2023|Comments Off on The Two Biggest “Misses” in DIY Senior Pastor Succession Plans

Pathbreaker Pastors and their churches deserve to see ministry momentum multiplied through a planned pastor succession process. Sadly, that rarely happens with churches and pastors that do it themselves. Why is that? Dave Travis [...]

An Important Ingredient in the Hiring Process

May 22nd, 2023|Comments Off on An Important Ingredient in the Hiring Process

Long before I entertained the idea of being on staff at a large church, I was asked by our Executive Pastor to go to dinner with a candidate for our open Children’s Pastor position. [...]

The Power of a Restorative Sabbatical

March 9th, 2023|Comments Off on The Power of a Restorative Sabbatical

Pastor, could God use a sabbatical to re-energize your passion, realign you with His direction for you and your church, and restore your soul towards sustainability in the next season of serving? Let me [...]

This is the Perfect Season to Add a Residency

January 27th, 2023|Comments Off on This is the Perfect Season to Add a Residency

When resources are tight, and getting tighter, it could be the perfect time to add a residency to your staff team. Residency is a two year ramp towards full time employment that gives you [...]

Managing Creatives

January 23rd, 2023|Comments Off on Managing Creatives

Creative types are leaving the church. Many feel overworked, burned out or had unrealistic demands. The creative person is essential for your church and has a huge role to play in Christ’s kingdom. Some [...]

Marketplace Team or Ministry Family?

December 1st, 2022|Comments Off on Marketplace Team or Ministry Family?

If you knew there was someone out there who could tell you your future, wouldn’t you want them to tell you? In my book Transitioning Well, I give a glimpse into a possible future and [...]

Residency Programs in Churches

November 15th, 2022|Comments Off on Residency Programs in Churches

As a church leader, you might have a clear vision of your church’s next steps. Do you have the team that will help you get through those steps and each level beyond? Maybe you [...]

Senior Pastor Smart Succession

September 14th, 2022|Comments Off on Senior Pastor Smart Succession

Lots of Senior and Lead Pastors are thinking about succession. In the next five years, pivotal leadership in your church could change. How you approach a succession can be the difference between sailing on [...]

3 Job Description Misses that Might Cost You

August 11th, 2022|Comments Off on 3 Job Description Misses that Might Cost You

How accurate are your employees’ job descriptions? Most places I’ve worked might present a job description during the application process, but by the time the employee is one year in, their responsibilities have morphed [...]

The ROI Of Employee Engagement

August 9th, 2022|Comments Off on The ROI Of Employee Engagement

A New Way To Measure Your People Development Efforts According to Gallup’s recent State of the Global Workplace report, 85% of employees are disengaged in their work. But how do we measure improving that alarming [...]

Working Remotely Challenges

July 15th, 2022|Comments Off on Working Remotely Challenges

Apple’s director of machine learning (Artificial Intelligence), Ian Goodfellow, resigned from his role just four years after joining Apple and returned to Google. Why? In his email to his team he said the change [...]

Insights on Compensation & Inflation

June 29th, 2022|Comments Off on Insights on Compensation & Inflation

Compensation has a huge question mark this year. With inflation and a changing economy, churches are wondering how to pay their staff. Tune in to learn about new high-level data that ChurchSalary has to [...]

Are Furry Coworkers in Your Future?

June 23rd, 2022|Comments Off on Are Furry Coworkers in Your Future?

Normal working conditions changed considerably in the past few years. I’m not sure we would have envisioned executives in pajamas from the waist down with a cat in their lap and kids running through the [...]

Taxable Sabbatical Expenses

June 9th, 2022|Comments Off on Taxable Sabbatical Expenses

Hey Fletch ... Our elders developed a sabbatical policy that provides our pastors with benefits that includes normal salary and benefits. There is additional pay for activities like meeting with mentors, studying, developing relationships [...]

5 Things Great Teams Do Consistently

April 3rd, 2022|Comments Off on 5 Things Great Teams Do Consistently

What separates the good teams from the great teams? Everyone has different opinions, but Holly and her team at Leadr have done the research and have found the 5 things that every great team does [...]

Hiring In 2022 & Beyond

March 23rd, 2022|Comments Off on Hiring In 2022 & Beyond

Attracting Top Talent With Flexible Staffing Solutions Hiring takes an average 36 to 42 days from an application submission to the first day on the job. The gig economy, and other unconventional hiring methods, [...]

Marijuana, Edibles and CBD Policy

March 9th, 2022|Comments Off on Marijuana, Edibles and CBD Policy

Hey Fletch … Should our church have a policy on the use of cannabidiol or CBD oil? Our Lead Pastor is concerned about this. This stuff is legal in our state. We have a [...]

Org Charts that Work

March 3rd, 2022|Comments Off on Org Charts that Work

Designing an Organization Chart that Aligns, Empowers, and Unlocks Your Team Building a team that is aligned and achieving mission together is one of the greatest joys of leadership. How do you effectively design [...]

How Not to Take on Undelegated Responsibility

February 26th, 2022|Comments Off on How Not to Take on Undelegated Responsibility

Some personality types, like mine, simply love taking on a challenge and taking on responsibility. It comes naturally, especially for leaders. Taking responsibility is a good virtue and it is celebrated in every sphere [...]

Burnout in Your Church: Recognize the Signs

February 18th, 2022|Comments Off on Burnout in Your Church: Recognize the Signs

As someone who has been burned out, I know it’s not a question of if your staff is experiencing burnout, but how many of them are already burnt out. Most people have no clue. [...]

