Episcopal Compensation

Posted on by bishopleath

One of the biggest mysteries, and exaggerations, in our Zion is: how much bishops receive! No one knows for sure except each recipient, and some of them do not know exactly how much they get because of the way the compensation and gratuities arrive. Be sure, it is less than you think and more than you can imagine. The following will give you an idea.

The Official Compensation from the Budget: Salary ($63,067), Travel ($21,022/2021-2024), Social Security Match, Annuity, & 403-B.

Bishops in Districts 1-13 may also receive (most, not necessarily all): Housing/Residence, car, & medical insurance. These benefits vary in Districts 14-20.

The “Extra” Compensation: Then there is the “Extra” Compensation which usually comes in the form of “gifts” from annual conferences, District Meetings (Midyear, Christian Ed, Planning, etc.), preaching honoraria, holidays, and unspecified. For reflection, these are organized into categories.

Minimum (no District among 1-13 pays less) – $ 75k Low – $150k – $200k Mid – $200k – $350k Mid/High – $350k – $500k High – $500k+

Districts 14-20: Two Districts “may” provide from $5k – $20k of extra compensation over and above what bishops may receive as honoraria preaching in the USA. Little to no additional compensation is available in five of the Districts 14-20.

Analytical Thoughts

  1. A bishop who serves in Districts 14-20 receives at least $50k per year less than every bishop in Districts 1-13.
  2. A bishop in District 1-13 in the low range makes less than half what a bishop in the high range receives.
  3. Adding the common salary to the “Extra Compensation” puts some bishops at earnings less than a few pastors and presiding elders across the connection.
  4. Guessing how high the total may be for a bishop is so inexact as to be useless. Some say 1 or 2 receive more than $1m per year. While I doubt that, I could be wrong.
  5. Thinking we could/should pay all of the bishops $150k, $250k or $300k per year would be a “cut” for at least 1/2 of the bishops in Districts 1-13. While the other 1/2 may welcome the increase, some of them have an eye on getting to a high end district one day…they will not support change. To pay all bishops more than $300k would be a real budget buster.

The General Resentment harbored over Episcopal Compensation is unfair to those in the low/none category. Too proud to admit it, a few bishops are just making it. As an example, I made $10k less per year in my first 4 years than I was making as a pastor at election. For nine years I was in the minimum group, and for three years through 2028, I am in the “below minimum” category where the compensation barely equals what I earned as a modestly paid pastor (less than $100k).

Folk are more fairly angered by those who receive more than $500k at a great sacrifice to the people they serve. The masses are frustrated when the District “extras” far exceed the Connectional Budget with properties deteriorating, disciples decreasing in number, and the laboring ox can barely find feed to be energized in the treading of the corn.

Until we are ready to hold bishops to the law (which means filing charges) and demand transparency with fiscal restraint at the annual conference level, standardizing compensation is just not going to happen. Even a few tweaks have no chance of adoption as we really lack will and courage to effect change. Some possibilities? 1. Shift 100% of Episcopal Compensation to the Districts (1-13). This would focus on true cost/benefit. Bishops should negotiate compensation with districts under the oversight of a connectional eye for fairness. 2. Mandate that all “in District” gifts and honoraria pass through a single portal. This will establish the truth in the total and provide for tax compliance. 3. Pay bishops in Districts 14-20 substantially more than the current common salary. $150-$200k would make it less burdensome for bishops to be assigned to Districts 14-20 AND it may be an added incentive for an indigenously elected person to want to remain in their indigenous region. 4. No bishop should be earning more than $500k or less than $150k. There should be both voluntary and mandatory standards to curb the excesses.

Desire for greater service; personality differences; influence/power mongering; conflicting perspectives on ethics, theology, ecclesiology; and, ego may drive some of the strife among the bishops. At the end of the day, don’t forget to look at the money!

In the next post I invite you to look more realistically at District Budgets.

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