THE PAY IS RISEN: 95 MORE Theses for Professional Singers and Churches
A follow-up to “The Truth About Church Work”—and a standing ovation for every musician who’s ever been told to settle.
For this post on this Easter Sunday, I’d like to bring the Psalms of Provision series to a fitting close. If you haven’t already, check out my three previous articles:
But before I go into the next 95 list…
After I originally published The Truth About Church Work for Professional Classical Singers at the beginning of the month, I received more messages than I expected—thank-yous, reposts, stories.
What surprised me most wasn’t the reach; it was the quiet relief.
The sense that, finally, someone had named it.
And right away, people asked me to keep going.
To write the same kind of truth about the other spaces:
“Do Pro Choirs Next.” “Do Theatre Next.” “Do Opera Next.” “Do Academia Next.”
I could…
I’ve worked in all of them. I know the rhythms. I know the patterns. I know the cost.
But here’s the thing:
If I did write those essays… they’d all start to sound the same.
Different rabbit holes.
Same rot.
Because nearly every conventional line of artistic work, intentionally or not, depends on an amount of unpaid labor, emotional manipulation, and the illusion of prestige to sustain it all.
They don’t just underpay.
They over-expect.
And then they train you to feel lucky you’re even there.
BUT…Just for fun, a few things I’d maybe call out with each:
Professional Choir Work:
Symphony chorus ringers get $100 honorariums while symphony players and conductors get salaries of $100,000 or more. No, not everywhere; yes, there’s more to the picture—but for now, let’s just let the obvious imbalance speak for itself.
Professional Musical Theatre:
I show up ready to work and take the job seriously. But if I’m not acting like a child at theatre camp, I’m boring and difficult. It’s not about talent—it’s ageism. And the paycheck after two months of rehearsing and performing every night? Maybe $400!
Professional Opera:
Sometimes it’s just like musical theatre. Sometimes it’s the opposite: very tense, elitist, or just creepy. You have to mentally prepare for anything. Also: young artist programs often overuse and underpay young singers in some of the most egregious ways, while the chorus union has a history of prioritizing seniority over actual singing and musical skills. The chorus gigs—at B-level houses—at least averaged >$1,000 per production when I got them. But the principal roles with small companies? Sometimes not even $400.
Academia:
When you’re not tenured or you’re an adjunct, you usually have to either be the students’ best friend or a quasi celebrity they’ll respect. Otherwise, it can be challenging to be in-between without tenure. And all for maybe $100 per week per lecture class or maybe $20 per lesson—and you may not even get paid til next month.
So yes—I could write essays on each of these.
And maybe I still will.
But let’s not pretend they’d be different stories.
Because what we’re dealing with isn’t just a church problem.
It’s not just a theatre problem.
It’s not just an opera problem.
It’s not just an academic problem.
It’s a structure problem.
A system problem.
A power problem.
A money problem.
And most of all—
It’s a pattern we’ve been taught to normalize, tolerate, and even thank people for, just because we “get to do what we love.”
This isn’t just about being underpaid.
It’s about being misclassified, misused, and misled—by institutions that claim to value the arts while quietly extracting everything they can from the artists inside them.
We don’t need a new gig.
We need a new foundation.
THE PAY IS RISEN: 95 MORE Theses for Professional Singers and Churches
A resurrection of possibility, partnership, and real compensation for sacred work.
If the original 95 Theses on Singing for the Church named the problems, this list expands the horizon. These aren’t just frustrations—they’re possibilities.
Some are shifts in mindset, some are practical adjustments, and some are entirely new ideas for how singers, staff, and churches can stop surviving and start building.
Together, they can help to offer a blueprint for valuing music ministry not just spiritually—but structurally, relationally, and financially.
SECTION I: You’re Allowed to Earn More Than You’ve Been Told
You can charge more for weddings—and the right people will still say yes.
You’re allowed to charge a minimum fee for funerals, even if the family is grieving.
Rehearsal time counts. Always.
Prep time counts. Even if it’s “just one song.”
You don’t need to explain your rate. You need to state it unapologetically.
Your training has value—even when no one asks where you went to school.
You’re allowed to raise your rate without waiting for someone to tell you you’re worth it.
Your rate can reflect your life, not just their budget.
It’s not your job to squeeze yourself into what they can afford.
You’re not greedy for wanting ease. You’re grounded.
SECTION II: Charge Like It’s Sacred
(Because it is.)
Weddings aren’t side gigs—they’re high-pressure performances with no do-overs.
You can charge more for being the one who calms the room down with your voice.
If you’re holding space for a grieving family, you’re not “just singing”—you’re pastoring.
Being “on call” for funerals? That should be worth a retainer.
A holy day rate is not the same as a regular Sunday rate—and doesn’t need to be.
If the family requests a specific song that’s not in your rep, you can charge for that prep.
Mileage counts. Parking counts. Waiting around for the procession counts.
Offering packages isn’t greedy—it’s generous. It gives them clarity and gives you boundaries.
You don’t have to make every request fit inside the same flat fee.
It’s not unspiritual to invoice. It’s responsible—even if it’s in an email to the bride after she said “yes,” because you weren’t paid at the service!
SECTION III: Structure Is Ministry
Clarity is care—for you and for them.
A clear rate sheet helps people respect your time before they waste it.
A written agreement saves relationships.
Saying “I don’t do this over text” can save you from resentment later.
Offering a booking link doesn’t make you cold—it makes you credible.
Your boundaries invite their trust.
Cancelling gigs when people won’t confirm terms isn’t unprofessional—it’s necessary.
The moment you stop explaining your worth is the moment others start remembering it.
