Executive Compensation for Christian Non-Profits

How much do executives at large ministries and Christian non-profits make?

More than you might think, according to a recent report by Ministry Watch.

The report is, by nature of our tax code, only able to report organizations that have not successfully applied to be treated as a church by the government, and the definition of “church” is famously quite loose. Therefore, we have situations where many ministries, such as Joyce Meyer Ministries, the Navigators, Willow Creek Association, etc., are not required to report a form 990 to the IRS, and thus, their internal financials are unavailable.

However, from what is publically available, there is plenty to raise eyebrows.

The Educational Media Foundation (K-Love’s parent company) is one of the organizations that appears most frequently on the list, with their president Jon Reeves earning well over $600,000 from the donation-reliant ministry. Numerous other executives appear on the list as well, and it seems that corporate positions at K-Love commonly pay in excess of $400,000. Over 50 positions in the company pay six figures.

K-Love, a network of Christian radio stations notorious for their high-pressure fundraising, is what some have called emotionally manipulative, where hosts have praised such behavior for giving money to K-Love rather than paying your bills. K-Love pulled in $231 million in donations, of which nearly 1/3 ($73 million) was profit during 2022. Last year, form 990 was publically available…

The U.S. dollar had its strongest week since 2022, as the market starts to accept that rate cuts are unlikely to happen in June, and inflation continues to increase, with some even beginning to ask if the Euro could soon reach parity with the dollar. While there is demand for dollars, U.S. bonds are getting harder to sell, as the U.S.’s excessive government debt has begun to cause lackluster enthusiasm for T-bond sales. The Dow Jones rose on Monday as corporate earnings and retail sales figures overshadowed fears of the Iran-Israel conflict…

Last week, Iran launched hundreds of missiles and suicide drones at Israel in retaliation for Israel’s killing of one of Iran’s top generals in charge of relations with Hezbollah, the Iranian terrorist proxy group that Iran often uses to attack Israel. Israel was able to shoot down the vast majority of the missiles and drones with the help of the U.S. and other allies. This represents a significant escalation in the region, as Iran typically does not attack Israel directly. Iran says that the matter is now finished, but Israel has vowed a swift and deadly response to the provocation…

In 2021, Tesla had a stock price of over $400 and a market cap of $1.23 trillion, putting it on the short list of “most valuable companies in the world.” At present, however, Tesla is the worst-performing stock in the S&P 500 and has seen tremendous loss of value as its stock price has fallen nearly 1/3 this year alone, and analysts say it may still fall further…

Your weekly chance to test your Bible knowledge! The answer to today’s question may surprise you:

Q: What is a “remez,” and what does it have to do with reading the Bible?

Answer at the bottom

TIPS & TRICKS

Cultivating Discipline

“Self-control” is one of the fruits of the spirit, and it is also quite possibly one of the most practical and helpful attributes that a businessperson can obtain in his pursuits. As we rise through the ranks in our respective businesses, or as we obtain more and more success, something strange happens:

We have more responsibility, and yet we also have more freedom.

When you were a low-level employee, you couldn’t just cancel a meeting, but now – you could. When you worked for someone else, you had to be in the office by a certain time, or you might get fired, but now – the boss makes the rules, and the boss is you.

As we ascend in our careers and personal lives, order is less imposed on us and more required from us if we want our companies, families, communities, and others who depend on us to thrive. For that, we require self-control, which is made up of discipline.

Here are two classic tips from psychologist and (Christian?) Jordan Peterson…

• Pastor Mark Driscoll was kicked off stage at a Christian men’s conference after criticizing the strange Las Vegas style performance that opened the event and reportedly featured a male stripper, drawing praise and criticism online.

• Fox News Reports the top Christian colleges and Universities in the U.S., featuring Wheaton, Biola, and others.

•  iPhone sales slump and Samsung regains the top slot in smartphone sales.

• The Wall Street Journal reports a big contraction in the residential solar panel industry.