A Rule of Life for Executive Pastors in 2022

December 28th, 2021|Comments Off on A Rule of Life for Executive Pastors in 2022

As I write this, it’s less than three weeks until 2022. Budgets are, by and large, complete. The staff Christmas party is right around the corner. Staff members are wrapping up the last of [...]

I’m a Controlling Pastor

October 26th, 2021|Comments Off on I’m a Controlling Pastor

The following is an anonymous article from a pastor. It could be from a senior or executive pastor, or a pastor who leads a department. No solutions are given to working with a controlling [...]

When We Let Staff Members Go

September 17th, 2021|Comments Off on When We Let Staff Members Go

What Is Ours to Do When We Let Staff Members Go? A blanket of sadness covered the office that Thursday as we waited anxiously to know whose names would be called. It was eerily [...]

Finance Director Role Description

September 15th, 2021|Comments Off on Finance Director Role Description

Enjoy this sample role description for a Finance Director. Note that it has percentages of time for each area. Always include percentages so that everyone is aware of time expectations. When doing an annual [...]

Mosaic Employee Handbook

August 27th, 2021|Comments Off on Mosaic Employee Handbook

Mosaic, a Jesus-centered community of Littleton, Colorado, developed an excellent Employee Handbook. With their permission, we are sharing their thorough work. Use it as a sample only. Consult an HR professional to get specifics [...]

The Great Resignation … and What To Do About It

August 26th, 2021|Comments Off on The Great Resignation … and What To Do About It

Back in May, we started a discussion with William Vanderbloemen. At that time, he said: We’re calling 2021 'The Great Covid Churn.' Now, that churn has expanded into what is being called The Great Resignation. This [...]

Board Fires Pastor

August 23rd, 2021|Comments Off on Board Fires Pastor

The line from the Apollo 13 movie comes to mind: Houston, we have a problem. Many high-profile minister failings can be traced back to the board not holding the senior pastor accountable. This isn't just [...]

Balance Before Burnout

August 22nd, 2021|Comments Off on Balance Before Burnout

Dealing with Significant Church Issues Covid is the current stress factor for pastors. At day 584 and counting, it has brought many pastors to burnout, more than any other event in our lives. This [...]

4 Ways To Avoid Burnout

July 19th, 2021|Comments Off on 4 Ways To Avoid Burnout

Are you ready to trust—and relax? Because to avoid burnout, you need to encourage your church employees to pour back into themselves a little each day – while you reinvest in yourself, too – [...]

A Theological Case for Sabbatical Policies

July 19th, 2021|Comments Off on A Theological Case for Sabbatical Policies

Every faith-based organization—especially churches—should set itself apart from its business and government counterparts by putting a sabbatical policy in place not as a perk or a benefit but rather at the heart of its [...]

Hiring in the Post-Pandemic World

July 2nd, 2021|Comments Off on Hiring in the Post-Pandemic World

There is and will be a great deal of turnover in staff positions in the post-pandemic world. What do staff searches look like in this new landscape? Some think that it will be “same [...]

Assessing Ministry Competencies

June 14th, 2021|Comments Off on Assessing Ministry Competencies

The free e-book, Competencies of a Ministry Leader, is for any ministry leader, from the best peak performers to those burned out and needing rest. Wherever you are on that continuum, this assessment will [...]

Helping New Hires Succeed from the Start

June 10th, 2021|Comments Off on Helping New Hires Succeed from the Start

Launch: The First 90 Days When a new hire begins working at your ministry or organization, the first 90 days are a critical time for them to get onboarded and start well. Studies show [...]

Employee Handbook of Christ Community Church

June 1st, 2021|Comments Off on Employee Handbook of Christ Community Church

Sue McKinney is the Executive Director of Christ Community Church of Milpitas California. She is also a student in the XPastor courses. While taking 101—Staffing, she worked on the church's Employee Handbook. In the [...]

Mosaic Church Selected Job Descriptions

May 27th, 2021|Comments Off on Mosaic Church Selected Job Descriptions

Kirk Morgan is the XP of Mosaic: A Jesus Centered Community of Littleton, Colorado. He created some high level job profiles for the staff in his first year as XP. These are perhaps the easiest [...]

Succession Planning & Post-Covid Hiring

April 20th, 2021|Comments Off on Succession Planning & Post-Covid Hiring

We’re calling 2021 “The Great COVID Churn.” Because of the exhaustion, burnout, and uncertainty people have experienced over the last 12 months, Churches are seeing an enormous increase in turnover and hundreds of pastors [...]

Hiring for the Future of the Church

March 30th, 2021|Comments Off on Hiring for the Future of the Church

If going through this recent pandemic has shown us anything, it’s that it’s critical for churches to have an online presence and engage with our online community. Not to mention, engaging digitally can fuel [...]

Ministry vs. Business Resumes

March 12th, 2021|Comments Off on Ministry vs. Business Resumes

Hey Fletch … I have an excellent black and white style business resume but I’m not getting much response. After looking at the Great Resumes on XPastor, I may know why. Are churches really [...]

Code of Conduct

March 10th, 2021|Comments Off on Code of Conduct

Hey Fletch ... We are hiring a part-timer in the tech area. The candidate is a great person, well qualified and a new believer. The issue is that I think he is living with [...]

Bad News Can Be “Bad News”

October 27th, 2020|Comments Off on Bad News Can Be “Bad News”

We’ve all been there. We’ve heard bosses, supervisors and even friends fumble, stumble and ramble when attempting to bring bad or difficult news to someone. Whether it’s a team or an entire company, a [...]

