What's the "going" rate to pay a church organist?

[diverse379]

I use this as a guide.http://www.agohq.org/home.html

On the page you will see salary guide.

 Be Blessed.

http://www.StarlingSounds.com
http://www.myspace.com/starlingsounds

wow pretty cool site
very formal classical stuff some of those guys would get themselves and their certificaes thrown in their face if they came up to brooklyn.  We have guys who can play the classical and the shoutin gospel at the same time


but i think it is a good overall organization it couldnt hurt to get a certification

[rpking]

The levites who took care of the temple live from the tithes and sacrifices of the people. Singers and musicians were levites.

I concur with Mysteryman and Diverse.  ALL workers of the sanctuary were/are levites, and they ALL got paid.  You can also look at Numbers: 8:6-11, 21; 18:26-30; 25:32, 33;  31:30, 47; Nehemiah 13 and 2 Chronicles 31 for reference.

[Mysteryman]

I think the principle behind the levites and the temple was that the church should take care of each other.

[diverse379]

I think the principle behind the levites and the temple was that the church should take care of each other.

the principle behind the Levites and their connection with the temple was that
the praise leaders and priests needed to be set aside and concentrate on deveiloping their gifts without needing to worry about worldly pursuits
set aside the praisers and let them perfect their gifts

so that they may give god their best efforts not sloppy seconds after you drive a bus all day then want to practice a little when you get home

[Rev.Dr.Bishop]

It is whatever a church can do. Iknow of one musician who earns $1200.00 a week. From a JACK-LEGGED preacher who also automatically takes out tithes from his day care employees.

[diverse379]

It is whatever a church can do. Iknow of one musician who earns $1200.00 a week. From a JACK-LEGGED preacher who also automatically takes out tithes from his day care employees.

that is bannanas I never heard of that

but basically there is no hard and fast rule but the rev said what a church can afford

I knew one girl who does not do rehearsals does not train choirs and she was still making 600 per sunday

but she was real tight in fact she just got a record deal with a major label just for her ability to do instrumentals

anyway she had a formulae for setting salaries it had to do with how many people were in the congregation
I think she said two dollars per adult

or maybe it was 5.00



I dont really set salaries like that if I do an engagement I ask for a love offering

or sometimes I will say whatever you can afford

as far as where I work I came in the door asking for 350 they told me their range was from 400 to 600 so I asked for the 400 and they came back to the table with 550

That was all god because At the time I didnt ever imagine I would be getting that

but the church is pretty big and they know I am in college working on my degree in music So they are expecting me to grow

But the bigger churches know the value of a good musician
and they are willing to pay for a good musician

[chi_townz_bmg]

Alot also depends on the area that you live in... For example, one would expect to be compensated more in Chicago, than say in small town Idaho (not hating on Idaho, but just an example).  The cost of living varies from market to market.  $1 doesn't go as far in some places as others...

[Wolfram]

If you are making your living from playing, then I would say that love offerings will not cut it.  Think about your skill level.  What if you were a carpenter or electrician and you were asked to do something for the church, would you be expected to give away your livelihood then?  All too often the musician is seen as a pure hobbyist instead of a career.

You can play for God and still make a living.  Pastors lead their flocks and still make their wage. 

Do not feel that you HAVE to give away your talent because God will look unfavorably on you.  Be fair, not only to the church you play for but to yourself.  Some churches would rather have a low talent pool than pay for a decent choir director or organist even if the price is very reasonable.  That becomes their decision at that point.  It is their path to walk. 

I have played for some very poor churches.  They always were able to pay their main organist/pianist something.  It may not have been enough to cast a retirement on but it was not insulting either.  They understood the effort it took for that person to get to where they are.  Most of the time, the salary went right back into the tithe basket... 

It was a gesture of good will from both parties.

[MinAJ]

I like this breakdown

The first concern is how much can your church afford
you dont want to burdern your church with too high of a music bill
although important it is best if you are a growing church to get a growing musician
if you are established and want to grow your ministry then you may pay a little more thenyou want to in hopes that the music will draw people in (the reality is that that is one of the purposes of the music ministry a call to the lost as well as edification of the people in the congregation)-

but to go further with this you also pay for versatility some musicains can play traditional really well but cant really make contemporary sound any more then a traditional song with some fred hammond lyrics over it

and some contemp musicians cant get old time church on a mother

-so you pay also for the diversity of the musician
can he read can he also play by ear
can he play latin blues funk east coast west cosast midwest does he make the music sound like the record or does every song sound the same

can he play organ and piano
can he play pipe

does he have his own board that he will bring to enhance the music

can he play in every key
can he play in more then one key
if he cant he may embarrass you when you go visit the church with just a piano and the debvotional leader who sings in the key of B

can he play worship music as well as devotional and praise

can he set the atmosphere

can he teach and train choirs

can he sing and lead a song

how is he with funerals

how is his walk with God

how is he with working with others


all of these things make for the consideration of a musician

the more he or she brings to the table the better
a musician who can usher in the spirit capture the vision of the pastor and overall do allthe above duties is worthy of his hire

Diverse379 you said some really good things in this thread.  I enjoyed everyone's comments on the subject.  Really gave me some things to think about.  By the way, I play for free .  It's a long story, but God is good to me.  I'll put it like that.

