Pastor Olumide Emmanuel has addressed the payment for church members who serve in various capacities.
He said that serving God through volunteering in departments such as ushering, choir, and security should not be compensated.
However, Emmanuel distinguished between volunteers and full-time staff, stating that those who choose to work full-time in the church, such as music ministers, should receive a salary.
According to him, the church cannot afford to pay everyone who volunteers, as it would limit the church’s ability to fund other important activities.
He encouraged those who feel called to full-time ministry to join the church staff, committing to work Monday through Friday, and participating in rehearsals and church services on weekends.
Emmanuel said: “This is a church of God, and everyone of us comes to serve God as our father and creator and we operate as a family. So as a family, we come into the church, we all look into what needs to be done in the house and whatever we have the ability and giftings to do, we do as part of our contribution to the family. So when people come they join a department, ushering, choir, security, etc. None of them should be paid for serving God. I’m not supposed to pay you because you’re an usher, choir, protocol, or instrumentalist.
“I don’t believe I should pay you to come to church on Sunday morning to worship God and play your part in the church.
“If everybody begins to collect money we won’t have money to do many things. So as a pastor, I’m also coming to serve God, and I have business I do. But not everybody can do business. So if you’re working in the kingdom, you should be paid.
“So if you’re a musician in church and you want to be a part of the staff, you should be paid. If someone says I want to be a full time music minister, we would pay you. If you are a music minister what are you doing from Monday till Friday.
“Some of these things are not sustainable. But anyone who thinks he wants to do music ministry full time, we are ready to employ you as a full time staff. But you will come to work Monday to Friday like everybody else and still come to rehearsal on Saturday and Church on Sunday”.