Comments on: Volunteer Church Webmasters Should Quit

By: Niagara Region Church Web-padawan

Niagara Region Church Web-padawan — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 23:53:39 +0000

My wife and I have had several discussions about this, and she’s been opening my eyes to the importance of paying people who serve the church. Paul the apostle quotes the Mosaic law by saying, “‘Don’t muzzle an ox while it treads the grain’ and ‘A worker is worthy of his pay’” (1 Tim 5:18). How much is someone’s work worth? Some volunteering is to show up for an hour and do something. I’ve seen the ladies in our church put in hours and hours of shopping, prepping, cutting, serving and cleaning time. Isn’t their time worth something? How about volunteer Sunday school teachers? I know it is dificult for smaller churches to be able to pay everyone adequately, but even something helps. I’m beginning to believe that if churches invest in these different areas by paying key people, they will get a return on their investment.

As far as our church website goes, I just stepped into the role as a volunteer. I’m just learning to do websites. I’m thankful for having the opportunity to have a website on the internet! For me to charge my church to me is like charging a professor for the homework I hand in. Hopefully I can get to the point of putting this to work and getting clients.

Until then, if you have any comments or advice on our site, let me know. Or if you having to be in St. Catharines, or even the Niagara Region, stop by our church. Our info is at http://www.bethelstcatharines.com.

By: Tammy

Tammy — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 19:09:52 +0000

I approach my “job” as church webmaster as a ministry. I am paid, because the church leaders do recognize the importance of the website. They want to move our church into the 21st century. I don’t get paid a lot. I am paid for two hours of work a week, but what they don’t know is that I “work” a lot more than that, doing research and teaching myself how to create a good website. I do see myself as a marketer for our church as well. I can’t contribute financially to my church as I would like, I do so with my time.

By: susan

susan — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 17:59:10 +0000

This whole topic is about the dumbest thing I have ever heard!! Sunday School teachers do not ge paid. Ushers and Greeters do not get paid. So cause you are high tech you arrogantly think you are SPECIAL and what you do is above what everone else does? Do you pay for the toilet paper you use when you go there? The Bibe say’s if you want to be great in His kingdom learn to be the servant of all… do we pop a quarter to the guy who opens the door for your wife? tip the person who wiped your babies bottom? It’s the least we can do is use our gifts for the body..whatever that gift is,as the word teaches! If you do not want to do it.. and you feel talked into it.. that’s your fault.. don’t do it then.. say no. Obligation is not a good reason to serve. Appreciation for our own salvation is. But don’t go around telling people what they should or should not do in service to the kingdom and the Lord. Whoever supports this entire theory is bitter and needs to re evaluate why they serve, who they are in Christ..ditch religion and get a real relationship with a God that you find a PRIVILEGE to serve… Cause He gav his ALL for each of us!!! I serve in many areas.. I have all my life.. and when I don’t have time or whatever.. I say no. simple as that! Someone may throw away you web work but if it was done unto the Lord, your reward is in heaven… I would rather have that than a twenty slapped in my hand!!! We are not hirlings…we are servants!

By: Simon

Simon — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 03:51:31 +0000

If your church leader is willing to forego his salary then I am willing to forgo the payment for the work I do for the church. If no one gets paid fine, but as soon as you start paying one you need to value everyone’s work.
There is no such thing a spiritual and secular. Personally, I believe that there is too much spiritual manipulation that goes on. Things like, “you’re my brother won’t you do it for free?”, or “this is for the Lord”, expecting me to do it for free. I’m a tent-making designer and believe that the Bible clearly teaches that God is no man’s debtor and that the worker is worthy of his higher. This means that anyone providing a service for the church should be treated fairly, and payment should be offered at an honest rate. If the person chooses not to accept it then fine, but they should not be manipulated to be made to feel guilty.
Interestingly, no one has ever said that the church leader should work for free as it’s, “unto the Lord”!.

