Should College Ministers raise their own salaries?
I posted on Facebook recently that I had talked with two or three people over a couple of days period who had just learned or were frustrated about many Baptist College Ministers having to raise their own salaries. I got an interesting variety of responses to the post.
Some in the deep south are upset that many BCM Campus Ministers are now having to do personal fund raising to provide their own salaries. Those are in states where Baptists are strong and in the past these positions were salaried. Now some positions have been eliminated or in some places the BCM Campus Ministers are required to raise a percentage of their salary.
One well wired Campus Minister said in his state it had been a plus. He indicated it was a plus because they have been able to grow their college ministry staffs by the fact that many more could serve by raising their own funding.
There are a variety of sides to this issue.
1. Some Baptist State Conventions do not allow their College Ministers to do fund raising for fear that will subtract from the money given to the over-all Southern Baptist Funding called the Cooperative Program. So, they are not allowed to enlarge their staff through individual fund raising.
2. One gentlemen I did not know responded to my post that had been shared by a friend to say that his son and daughter-in-law were doing it in working for a non-denominational college ministry and he thought it was just fine. They were recent college graduates with no children. There is part of the issue....younger adults with no children. As College Ministers age and they have families and those children begin to grow up, they require braces, etc. Then, they go to college. Financial requirements for a single person or newly married couple right out of college are different than a couple in their forties and fifties with two children in high school or college. I won't even raise the issue of money being put aside for retirement. The staff of many non-denominational ministries that raise their own salaries often serve 3-5 years and then go on to what is next. That is not a bad model, just not what I think is the best overall model.
3. We need long serving College Ministers with experience and the ability to organize staff, work with alumni, pastors, and to mentor our newer College Ministers. It is no coincidence that larger college ministries are most often led by long serving veterans. One campus with which I am familiar had two non-denominational ministries close down because their younger staff members left and there was no one to take their places. It is my understanding that each raised their own salaries.
4. Constant turnover in leadership is one of the killers of a college ministry. We need long serving permanent college ministry staffs to continue to maintain and grow ministries..
5. Why are cuts being made and College Ministers being asked to raise all or part of their salaries? First, money being given to churches and then on to state-wide Baptist Conventions is either declining or staying pretty level and everything costs more. Second, I believe (this is just me) that as they have to make cuts, it is easier to cut College Ministers positions because they get less immediate pushback. The pain and result of those cuts will not be felt until a few years from now.
6. There is a trend to say that college ministry should be done by local churches. This comes as a result of some high profile church college ministries that are large and doing a really good job. Here is the problem.....when you track the numbers, there are not many of those type ministries and not a lot of churches that can put the resources and staff (sometimes 3-4 full time and 5 to 10 Intern/part time positions) to have these kinds of college ministries.
7. Some who raise their own salaries say it is a plus because they can focus on college ministry....not doing "denominational chores".
What is the solution? There is no magic bullet one answer solution. Here are some options.
1. If all college ministry alumni would give a little money every year, that would go a long way. And, remember, some College Ministers are not asking because they are not allowed to ask. Spreading the word about the need helps those that cannot say anything.
2. We must have more long range vision that knows there is no way cutting back on college and young adult ministry is not going to bite us in the years to come.
3. Those of us who believe in the value and necessity of college ministry must speak up and speak out to those in denominational and church life that have sway and make decisions.
4. Don't forget to pray! Pray for College Ministers you know. Encourage them. Pray for denominational leaders making hard money decisions.
Arliss Dickerson's book, A College Ministry Success Formula, is available at Amazon.com/dp/B091F5S1RF.
