I work in the technology and design industry. I realize the following analogy is not spiritual, but to me it’s applicable to this topic. We do not hire inexperienced workers at the same rate as experienced. Our clients also don’t expect to be charged the experienced rate for our junior designers. In addition, we have one rate for local work, and another for work we do in the San Francisco valley because of the demand and value of our work. Further, many of our contracts reflect hourly rate plus travel expenses, and lodging if necessary.
What I’m getting at is, there is a reason and an expectation for paying based on value and other factors.
If an evangelist is full-time, deriving his livelihood from his ministry, and I’m the only single service he has for the week, I believe he needs to earn a week’s equivalent wage from me. If I can get him a second or third service for the week, I try to. If so, I usually give less than a full week’s wage, knowing it will be filled out by the others.
If a minister isn’t deriving his livelihood from preaching out, I don’t believe it’s necessary to give an offering equivalent to a week’s wage. In those cases, I use a $200-$300 per service rule. The low end being local and/or less experienced, and the higher for more experienced. I also try to add what would be necessary for travel expenses, and pay for lodging. If they don’t require lodging, I sometimes add extra to their honorarium.
I’ve been preaching for 26 years, evangelized for 4 years, pastored for 11 years and when I preach out, the average I receive per service is around $200. Sometimes as low as $100, and sometimes as high as $300 per service. Usually, though, around $200-$250.
Our District pays $300 for each speaking slot, plus travel and lodging expenses. So, if a minister comes and speaks once, they will get $300 plus expenses. If he speaks 3 times, he’ll get $900 plus expenses.
I don’t know how it’s done elsewhere, but that’s how it’s done here.