Determining Staff Salaries & Benefits for 2021

September 24th, 2020|Comments Off on Determining Staff Salaries & Benefits for 2021

Fletch, William and Sutton walk through the vital area of church compensation and benefits. In a difficult year, many churches have faced reorgs and/or budget cuts, which means compensation and benefits must be assessed [...]

Internship Applications and Checklist

August 9th, 2020|Comments Off on Internship Applications and Checklist

David Middlebrook talked with Fletch in the webinar, "Federal Courts Adopt Pro-Intern Approach." A question came about applications and checklists for interns. Dave was so kind as to offer to make these documents available. Thanks to [...]

Communications Director, Westover Church in Greensboro, North Carolina, 2,200 in worship

August 7th, 2020|Comments Off on Communications Director, Westover Church in Greensboro, North Carolina, 2,200 in worship

Director, Communications Scope The Communications Director is responsible for leading churchwide communications efforts to both promote and strategically communicate Westover Church vision and ministries AND to creatively draw people to Christ through various media. [...]

Communications Director, Chestnut Ridge Church in Morgantown, West Virginia, 2,500 in worship

August 7th, 2020|Comments Off on Communications Director, Chestnut Ridge Church in Morgantown, West Virginia, 2,500 in worship

Communications Director Time Commitment: Full-time Reports To: Programming Director Summary Responsible for alignment and standardization in communicating the Mission, Vision, Values, and Strategy of the church in various social media, electronic media, print, and [...]

How Churches Can Benefit From The Remote Workforce

May 28th, 2020|Comments Off on How Churches Can Benefit From The Remote Workforce

It's estimated that by the year 2020, 43% of the workforce will be freelance, 60 million people. That’s roughly four times the number in 2015 of 15.5 million. Moreover, businesses and churches are discovering [...]

Modeling Leadership Transition

May 1st, 2020|Comments Off on Modeling Leadership Transition

Leadership transitions are crucial. A successful handoff propels an organization forward in its vision and strategies. Rocky transitions cause multitudes of ongoing issues, from which some organizations never recover. This is true for churches, [...]

New Law Requires Employers to Pay Certain Benefits to Employees

March 25th, 2020|Comments Off on New Law Requires Employers to Pay Certain Benefits to Employees

Michael E. Batts, CPA, is the managing partner of Batts Morrison Wales & Lee, P.A., Certified Public Accountants. Along with partner Michele Wales, CPA, and CPA Kaylyn Varnum, they unpack a complicated new regulation from the [...]

Church Hiring Toolkit

October 22nd, 2019|Comments Off on Church Hiring Toolkit

Tiffany Henning has created a helpful guide in "The Church Hiring Toolkit." She goes from A to Z, with: Carve out position A. Analyze current staffing structure for options and fit B. Describe the [...]

Background Check Blueprint

October 22nd, 2019|Comments Off on Background Check Blueprint

When making personnel decisions including hiring, retention, promotion, and reassignment, employers and organizations sometimes want to consider the backgrounds of volunteers and employees. For example, some organizations might try to find out about the person’s [...]

An HR Professional’s Perspective on Reference Checks

October 22nd, 2019|Comments Off on An HR Professional’s Perspective on Reference Checks

Tiffany Henning is an expert in human resource issues. Henning earned certifications of Professional Human Resource (PHR) and Chartered Retirement Professional Counselor (CRPC). She created a non-profit human resource network called HR Ministry Solutions [...]

Knowing the Health of Your Staff

August 15th, 2019|Comments Off on Knowing the Health of Your Staff

Few staff members feel they can be completely forthright with their superiors concerning “tough situations.” This puts church leadership in a jam. How can leaders know how staff are feeling about their pay, work [...]

How to Have Conversations about Church Salaries

August 15th, 2019|Comments Off on How to Have Conversations about Church Salaries

Conversations about salaries are difficult, but they seem to be even more difficult in the church. Veteran executive pastor David Fletcher has over 35 years of experience with these types of conversations. In this [...]

Questions for Reference Checks

May 15th, 2019|Comments Off on Questions for Reference Checks

Hey Fletch … Are there any limits to the questions we can ask in a reference call? I ask because I used to work for a para-church organization and was involved in hiring a few [...]

Hiring Questions

May 8th, 2019|Comments Off on Hiring Questions

Hey Fletch … I have a question about hiring a new staff member. I am the lead pastor at my church and have never been on this side of the hiring process. I know [...]

Sabbaticals

April 5th, 2019|Comments Off on Sabbaticals

Hey Fletch … After 60 years of our church’s history, 28 years on the pastoral staff, our leadership has granted a 12-week sabbatical for our Senior Pastor. We have the material and suggestions on how [...]

Questions for a Senior Pastor Candidate

April 2nd, 2019|Comments Off on Questions for a Senior Pastor Candidate

Hey Fletch … We have a senior pastor candidate who will be visiting our church this weekend, Thursday-Monday. I am attaching a list of questions that I think the board of elders should ask. Do [...]

Questions for an XP Interview

March 28th, 2019|Comments Off on Questions for an XP Interview

Hey Fletch … I am interviewing for an XP role in a church in another city in Europe. I am part of the shortlist of 3 people. Can you suggest some answers to prepare? DRF—Congratulations [...]

Bullying and Harassment

March 26th, 2019|Comments Off on Bullying and Harassment

Hey Fletch … An article on XPastor mentions a doctoral dissertation by Dr. Art Hunt, I Never Expected This Would Happen To Me. I would be very grateful if you could let me know how [...]

Top 10 Questions Employers Wish They Had Asked

March 8th, 2019|Comments Off on Top 10 Questions Employers Wish They Had Asked

Everyone has regrets, but after a bad hire, those “should have asked” questions pile up quickly! While typically an employer thinks ahead of time what questions they want to ask someone in the interview [...]

