What should I expect to pay an evangelist for revival services?

[Roy Richardson]

I have never had an evangelist in, and my last experience as a staff member with an evangelist was not positive. The church of 50+ was saddled with more than $8000 in expenses from the same evangelist who came twice in 7 months. That amount seemed excessive to me.

What should a Sun-Wed or Friday-Sun revival series cost the church? I'd like to build that into my budget

Thanks

Roy

[Jim Chabot]

I have never had an evangelist in, and my last experience as a staff member with an evangelist was not positive. The church of 50+ was saddled with more than $8000 in expenses from the same evangelist who came twice in 7 months. That amount seemed excessive to me.

What should a Sun-Wed or Friday-Sun revival series cost the church? I'd like to build that into my budget

Thanks

Roy

The camps that I'm involved with pay between $100 and $200 per message and the same amount for the song evangelist. This also for a ten day stint. When I was at New Bedford we used to set aside $2000 for a four day revival including preaching, music and refreshments etc.

[Wilson Deaton]

... more than $8000 in expenses from the same evangelist who came twice in 7 months. That amount seemed excessive to me...

That must have been a tenured evangelist. Registered evangelists don't make that much...


Seriously, see pages 8 and 9 the "Revivalism Handbook" This Handbook was prepared by the Committee on the Interests of the God-called Evangelist led by Chuck Milhuff and approved by the Generals. It's a 2005 document so you'll need to adjust for inflation...

Here's a link to the PDF. (You need pages 8 and 9 of the handbook which does not begin on page 8 of the PDF.)

http://revivalism.nazarene.org/nazar...mbook72006.pdf

Wilson

[Dennis M. Scott]

I have never had an evangelist in, and my last experience as a staff member with an evangelist was not positive. The church of 50+ was saddled with more than $8000 in expenses from the same evangelist who came twice in 7 months. That amount seemed excessive to me.

What should a Sun-Wed or Friday-Sun revival series cost the church? I'd like to build that into my budget

Thanks

Roy

Roy, I'm pretty sure I could be there twice in seven months for about 90% of what it cost you last time.

On a more serious note, it is good that an effective evangelist be well compensated.

[Gary Creely]

Probably a topic for a different thread, but I would ask if revival services still serve the function that it once did, and is it the best use of funds and energy.

[Marian Schwaller Carney]

Roy, John Reilly has a good handle on such things. Keene has a good tradition of regularly scheduled evangelistic/revival meetings.

[David Troxler]

The rule of thumb once regularly endorsed was that the evangelist would receive at least twice the weekly salary of the pastor for a series of services. That would include the full compensation of benefits, etc. Then, the church would also need to care for direct expenses while at the church for meals and lodging.

I am not sure if this is adhered to any longer. However, I do agree, 8K for two revivals in one seven month period seems excessive to me. [Obviously, I lack detailed information on this to comment further.]

[Roy Richardson]

thanks. The rule of thumb gives me a framework that I can use. Now we have to budget, pray, and find the evangelist that God wants to send to us.

[John Reilly]

Probably a topic for a different thread, but I would ask if revival services still serve the function that it once did, and is it the best use of funds and energy.

Gary, good question. While the original goals and cultural attractions of tent meetings years ago have definitely shifted, the impact of special services, call them "Spiritual Renewals" or to borrow the language of the Catholic church, "A Spiritual Mission" the impact on people and towards renewal of spiritual passion towards spiritual growth profoundly produces fruit for individuals and for churches. For the past thirteen years our church has hosted a Spiritual Renewal series in the fall.

[John Reilly]

thanks. The rule of thumb gives me a framework that I can use. Now we have to budget, pray, and find the evangelist that God wants to send to us.

Roy, I have used various formats. One being the Sunday through Wed series or the Wed. through Sunday series. A less expensive format is to do a Friday night, Saturday night, Sunday Morning series. Perhaps adding in a Sat. morning men's prayer breakfast. I have found evangelists to be gracious in regards to financial reimbursement. In addition to evangelists I have used some district pastors to speak in spiritual renewal services.

[Dave McClung]

I have never had an evangelist in, and my last experience as a staff member with an evangelist was not positive. The church of 50+ was saddled with more than $8000 in expenses from the same evangelist who came twice in 7 months. That amount seemed excessive to me.

What should a Sun-Wed or Friday-Sun revival series cost the church? I'd like to build that into my budget

Thanks

Roy

Roy, I suggest that you discuss the expectations with the evangelist. I know a number of evangelists who will come for whatever the church can afford to pay.

For several years, Linda and I had a practice of supporting small churches that wanted to have a revival. We agreed to contribute $500 if the church would raise $500 to the revival. We did that for quite a few different churches. All of them were able to get respected evangelists for a total of $1,000. In a few cases, the churches were unable to keep their side of the agreement, so the evangelist received less than $1,000.

All of us know that an evangelist can not support a family on $1,000 a revival, but to be honest, most evangelists are financially supported by a working spouse. Many would rather preach for nothing than sit at home waiting for a call.

The point of my post is simply that a church that wants to have a revival shouldn't not have one because they can't afford the suggested amounts. Be open with the evangelist about the ability to pay and the evangelist will work with you.

[Jennifer Wilkerson]

My husband and I are full-time Nazarene Evangelists. We have been so blessed to be able to serve God in this capacity. I agree with most of the above comments in answer to the original question. We travel together all of the time and do the music and the preaching. Often, churches do not consider that when they are planning and budgeting for an evangelist. My husband traveled by himself for many years prior to our marriage and did the music and preaching as well. In some cases, we are taken care of no differently because there are 2 of us. God always provides and has taken care of us. I am blessed to be living my dream of serving the Lord in evangelism. God is good!

[Roy Richardson]

Jennifer, I am glad that God is blessing you with your ministry. One of the things that led to the high charge in the revival I mentioned at the beginning is that multiple family members came along and each had a separate charge.

The hard part is in the small church - mine is 75< on Sunday - is the fiscal reality. It's not an excuse, but it is what it is. I haven't booked an evangelist because of our fiscal mess. It may be a year or two before we can really afford one.

[Larry Parsons]

I have always pastor small church and what i mean by small is anything under 30 people and I have some top evangelist in our movenment to hold us revival. I had one camp meeting preacher to tell me he would come to our church that was running less than 20 if I could find him a revival at one of large church on the zone which I did. He came and we had great time. We have alway treat the evangelist well. Our small church here that run on average on Sunday AM 24-28 The pastor ask me to call Steve Manny for a revival which I did and he came He came on Sunday night and think he was here 4 days and the church paid him over $1200 +room and board. I believe Steve would have come if we only paid him $100. I know other would do the same we have good evangelist in our church and we should use them.
Thanks
Larry