DALLAS (Special) — The first Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) Church Compensation Study since 2018 is now open, according to Hance Dilbeck, president of GuideStone Financial Services of the SBC in Dallas. Pastors and church employees are invited to participate in the brief survey, a resource used by churches of all sizes to determine applicable wages and benefits.
GuideStonehas teamed with Lifeway Research, a division of LifeWay Christian Resources of the SBC in Nashville, and Baptist state conventions affiliated with the SBC to conduct the survey. Normally a biennial survey, the 2020 survey was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The survey’s results will be available in August, in time for many churches considering their 2023 budgets. The survey is the largest church compensation study in the U.S. that is available at no cost.
“We honor the Lord and strengthen the church when we give proper financial support to those who serve,” Dilbeck said. “GuideStone is committed to advocate for pastors and local church employees. We pray this compensation survey will challenge each of our churches to provide appropriate compensation and to do so by following best practices.”
Individual survey results can be contributed anonymously. Survey results are not reported individually. Lifeway Research will compile the results once the survey closes on June 30. Survey respondents will receive advance notice of the survey’s availability.
When taking the survey, respondents should have at hand the church’s average weekly attendance, church membership, and 2022 annual budget. Additional information needed to complete the survey is:
— Respondent’s annual salary.
— Annual contributions to a retirement plan.
— Annual church-paid insurance premiums.
— Annual housing allowance.
— Social Security offset.
— Rental value and utilities for church-provided housing.
Southern Baptist church ministers and staff have until June 30 to complete the online survey.
The survey takes about 10 minutes to complete at guidestone.org/compensationsurvey. The survey is open until the end of June.