If a church can’t give you clarity, they don’t get your calendar.
A clear and transparent fee isn’t about confidence. It’s about capacity.
Spiritual work is still real work. And real work needs real systems.
SECTION IV: New Ways Churches Can Support Musical Livelihoods
Host seasonal music workshops—and pay your staff singers to lead them.
Create a community masterclass series featuring your own singers.
Offer paid summer intensives for local singers and students—led by the same professionals who serve year-round.
Launch a “music and message” retreat or sacred arts weekend, and compensate your musicians as faculty.
Hire your musicians to coach your congregation to sing better.
Build a local artist residency with a stipend—let a singer-in-residence create programming, not just fill Sundays.
Commission new music from the people already in your choir loft.
Create a fund for private lesson scholarships—and give the work to your own staff musicians.
Give musicians access to your space and platform to host their own recitals, workshops, or community events—with revenue sharing instead of room rental fees.
Encourage your congregation to support your musicians directly—through Patreon, lessons, ticket sales, or commissions—without treating it like an unfounded conflict of interest.
SECTION V: Partneship Is Better Than Patching Holes
Churches don’t need to scrape together money—they need to think like partners.
Treat your music staff like collaborators, not gap-fillers.
Invite your musicians into annual budgeting conversations—not just seasonal planning.
Offer revenue-sharing on concerts, retreats, or recordings created through the church.
Hire your musicians for other creative leadership endeavors.
Build music-based outreach programs with your musicians—and pay them to lead.
If you can fundraise for organ refurbishments, you can fundraise for salaries too.
Let musicians propose entrepreneurial projects—and back them with real budgets.
Build long-term relationships, not one-off gigs.
Ask your musicians what they wish they could offer—and help make it happen.
If your music ministry is thriving, it’s not just because people love hymns. It’s because someone skilled has been quietly holding it together. Pay accordingly.
SECTION VI: Professionalism Is a Revenue Engine
When you invest in steady, skilled leadership, it pays everyone back.
The more consistent your music team is, the more your congregation trusts the entire worship experience.
A well-supported professional can step into weddings, funerals, and last-minute needs with ease—and excellence.
When singers are paid well, they stay longer—which means less turnover, fewer emergencies, and fewer rushed replacements.
Staff musicians who feel secure can help lead retreats, plan seasons, and build programs that attract new congregants.
Professional consistency makes it easier to expand your offerings—concerts, workshops, recordings, or community events.
Musicians who aren’t financially stretched bring better focus, creativity, and energy to every service.
Well-compensated artists help train others, grow choirs, and mentor younger members—without burnout.
Investing in the people on your payroll multiplies their capacity to contribute.
When parishioners know your musicians are treated well, they’re more likely to give generously.
Reliable, respected professionals are the backbone of revenue-generating music ministry—not just the face of it.
SECTION VII: Abundance Is a Ministry Strategy
Generosity grows when we lead with vision.
A strong music budget reflects strong vision.
People are eager to give when the music moves them.
Inspired music opens hearts—and often opens wallets.
When we imagine what’s possible, new resources often follow.
Investing in your staff is one of the most pastoral choices you can make.
Beautiful sound elevates sacred space—and communities are proud to support it.
Staff who feel secure can show up fully, especially in life’s most sacred moments.
Confidence in financial conversations invites confidence in giving.
A well-supported team nourishes the whole congregation.
Generosity is contagious—especially when modeled from the top.
SECTION VIII: When Musicians Thrive, the Church Thrives Too
You may not be able to create full-time jobs for everyone—but you can still create abundance.
Music doesn’t require full-time salaries to flourish—but it does require stability.
When musicians have one well-paying post, they don’t need to juggle five just to stay afloat.
Consistent support builds consistent leadership—and that’s what congregations grow to love.
The more sustainable the role, the more deeply musicians can engage with your community.
Stability helps artists plan ahead, stay longer, and build programs that grow over time.
Churches don’t need to offer careers. But they do need to stop building on financial instability.
Many singers are already providing pastoral care through music. Pay them like leaders.
A well-paid singer doesn’t just serve the church—they invite others in.
The more support musicians receive, the more they’re able to support others—including clergy.
If singers were treated with more respect, consistency, and support, many would be far more open to exploring the call to clergy or other forms of service.
SECTION IX: Stop Budgeting in Circles—Start Bringing in Revenue
There are ways to fund music ministry that don’t rely on passing the plate again.
Offer community-facing music programs led by your staff and open to the public.
Invite local businesses to sponsor new and existing music events.
Create opportunities for your staff musicians serve other churches or events through your institution, with a portion of the fee returning to your operations.
Collaborate with funeral homes and event planners to offer professional music as part of their standard packages.
Create an online subscription blending weekly reflection and song, recorded simply and distributed digitally.
Rent weekday building space to musicians for lessons, rehearsals, or recordings, with scheduling priority given to staff.
License your in-house musical arrangements or liturgical content for a small usage fee.
Support your musicians in growing their private businesses and receive a commission when those offers launch through your platform.
Co-create digital courses or group programs led by your staff—such as vocal leadership, teaching artistry, or spiritual singing.
Stop gatekeeping your musicians’ gifts and start treating them as creative partners whose success can support the church too.
SECTION X: A Blessing for What Comes Next
Because the way forward is not just practical—it’s sacred.
May you never again feel the need to shrink your rate just to feel welcome.
May you walk into every service knowing your presence changes the room.
May your voice remind people what beauty sounds like in real time.
May the doors you walk through be held open—not just spiritually, but structurally.
You know God’s on your side when the brainstorming for how it’s possible to pay more never ends.
The previous articles in the Psalms of Provision series.