[TheVeteran]

the principle behind the Levites and their connection with the temple was that
the praise leaders and priests needed to be set aside and concentrate on deveiloping their gifts without needing to worry about worldly pursuits
set aside the praisers and let them perfect their gifts

so that they may give god their best efforts not sloppy seconds after you drive a bus all day then want to practice a little when you get home

This one didn't go unnoticed.  Very well said.

[diverse379]

This one didn't go unnoticed.  Very well said.

Thanks yall I appreciate the observations i need to be careful what i write i see stuff gets read months after it is posted

[blessedhands80]

As far as I know those numbers are up north, out west coast, and mega churches in the local area. Very few people here are getting paid like that.

In my area, nobody gets paid like that. The chief musician and I just started getting paid this past Sunday. Trust and believe it was nowhere near a hundred dollars. We really was not expecting anything  because we have been playing so long without getting paid and the chief musician leaves an hour away. Getting paid has been the furthest thing away from our minds. We do it for the Glory of the Lord.

[gospb3]

It depends on experience and expertise on your end and position requirements on the churchs end
My last church I was there 16 yrs and I started at $125 wk and had 6 choirs After 10 yrs $175wk
after 14 yrs $300 a week included rehearsals mon,tues,thurs,fri, sat and sunday plus $75 for sunday
afternoon or outings. Now I'm in Queens I get $400 1st, 2nd, 4th sun and 3rd and 5th I get $500
I rehearse Sat only 2 choirs. I have a contract and 1099 I get 3 weeks paid vacation, 3 sick sundays
and 3 bad weather sundays. I get $100 for afternoon or going out. I also lead praise and worship
and carry the service and sing if the choir doesn't show in the afternoon or outings during the week.
   I play for funeral homes on the side 6 to be exact and get $150 per funeral averaging 2-3 a week.
For various revivals $175 per night out this I pay a drummer 50-$75 just to show up and play. I get

100 - $175 per night plus food while in route and hotel once there when I freelance for major acts
on tour IF I have to fly they eat the ticket and Hotel. Other than that I do real estate and mortgages to support a wife 2 grown children 1 teenager 1 grand 2 dogs a cat LOL
but it took a long time of church politics to get here. You must make yourself worth the money and
make them respect your worth.

[diverse379]

It depends on experience and expertise on your end and position requirements on the churchs end
My last church I was there 16 yrs and I started at $125 wk and had 6 choirs After 10 yrs $175wk
after 14 yrs $300 a week included rehearsals mon,tues,thurs,fri, sat and sunday plus $75 for sunday
afternoon or outings. Now I'm in Queens I get $400 1st, 2nd, 4th sun and 3rd and 5th I get $500
I rehearse Sat only 2 choirs. I have a contract and 1099 I get 3 weeks paid vacation, 3 sick sundays
and 3 bad weather sundays. I get $100 for afternoon or going out. I also lead praise and worship
and carry the service and sing if the choir doesn't show in the afternoon or outings during the week.
   I play for funeral homes on the side 6 to be exact and get $150 per funeral averaging 2-3 a week.
For various revivals $175 per night out this I pay a drummer 50-$75 just to show up and play. I get

100 - $175 per night plus food while in route and hotel once there when I freelance for major acts
on tour IF I have to fly they eat the ticket and Hotel. Other than that I do real estate and mortgages to support a wife 2 grown children 1 teenager 1 grand 2 dogs a cat LOL
but it took a long time of church politics to get here. You must make yourself worth the money and
make them respect your worth.

I enjoyed reading your history it is interesting how church has moved over the years I would say that
part of the increase was your growth as a man and musician/ minister of music and the other part is just simple inflation you say 14 years

but all in all i appreciate what you have said you obviously work hard and continue to do so . 

[karlisa]

IT is based on several things. 
1.

[THE WOLFMAN]

uhm, 1?

[karlisa]

There are several factors,
1. How commiteed is the individual
2. How long has he / she been with the min.
3. There skill level.
4. Were they there during the church growth.
5. Is the person is required to be on the organ for every service?
 
The bootom line is that he / she should receive a salary that is comparable to the thighes and offerings received. The thighe and offerings are for use of the expensive of running the temple.  Thats bible. Bottom line, is that if he  / she is bad on the keys and have a active congregation, follow the instructions of pastor, the salary should be as follows:

$300.00 - $1500.00 per week depending on the size of the conrgergation.