Free Church Hiring Toolkit

March 5th, 2019|Comments Off on Free Church Hiring Toolkit

Tiffany Henning, the Chief People Person of HR Ministry Solutions, is making available to the XPastor community her Church Hiring Toolkit. This is an excellent 24 page resource. She says "Afraid of strings attached? [...]

Free E-Book on Smart Succession

February 19th, 2019|Comments Off on Free E-Book on Smart Succession

Dave Travis has a great e-book on Smart Succession. This is available for a free download from this page. Dave successfully steered Leadership Network for many years and now is the Director of Strategic Counsel [...]

Bonuses for Staff

February 11th, 2019|Comments Off on Bonuses for Staff

Monday, February 11, 2019 Hey Fletch … Can you give some thoughts about bonuses for staff? We are toying with the idea and don’t know what to make of it. DRF—There isn’t must hard [...]

Want To Become an XP

January 31st, 2019|Comments Off on Want To Become an XP

Thursday, January 31, 2019 Hey Fletch … I am looking to make a career change and looking for Executive Pastor positions. I was referred to you and thought I'd reach out to see if [...]

XP Residency Program

January 28th, 2019|Comments Off on XP Residency Program

Monday, January 28, 2019 Hey Fletch … I’m looking for a church that could train me as an XP. I’d like to get hands on training about how to be an XP. While I have [...]

Issues with Assistant for a Blind Pastor

January 24th, 2019|Comments Off on Issues with Assistant for a Blind Pastor

Hey Fletch … Our church is processing what I learned at the workshop on Smart Money for Church Salaries. We are trying to come to grips with part-time employees not being able to volunteer [...]

XP Job Description 

January 21st, 2019|Comments Off on XP Job Description 

Hey Fletch … I've been asked to take on the role of XP at our church. Would you be willing to review this job description and provide feedback? DRF—Congratulations on the new role. I’m thrilled [...]

Should Our Church Pay for Passports?

January 16th, 2019|Comments Off on Should Our Church Pay for Passports?

Wednesday, January 16, 2019 Hey Fletch … I’m wondering if you have any guidance around paying for employee’s passport? It's not expressly written that employees have to go on mission trips through the church [...]

Benevolence Gifts for Staff Pastor

December 27th, 2018|Comments Off on Benevolence Gifts for Staff Pastor

Thursday, December 27, 2018 Hey Fletch … How do churches handle Benevolence Fund needs when a staff member is the candidate? The Board is trying to find out how other churches handle benevolence for [...]

PEO to handle Church HR

December 26th, 2018|Comments Off on PEO to handle Church HR

Wednesday, December 26, 2018 Hey Fletch … I recently hired a PEO to handle most of our HR services. On the first two payrolls they issued, they collected federal and state unemployment tax. Historically, [...]

Resume for a New Job

December 18th, 2018|Comments Off on Resume for a New Job

Tuesday, December 18, 2018 Hey Fletch … I am currently the executive pastor and will be transitioning away from this church at the end of this month. I wanted to share my resume with you [...]

Maximum Contributions in Affordable Care Act?

December 15th, 2018|Comments Off on Maximum Contributions in Affordable Care Act?

Saturday, December 15, 2018 Hey Fletch … Our church requires any employee who uses our health insurance to pay part of the premium. I heard somewhere that there is a maximum that we can charge. [...]

Volunteer Hours for Emergency Relief

December 11th, 2018|Comments Off on Volunteer Hours for Emergency Relief

Tuesday, December 11, 2018 Hey Fletch … I’m wondering if our non-exempt staff can put in extra hours during an emergency. Do they have to be paid for this? I found this online as it [...]

Not a Pastor, Can I Lead a Wedding?

December 10th, 2018|Comments Off on Not a Pastor, Can I Lead a Wedding?

Hey Fletch … What does the Bible say about who can perform a wedding? Are they any state or federal laws on it? I’m asking because I’ve been asked to do a friend’s wedding but [...]

Two Jobs Pending

December 8th, 2018|Comments Off on Two Jobs Pending

Saturday, December 8, 2018 Hey Fletch … Believe it or not, there are two churches that have offered me jobs. One is still getting the offer letter together and I have the offer from the [...]

Is the Associate Pastor Title Still Used?

December 3rd, 2018|Comments Off on Is the Associate Pastor Title Still Used?

Monday, December 3, 2018 Hey Fletch … At the SoCal Smart Money for Church Salaries workshop, I noticed that the title Associate Pastor did not come up. You mostly mentioned the titles of SP, [...]

Data on Health Benefits for Pastors

December 1st, 2018|Comments Off on Data on Health Benefits for Pastors

Saturday, December 1, 2018 Hey Fletch … I read your column from Monday, October 22, 2018 on “Poll of Church Health Insurance Benefits.” As you have looked into this, were you able to find [...]

Asking for a Raise

November 28th, 2018|Comments Off on Asking for a Raise

Wednesday, November 28, 2018 Hey Fletch … I’m in the process of asking for a raise. However I do not know what is appropriate for my job title, years of experience and location. I [...]

House Down Payment for Pastors

November 21st, 2018|Comments Off on House Down Payment for Pastors

Wednesday, November 21, 2018 Hey Fletch … I was at the Smart Money for Church Salaries workshop in Washington DC. Michael Martin from the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability suggested I ask you a [...]

The Role of Care Pastors

November 20th, 2018|Comments Off on The Role of Care Pastors

Hey Fletch … I want to ask you about the structuring of our adult care ministry. We are a church of two campuses, with our main campus having 3,000 people per weekend. We care/minister to [...]

