like a fire

I had an interesting talk to day with a friend in ministry. He holds the idea that pay should be based on the work done and not the situation of the worker. Specifically, he doesn’t think people should be paid more because they have children or are married. I have always thought, in ministry at least, that very few people are actually paid what they are worth. I base this both on type of work (the expertise involved in doing the work) and the amount of work it actually is. I have seen pastors paid many times what their youth guys get paid when all the pastor does is one sermon and the youth guy does multiple sermons and small groups, etc. The conversation was made more interesting to me because he is single and I am married with children and he makes more than me. Well, what say you? How should compensation be decided?

BTW, I am very happy with my compensation and even happier with my ministry situation. So don’t read into this that I am in any way unhappy at my church.