Survey finds pastors struggle with financial, physical, mental stresses

By Chris McGee

DALLAS (BP) — Recent key research findings into pastoral wellness reveal that many pastors struggle with financial, physical and mental wellness.

Commissioned by GuideStone Financial Resources and conducted by Grey Matter Research & Consulting, a 2024 Pastoral Wellness Study found that more than 80% of pastors surveyed sometimes sacrifice their own wellbeing in their ministerial capacity, with more than half saying they sometimes sacrifice their family’s well being while doing ministry.

The survey audience included GuideStone members under age 55 who are ministers working at churches and who have less than $50,000 in assets under management at GuideStone. The survey respondents were asked questions about financial, physical, mental, spiritual and relational wellness.

When asked which is the hardest area for them to be healthy and well, 32% of responding ministers identified financial (citing rising costs and insufficient income), 28% said physical (not exercising enough and not eating healthily) and 21% said mental (including stress and anxiety, often brought on by the burdens of ministry).

On the financial front, responses indicated many pastors aren’t prepared for emergencies or retirement. Almost half (48%) said they have less than $5,000 in non-retirement savings, one-third said they have stopped or reduced retirement savings to cover emergencies, and nearly half (49%) said they have taken on debt to pay for emergencies.

“The findings about pastors’ financial wellness are especially pivotal because financial wellness impacts other areas of wellness,” said GuideStone President Hance Dilbeck. “Helping pastors get to a better place financially has so many positive effects on their families and their ability to do the vital ministry work to which they are called and for which so many others rely on them.”

Debt serves as a common obstacle to financial wellness, with 70% of respondents saying they have non-mortgage debt, averaging $43,000. More than 3 in 4 respondents said they wish they had started saving for retirement earlier. 

The survey findings revealed that many pastors struggle with their level of financial knowledge. Fewer than half said they were somewhat or very well prepared for financial matters by their college, seminary or first employer in ministry, while 48% said they put off thinking about financial matters because they don’t feel knowledgeable in that area.

“These survey results will help us better understand and address the needs of pastors so that we can fulfill our mission of enhancing their financial security and resilience,” Dilbeck said. 

GuideStone recently launched a Ministerial Resources Center on its website. The tool features a variety of resources designed to help navigate common financial, benefit and tax-related questions and issues for ministers. Ministers are encouraged to consult with appropriate advisors on all their unique legal, accounting and tax obligations.

GuideStone’s inaugural Kingdom Impact Report highlights more ways Christians can help transform the world

By Chris McGee

DALLAS (BP) — GuideStone’s impact investing initiatives made significant contributions across a range of global ministry areas last year, with results highlighted in its inaugural, just-released 2023 Kingdom Impact Report. 

Access the report here.

Selected impact highlights include:

• $376,000 donated to Christian ministries through the end of 2023 focusing on the kingdom impact themes of The Sanctity of Life and spreading the gospel
• Helping provide access to clean water for 5 million people across Asia, Latin America and Africa through GuideStone’s investment in WaterEquity’s Global Access Fund via U.S. International Development Corporation Bonds
• Supporting Christ-centered education through Christian universities and charter schools
• Investing in housing for individuals with cognitive disabilities, including autism spectrum disorder and individuals recovering from addictions

GuideStone’s impact investing initiatives are designed to support God’s kingdom and drive transformation and restoration through the power of Christian investing. 

As part of a kingdom impact strategy, GuideStone established the GuideStone Impact Equity Fund and the GuideStone Impact Bond Fund, two mutual funds offering investors an opportunity to be more proactive and make a difference in the world with their investment dollars while preparing them for their financial future.

GuideStone has committed to donating 20% of the management fee revenue earned from both impact funds to Christian ministries that promote the kingdom impact themes of The Sanctity of Life and spreading the gospel.

“We live in a broken, fallen world in dire need of restoration and transformation,” said Brandon Pizzurro, GuideStone chief investment officer and president of GuideStone Capital Management, LLC. “Through kingdom impact investing, we can mobilize the collective power of faith-focused investors as well as other associated efforts to multiply and accelerate the impact to so many companies and ministries doing kingdom work on the front lines. We can bring help, healing and hope to so many in a way that honors their dignity and potential.”

Bolstering its impact investing efforts, GuideStone has materially enhanced its corporate engagement strategy by taking proxy voting in house in mid-2023 for GuideStone Mutual Funds, while also strengthening its ongoing efforts to encourage and engage directly with companies’ management teams to advocate for practices aligned with shareholders’ values. In doing so, GuideStone is seeking to protect Christians’ access to goods and services, among other objectives. 

(EDITOR’S NOTE — Chris McGee is the enterprise communications director at GuideStone.)