Excessive Compensation

November 16th, 2018|Comments Off on Excessive Compensation

Friday, November 16, 2018 Hey Fletch … When it comes to excess/unreasonable compensation, is this something to monitor on a per employee basis or an overall budget basis? I had someone tell me that the [...]

Looking for Nine Years for a Ministry Position

November 15th, 2018|Comments Off on Looking for Nine Years for a Ministry Position

Thursday, November 15, 2018 Hey Fletch … What if one has been looking for nine years and submitted resumes to over fifty different churches with very few interviews. What should I do? DRF—I’m sorry to [...]

Paid Time for Classes

November 10th, 2018|Comments Off on Paid Time for Classes

Saturday, November 10, 2018 Hey Fletch … If a church requires its ministry staff to attend a course, such as a discipleship class, after hours, 3 hours a week for 12 weeks, is the church [...]

Free Webinar: I Have Salary Data—Now What?

November 9th, 2018|Comments Off on Free Webinar: I Have Salary Data—Now What?

Pastors get swamped by the tedious amount of salary information now available online. Just a few years ago, there was little data available. The challenge now is sorting through the best information for your [...]

Are Preschool Teachers Exempt Employees?

November 5th, 2018|Comments Off on Are Preschool Teachers Exempt Employees?

Monday, November 5 Hey Fletch … Our church has a preschool with part-time teachers. We have been treating them as exempt employees, as they are teachers. They don’t get paid for working after hours, home [...]

Not Reporting All Hours on a Time Card

October 30th, 2018|Comments Off on Not Reporting All Hours on a Time Card

Tuesday, October 30, 2018 Hey Fletch … I hope your ongoing national workshop tour with Smart Money for Church Salaries is going well. I have a question for my church. We have a part-time [...]

Cancel the Job Posting

October 29th, 2018|Comments Off on Cancel the Job Posting

Monday, October, 29, 2018 Hey Fletch … We need to cancel our job posting on XPastor. We placed a job on XPastor for a three month period. Exactly three months to the date, we [...]

Interim Pastors

October 27th, 2018|Comments Off on Interim Pastors

Saturday, October 27, 2018 Hey Fletch … I am an intentional interim pastor working with Interim Pastor Ministries. In the past 7 years, I have served 4 different churches, 3 of which had their [...]

Preparing for a Senior Pastor Resignation

October 24th, 2018|Comments Off on Preparing for a Senior Pastor Resignation

One day, you may have the conversation. This is one of those ultimate conversations in your ministry life. It may come out of the blue. You may have some signs it is coming. You [...]

Mandatory Sexual Harassment Prevention Training Update

October 24th, 2018|Comments Off on Mandatory Sexual Harassment Prevention Training Update

California has recently updated the requirements for sexual harassment prevention training. Your state may have similar regulations. The bottom line---train all staff. Tiffany Henning at HR Ministry Solutions, XPastor's go-to resource for HR information, [...]

I Didn’t Get the Job

October 20th, 2018|Comments Off on I Didn’t Get the Job

Saturday, October 20, 2018 Hey Fletch … The church decided to go with an XP from a really large church. So, I didn’t get the job. Do you have any thoughts for me as [...]

How to Determine a Salary at a New Church

October 18th, 2018|Comments Off on How to Determine a Salary at a New Church

Thursday, October 18, 2018 Hey Fletch … I am currently a pastor and am up for a new position at another church. I am going to have another interview with the Finance Committee soon [...]

Policy on Allegations of Staff Misconduct

October 15th, 2018|Comments Off on Policy on Allegations of Staff Misconduct

Monday, October 15, 2018 Hey Fletch … I am doing research to update our policy manual and personnel handbook. What policies can you point me to that pertain to allegations toward a staff person about [...]

Pastor Doing Outside Consulting Work

October 10th, 2018|Comments Off on Pastor Doing Outside Consulting Work

Wednesday, October 10, 2018 Hey Fletch … Do you have any articles that deal with pastors doing freelance work? This might be coaching or consulting that is outside of their formal church work. How does [...]

Gifts for Retiring Staff

October 8th, 2018|Comments Off on Gifts for Retiring Staff

Monday, October 8, 2018 Hey Fletch … We have had some long tenured staff who are going to retire. With previous people who have retired, we have awarded gifts in varying amounts from $3,000-$5,000 [...]

Hiring an African-American XP

October 6th, 2018|Comments Off on Hiring an African-American XP

Saturday, October 6, 2018 Hey Fletch … I’m a Senior Pastor and we are looking for a proficient African-American XP. We don't know where to go to find good candidates. Can you help? DRF—It is [...]

Thoughts About Moving On

October 5th, 2018|Comments Off on Thoughts About Moving On

Hey Fletch … I have been feeling that I should move on from this senior pastor position. I’m not a pushy person. But to stay, I will have to be quite forceful with several leaders. [...]

Church Hired Someone Else

October 2nd, 2018|Comments Off on Church Hired Someone Else

Tuesday, October 2, 2018 Hey Fletch … After a long process, I learned that the church is not going to hire me as the XP. The are hiring someone else. The church wants to [...]

3.5% Raises Every Year

September 28th, 2018|Comments Off on 3.5% Raises Every Year

Friday, September 28, 2018 Hey Fletch … Our church has been giving annual raises every year for a long, long time. They are 3.5% for every staff person. The thinking is that everyone is [...]

Supervising a Friend

September 27th, 2018|Comments Off on Supervising a Friend

Thursday, September 27, 2018 Hey Fletch … I have a dilemma. It’s a strange problem and I’m struggling with it. As the XP, I am both a close friend and supervisor to a staff [...]