By: Church Advertising

Church Advertising — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 09:33:27 +0000

I do hate to say it but I have seen what it is like to help a church out with no pay. I always believed if you want to do something for God you should not get paid for it. Then God opened my eyes when I filled in for a church with no pastor for free.
It really is true what they say about what you don’t pay for is not something you care about. Think of David offering to God a sacrifice. He said I will not give to God something that costs me nothing. Even God paid the priests in offerings.
The sad truth is that when someone helps with no cost to another (except in saving a life) the work is really not worth much to anyone. But the real truth of the matter is that we should not be seeking someone to help at no cost to us in the first place. Our hearts desire should be to own no man anything. Even when someone says “I’ll do it for free.” You owe that person.

By: Laura

Laura — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 12:48:19 +0000

I just had a conversation with my pastor about this. I’m a freelance graphic designer and have been serving the church for over a year. Designing everything from ppt backgrounds, series images, web banners, print materials….etc. Recently the church has decided to hire a creative arts director. to put it bluntly, this put a bur under my saddle. I’ve been doing all of this work for free, and now they’re willing to pay someone to do it. When I was brutally honest with my pastor about how slighted I felt, he responded with,”if you call this church body home, then I absolutely expect you to serve with your gifts without seeking compensation.” Hmmm……food for thought and the bur has dug in deeper. Thoughts?

By: reflash

reflash — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 06:42:26 +0000

Just thought that I'd throw my two cents in... I agree with Randall on the Ministry aspects of church web design. I built my church's website many years ago, and then rebuilt it again last year. I don't charge the church a dime for it - it's part of my ministry. Christ calls us all to take up our cross and follow Him. Imagine the what the state of Christianity would be today if Christ charged for His Ministry.

On the rebuild of my church's website, I made it database driven, and got volunteers (also unpaid) to do the upkeep. At this point, there are 3 people doing data entry for the website (and I do some of it, too). It takes about one hour a month for these people to take care of their part.

Our church has had their website for about 5 years, and in that time, I've never been thanked or compensated in any way and only one visitor has said that they found us through the website. But that's not why I did it. It's a ministry.

Christ said in Mat 6:2 "Therefore when you do your merciful deeds, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may have glory from men. Truly I say to you, They have their reward." I'll take God's eternal reward over man's temporary one.

"Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven." Pro 23:5 KJV

By: Randall

Randall — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 09:01:37 +0000

Wow, I can’t believe how many people in this post that are missing the point of what really matters altogether. IF you volunteer to do web development for your church (as I do) you SHOULD do so as a SACRIFICE of your talents to God, not for some monetary reward or superficial pat on the back. If you’re expecting pay for the job then make that clear up front, otherwise don’t complain later. I’ve had my “free” work get scrapped too and I’ve had work that I got paid a lot of money to do get scrapped as well. Both are equally frustrating and I could choose to whine about it or accept the challenge, step up, and try to knock another one out of the park. If you’re looking for appreciation or compensation for your MINISTY…you’ve missed the point of Ministry. Ask your pastor…if he’s honest with you he’ll tell you he feels unappreciated most of the time.

By: stefan

stefan — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 19:10:49 +0000

WOW this is getting very intrested. I think if the church just want an information site, and someone in the church can build it then they could to volenteer there services. However if you web site is a ministry tool that you use often and requires a lot of up keep then they should most likley pay for someone to keep it up to date. I personally oversee our website via a CMS. I do this for free I volenteer about 4 hours a week to do this. I’m not a professional however I do know what I’m doing. If your website volenteer is a professional or a very good amature and he want to be payed pay him. He or she deserves it because its a lot of work. I consider what I do a ministry and an oppertunity to serve my Lord an spread the word. That’s how I feel on the subject.

By: Pam

Pam — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 09:54:10 +0000

Ha ha ha! I enjoyed Chris M’s post. I designed and maintain our church’s website… AND I teach Sunday School… AND I’m one of the “PowerPoint computer guys”!
For me, this (all of it) is a ministry. Maybe the people in my church are different, though, because I gotta tell you, they appreciate the site I designed — they value it — and they let me know. My web design skills are respected, and no one has tried to “ditch” anything I created.
I can speak to the concept of paying musicians, too, since my husband is our worship team’s drummer. The musicians and singers in our church perform because they love God, and to take pay for that would, I think, be an insult. They offer their services as a small gift to God.
Which is how I feel about the website I created for our church. I didn’t do it for me, and I didn’t do it for them. I did it for Christ.