Do Jehovah’s Witnesses Get Paid for Their Religious Activities?

No, we are not paid for our Christian activities. We follow the example of the apostle Paul, who did not use his ministry “to make money.”—2 Corinthians 2:17, New International Reader’s Version.

In this article

Do Witnesses get paid to preach from door-to-door?

No. We are not paid for any form of our ministry, including our door-to-door preaching. (Matthew 24:14) We use our own time, money, and resources to preach to others and to conduct Bible studies. As Jesus told the apostles when he sent them out to preach: “You received free, give free.”—Matthew 10:7, 8.

Do Witness elders receive a salary?

No. Eldersa conduct all religious services at no charge, including baptisms, weddings, and funerals. Most elders work secularly to provide for themselves and their families. Others are retired, and a limited number serve as unsalaried members of our religious order.

Do members of our religious order receive a salary?

No. Members of the order receive food, lodging, health care, and a small monetary allowance for personal needs. As with the apostle Paul and some other early Christians, this support allows them to devote their full-time attention to their ministry.—2 Corinthians 11:9; Philippians 4:16, 17.

The religious order includes

Missionaries
Traveling elders and their wives, who visit and encourage congregations
Special pioneers, assigned to serve in areas where there is a special need for preachers
Full-time workers at a branch office
Workers who construct buildings for worship or who help with disaster relief

Collage: Members of the religious order in different assignments. 1. A woman, along with her husband, reads the “Listen to God and Live Forever” brochure with an older woman and a child at their home. 2. A young man works on a production line for Bible-based publications. 3. Two men work together on a construction site. — Members of the religious order used by Jehovah’s Witnesses perform a variety of tasks

How do we use donations?

We use donations to support our religious and humanitarian activities. The article “How Do Jehovah’s Witnesses Use Donations?” explains the various aspects of our work. In addition, the article series “How Your Donations Are Used” contains dozens of examples showing not only how we use donations but also how our work helps people around the world.

In their own words

Ernest, who has served as an elder for many decades, says: “Love should be the only reason to serve as an elder. If we were to receive a salary, those we help could question our real motivation. It is such a good feeling to give freely.”
Kelly, who previously worked secularly but now works full-time at a branch office, says: “I could be making plenty of money in a secular job. But as an unsalaried member of a religious order, I have to consider carefully every personal purchase. However, I have a deep sense of accomplishment and contentment that I did not receive from my secular employment.”
Ginette, who serves as a missionary, says: “The provisions I receive are modest. Before becoming a missionary, I studied finance at a university level and had good job opportunities. But I left that behind because no money or career can give you the satisfaction of helping people change their lives for the better and giving them something they did not have—hope.”

a Congregations of Jehovah’s Witnesses are not overseen by a pastor, a preacher, or a priest. Instead, a group of appointed elders cares for each congregation. (Acts 14:23) Significantly, we have no clergy-laity division. Jesus taught his followers: “All of you are brothers.” (Matthew 23:8) So congregation elders do not expect special treatment. The Encyclopædia Britannica states: “A distinction between clergy and laity developed in the 2nd century,” long after the death of Jesus and his apostles.