Plan for a New Hire 

September 24th, 2018|Comments Off on Plan for a New Hire 

Monday, September 24, 2018 Hey Fletch … As a Senior Pastor of a new and growing church, I have a staff member leaving. The role is the 10 hour a week, director of the [...]

When to Apply for an XP Position?

September 22nd, 2018|Comments Off on When to Apply for an XP Position?

Saturday, September 22, 2018 Hey Fletch … I am looking to improve and learn additional skills to become an XP. In the mean time, is it appropriate to apply for an XP position? DRF—I [...]

Comparing Benefit Costs

September 21st, 2018|Comments Off on Comparing Benefit Costs

Friday, September 21, 2018 Hey Fletch … In prepping for a personnel committee meeting next week, the question arose as to the way we cover health insurance for our employees. We currently pay 100% [...]

360 Reviews for Senior Pastors

September 19th, 2018|Comments Off on 360 Reviews for Senior Pastors

Wednesday, September 19, 2018 Hey Fletch … Do you have any experience or connection with a church that has employed a 360 type evaluation of the Senior Pastor? DRF—While I have done 360 reviews, [...]

How to Become a Pastor

September 18th, 2018|Comments Off on How to Become a Pastor

Tuesday, September 18, 2018 Hey Fletch … I am becoming more and more interested in becoming a pastor. I am not sure what the best route would be. What do you advise? DRF—This is [...]

My Resume

September 17th, 2018|Comments Off on My Resume

Monday, September 17, 2018 Hey Fletch … I’d like to become an XP. Could you take a look at my resume and give me some thoughts? DRF—I would be pleased to review your resume. [...]

Questions for a First Interview

September 15th, 2018|Comments Off on Questions for a First Interview

Saturday, September 15, 2018 Hey Fletch … Hey I have a first interview for a position on Friday. Any tips? What kind of preparation should I do? What questions should I ask them? DRF—Before I [...]

Who is Exempt on the Church Staff?

September 8th, 2018|Comments Off on Who is Exempt on the Church Staff?

Saturday, September 8, 2018 Hey Fletch … I am confused about exempt and nonexempt employees. My understanding is that an employee paid an hourly rate is not exempt. Are there exceptions? I’m under the impression [...]

5 HR Myths that Can Self Destruct Your Ministry

September 8th, 2018|Comments Off on 5 HR Myths that Can Self Destruct Your Ministry

You heard the calling. You received the commission. You found the location. Your team is now gathered and serving the community, and God is moving in amazing ways! But then, you receive another call. [...]

Reviewing the Senior Pastor

September 3rd, 2018|Comments Off on Reviewing the Senior Pastor

Monday, September 3, 2018 Hey Fletch … Can you point me to resources Boards may use for setting up a system to evaluate the Senior Pastor? DRF—The best place to start when considering a review [...]

Senior Pastor Just Resigned

August 30th, 2018|Comments Off on Senior Pastor Just Resigned

Thursday, August 30, 2018 Hey Fletch … I just resigned as Senior Pastor. Unfortunately the situation here has become unworkable. The most caring choice I can make is to move on to give a chance [...]

HR Functions in a Church Database

August 25th, 2018|Comments Off on HR Functions in a Church Database

Saturday, August 25, 2018 Hey Fletch … I have a guy who has asked about HR functions and their integration with software like Church Community Builder. Do you know of processes for reviews, strategic [...]

Need Help on Developing a Salary Matrix

August 15th, 2018|Comments Off on Need Help on Developing a Salary Matrix

Wednesday, August 15, 2018 Hey Fletch … We are developing a salary matrix where each tier of employment has ranges from low to max. I have been working on this, but wanted to know [...]

HR Policies

August 14th, 2018|Comments Off on HR Policies

Tuesday, August 14, 2018 Hey Fletch … Do you have toolbox of what are the most essential Human Resources policies to have? DRF—That’s a big question. Unfortunately, there are many policies that a church [...]

Fletch and Monty Kelso Talk on Retirement Income

August 14th, 2018|Comments Off on Fletch and Monty Kelso Talk on Retirement Income

Fletch and Monty Kelso shared a conversation about salaries and retirement. Monty is the President of SlingShot Group. Slingshot guides churches with staff searches and helps many with compensation issues. Fletch and Monty took [...]

Template for Job Descriptions

August 13th, 2018|Comments Off on Template for Job Descriptions

Monday, August 13, 2018 Hey Fletch … Do you have a resource or a template for writing job descriptions? DRF—In churches there are three types of job descriptions. They can all look fairly similar, [...]

Pastor Buying a House in an Expensive Location

August 11th, 2018|Comments Off on Pastor Buying a House in an Expensive Location

Saturday, August 11, 2018 Hey Fletch … I’m really looking forward to the Smart Money for Church Salaries workshop! Perhaps you’ll cover this there, but can you share insight into how churches in affluent [...]

Staff Evaluations

August 6th, 2018|Comments Off on Staff Evaluations

Monday, August 6, 2018 Hey Fletch …    I am a new XP to the church I serve and staff evaluations are coming up. My previous experiences at churches are either too formal (a graded [...]

How Important is the Leader of Evangelism?

August 2nd, 2018|Comments Off on How Important is the Leader of Evangelism?

Thursday, August 2, 2018 Hey Fletch … How important is the leader of evangelism? What are the top three areas that the leader should be driven to succeed? DRF—There are many titles for people who [...]

