Sadly, I’ve seen many women staff (and some men) whose funding has been impacted by a working spouse. Frequently, this grows out of incorrect perspectives on the part of both staff and donors.

   The first inaccurate perspective is that “Salaries for ministry staff are based on need.” Fair compensation for labor, however, is not only a government requirement, but also a biblical standard. (“The laborer deserves to be paid.” 1Tim.5:18.) In Steve’s article, both Brad and Sarah deserve to be fairly paid for the ministry work they are doing, regardless of their spouses’ salaries. In fact, paying two comparable staff, performing the same tasks, at different salary levels can be considered discrimination. Brad and Sarah’s agencies are acting responsibly by setting their salaries at appropriate levels.

   Second is the erroneous perspective that “I’m raising funds for my salary” rather than “I’m raising funds for the ministry.” Brad and Sarah should invite people to give to accomplish a vision. Sarah is raising funds so young lives will be changed. Brad’s agency needs resources to reach out to Muslims. Every businessperson knows that programs cost money and the largest expenses are normally personnel costs. However, their investment isn’t in salaries, it’s in a program they believe in.

   A final problem is reflected in the perspective that “Asking for support is only about money.” Scripture teaches that God created us to be interdependent (Romans 12). Building a community of support is a critical part of doing ministry. We open ourselves to burnout and spiritual attack when we do not have a team of folks surrounding our ministry with prayer, emotional, spiritual and financial support. Giving can’t be left out because Scripture says that spiritual and financial investments are connected (Matt.6:21).

   The place to begin is with ourselves: Our own inaccurate perspectives can be subtly communicated to donors, so let’s examine how we approach fundraising.