Money is the pastor’s bane. If he talks too much about it, his congregation may get the idea he’s hungry for it. If he doesn’t talk enough about it, his family may starve, or the church may wind up in a financial bind. I’ve pastored a church with crippling money problems. Because I was forced to talk about money regularly, I half expected my congregation to nickname me “Tetzel.” Currently, I’m privileged to pastor a growing church that’s beginning a capital campaign. Thankfully, we’re financially sound, but I’m still uncomfortable talking about money; it makes me feel like a prosperity preacher.

The fact is, leading a church requires money—whether it’s simply buying materials for an evangelism campaign or constructing a multi-million-dollar building. Then there’s the matter of the pastor’s own salary; though his family may desperately need more income, advocating for a raise can sound (and feel) self-serving. Guilt rides herd over all these conversations. Veteran pastor Brandon Shields has dealt with these questions from virtually every point on the spectrum. In his article “How Should a Pastor Think about His Salary?” Shields examines many of these issues. I encourage you to read the article (which is adapted from our new book, Faithful Endurance: The Joy of Shepherding People for a Lifetime) and benefit from its wisdom on this awkward-yet-important topic.