Health Cost-Sharing Ministries

July 31st, 2018|Comments Off on Health Cost-Sharing Ministries

Tuesday, July 31, 2018 Hey Fletch … I have a question about rising medical costs for employers. There are several Christian-based health cost-sharing ministries, such as MediShare, Christian Healthcare Ministries, and Samaritan Ministries. On [...]

Pastor Told to Retire at Age 65

July 20th, 2018|Comments Off on Pastor Told to Retire at Age 65

Friday, July 20, 2018 Hey Fletch … I just got out of a meeting with my XP. He told me that the church has a policy that pastors have to retire at age 65. [...]

Hiring a Care Pastor

July 19th, 2018|Comments Off on Hiring a Care Pastor

Thursday, July 19, 2018 Hey Fletch … I was in a class of yours in the Doctor of Ministry program at Dallas Seminary. As Senior Pastor of our church, we’re hiring a care minister. [...]

Giving a Pastor a Sign-on Bonus?

July 14th, 2018|Comments Off on Giving a Pastor a Sign-on Bonus?

Saturday, July 14, 2018 Hey Fletch … We are paying a pastor a sign-on bonus that has filed their 4361 and at the same time has a W4 with the church. What is the church’s responsibility [...]

Is My Resume Top-Notch?

July 12th, 2018|Comments Off on Is My Resume Top-Notch?

Thursday, July 12, 2018 Hey Fletch … I have been in management for over 25 years and now feel God’s call to move into an Executive Pastor position. I would like your help with making [...]

Are Employment Applications Necessary for Churches?

July 11th, 2018|Comments Off on Are Employment Applications Necessary for Churches?

Wednesday, July 11, 2018 Hey Fletch! We are a small but growing church that typically hires from within our own membership. We are considering adding an employment application but don't know where to begin. [...]

My Boss Wants Me Out

July 9th, 2018|Comments Off on My Boss Wants Me Out

Monday, July 9, 2018 Hey Fletch … My boss wants me out. She came into my office last week and essentially said “You are done here.” What should I do? DRF—Often there is a [...]

Thinking about Applying for an XP Position

July 6th, 2018|Comments Off on Thinking about Applying for an XP Position

Friday, July 6, 2018 Hey Fletch … I was thinking about applying for the open XP role at our church. Then I found out the church quickly and quietly hired an insider. Is this typical? [...]

How Do Pastors Pay Federal Tax?

July 4th, 2018|Comments Off on How Do Pastors Pay Federal Tax?

Wednesday, July 4, 2018 Hey Fletch … I’m new to working in a church and think that our business office got my taxes wrong. They said that federal law requires the church, as the [...]

Time Cards for Pastors

June 29th, 2018|Comments Off on Time Cards for Pastors

Friday, June 29, 2018 Hey Fletch … Are my people working hard enough? Should we use time-cards for pastors? DRF—This is similar to yesterday’s question about administrative assistants. People work incredibly hard when they have [...]

How Do You Treat Administrative Assistants?

June 28th, 2018|Comments Off on How Do You Treat Administrative Assistants?

Thursday, June 28, 2018 Hey Fletch … How do you treat administrative assistants? DRF—Sometimes email is remarkably incomplete. There must be a huge story behind your question. Let me share a couple of thoughts [...]

Worship Leader Resume and Reel

June 26th, 2018|Comments Off on Worship Leader Resume and Reel

Tuesday, June 26, 2018 Hey Fletch … I’m beginning to write the script for my worship reel. What do you think are the most important things to hit on in that video. What subjects [...]

What Others Say About Smart Money for Church Salaries

June 23rd, 2018|Comments Off on What Others Say About Smart Money for Church Salaries

Dan Busby President of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability Establishing a fair and legally compliant compensation structure for your church is critical—and it won’t happen by accident! The new, one-day [...]

Senior Pastor Is Going to Burn Out Soon

June 22nd, 2018|Comments Off on Senior Pastor Is Going to Burn Out Soon

Friday, June 22, 2018 Hey Fletch … Thank you for checking back on us. Our lead pastor is an amazing preacher and leader. However, we all fear he does too much. He is micromanaging the [...]

ECFA Podcast with Fletch on Salaries

June 20th, 2018|Comments Off on ECFA Podcast with Fletch on Salaries

The Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability recently said, "XPastor to the Rescue with Church Salary Workshops." Compensation can be a murky issue for churches. Few resources are available that are both approachable and accurate. Michael [...]

Big Announcement at Meeting’s End

June 19th, 2018|Comments Off on Big Announcement at Meeting’s End

Tuesday, June 19, 2018 Hey Fletch … I met with our volunteer drummer last night. We talked for an hour about life and ministry. At the end of the time, just as we were about [...]

Thursday is Think Time

May 25th, 2018|Comments Off on Thursday is Think Time

Friday, May 25, 2018 Hey Fletch … I have all Thursday called #NMT (No Meeting Thursday) and set it aside to do just that. I only do strategic planning. I don’t do any other [...]

Pay Staff to not Take Health Insurance

May 23rd, 2018|Comments Off on Pay Staff to not Take Health Insurance

Wednesday, May 23, 2018 Hey Fletch … Thanks again for such a great XP-Seminar. It is truly run with excellence and is so helpful to me. Here’s a quick question for you or whoever [...]

XPastor Course Syllabus

May 16th, 2018|Comments Off on XPastor Course Syllabus

Wednesday, May 16, 2018 Hey Fletch … is there a syllabus available for the XPastor Staffing Course, Operations 101? I took your Generosity Course and enjoyed it! DRF—I’m so glad that you enjoyed the [...]

Part-Time Pastor Ready to Burn Out

May 12th, 2018|Comments Off on Part-Time Pastor Ready to Burn Out

Saturday, May 12, 2018 Hey Fletch … I’m a church planter. We have a part-time pastor on our staff. Her husband makes a good living and we would love to pay her more. However, [...]

Compensation Survey Data

May 10th, 2018|Comments Off on Compensation Survey Data

Thursday, May 10, 2018 Hey Fletch … I noticed that some of the data in XPastor’s Compensation Survey seems dated. I'm sure if you made a plea to all the XP viewers they would [...]

Worship Pastor Salaries

May 9th, 2018|Comments Off on Worship Pastor Salaries

Wednesday, May 9, 2018 Hey Fletch … Do you have any data on salaries for worship pastors or music directors? I’m interested in both full and part time. DRF—There are a number of sources [...]

Leading Through a Senior Pastor Transition

May 7th, 2018|Comments Off on Leading Through a Senior Pastor Transition

Monday, May 7, 2018 Hey Fletch … Just wanted to say thanks for this XPastor.org article: Leading Through A Senior Pastor Transition. DRF—Chuck Olson, one of the XPastor Community, wrote that article. I’m so [...]

Key Salaries in a Church

May 5th, 2018|Comments Off on Key Salaries in a Church

Saturday, May 5 Hey Fletch … Where should I email the compensation survey questionnaire I filled out for you? DRF—XPastor has a Compensation Guide available for $49. You can get a $15 discount if [...]

Paying Teenagers at Church

May 4th, 2018|Comments Off on Paying Teenagers at Church

Friday, May 4 Hey Fletch … Quick question for you. What is the best way to pay teenage minors who do occasional child care work for the church?  DRF—Whether they are occasional or not, [...]

Can I Use the Online Employee Handbooks?

May 1st, 2018|Comments Off on Can I Use the Online Employee Handbooks?

Tuesday, May 1, 2018 Hey Fletch … Is it ok if I use the employee handbooks on XPastor to create my own? I didn't see anything that states they are copyright protected, but wanted [...]

Sample Church Employment Application

April 21st, 2018|Comments Off on Sample Church Employment Application

Churches have asked for sample Employment Applications. Use this as a basis for your own application form. XPastor supplies this information for education purposes only. Consult an attorney or labor specialist to determine the [...]

Hiring Church Staff

April 20th, 2018|Comments Off on Hiring Church Staff

Friday, April 20, 2018 Hey Fletch … Here in Nigeria I have a question. I would like to know if there are templates on church staff recruitment decision making … like a decision grid. [...]

Key Selection Criteria for Hiring an XP

April 9th, 2018|Comments Off on Key Selection Criteria for Hiring an XP

Monday, April 9, 2018 Hey Fletch … I am just working to word up some Key Selection Criteria and interview questions to present and get signed off so we can move to advertise the [...]

I’m a Paid, Professional Christian

April 3rd, 2018|Comments Off on I’m a Paid, Professional Christian

Tuesday, April 3, 2018 Hey Fletch … I feel like I’m a paid, professional Christian. I work in a church as a pastor and it is feeling like a job. The joy is begging [...]

Ministry Jobs & ‘Seminary School’

March 23rd, 2018|Comments Off on Ministry Jobs & ‘Seminary School’

Friday, March 23, 2018 Hey Fletch … Seems it is quite hard to find a job at a church unless you have gone to Seminary school. I live in Austin, Texas. Is there a [...]

One Size Fits All Retirement Plan

March 17th, 2018|Comments Off on One Size Fits All Retirement Plan

Saturday, March 17, 2018 Hey Fletch … My question is regarding retirement and employer contributions. We've had a one size fits all approach but now our staff has grown in numbers and levels of [...]

Four-Wall Discussions

March 7th, 2018|Comments Off on Four-Wall Discussions

Wednesday, March 7, 2018 Hey Fletch … I’ve heard you use the term “four wall discussions.” Could you define that for me? DRF—I call certain meetings “four-wall discussions” to signify that what is said [...]

Scaling Wages As the Church Grows

March 5th, 2018|Comments Off on Scaling Wages As the Church Grows

Monday, March 5, 2018 Hey Fletch … I’m in a small church with a few part-time paid staff. We are hoping to grow them into full-time positions over the next 2 years, plus expand [...]

Validating Information About Staffing

February 28th, 2018|Comments Off on Validating Information About Staffing

Wednesday, February 28, 2018 Hey Doc … I’m in XPastor’s class on Staffing. The class is going well! Most is fairly straightforward and there are nuggets of insight that I am able to pull [...]

Evaluating Senior Pastor Salaries

February 24th, 2018|Comments Off on Evaluating Senior Pastor Salaries

Saturday, February 24, 2018 Hey Fletch … I’m using the XPastor Compensation Survey. We are beginning the process of hiring a Senior Pastor and the Board is wanting to evaluate all salaries. We have [...]

Expediting an Unpaid to Paid Staff Role

February 22nd, 2018|Comments Off on Expediting an Unpaid to Paid Staff Role

Thursday, February 22, 2018 Hey David … I will become an Assistant Pastor within three months. Initially, this will be an unpaid position. It will become paid once the church can afford me. How [...]

HR Policy and Best Practices

February 20th, 2018|Comments Off on HR Policy and Best Practices

Tuesday, February 20, 2018 Hey Doc … Our church isn’t of a size to yet need an HR person on staff. Yet, I need help on HR policy and best practices. Our state has [...]

Lifetime Salary from a Church

February 16th, 2018|Comments Off on Lifetime Salary from a Church

February 16, 2018 Hey Fletch … A guy just told me that he has a lifetime salary from his church. What are your thoughts about that kind of retirement plan? DRF—In a GuideStone presentation [...]