Churches still have time to participate in the biennial Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) Church Compensation Survey. The survey, a cooperative effort among GuideStone, Lifeway and Baptist state conventions, is used by churches of all sizes to help determine fair wages and benefits.
The survey takes about 10 minutes to complete; it can be accessed through June 30 at GuideStone.org/CompensationSurvey.
As of May 31, almost 3,000 churches have provided compensation data for more than 7,500 pastors and other church staff.
The survey’s results will be made available in the early fall, in time for many churches considering their 2023 budgets. The survey is the largest free church compensation study available in the United States.
“Scripture is clear that we are to provide for those who labor in the Word,” GuideStone President Hance Dilbeck said. “I believe most churches want to properly care for their pastors. The SBC Church Compensation Survey helps churches determine what comparable churches pay their pastors, and thus helps them know what to pay their own pastor.”
“Once churches have this information and combine it with ensuring pastors are paid in a salary and benefits model, rather than an outdated lump sum pay package model, they can make informed decisions that follow best practices.”
The survey was last conducted in 2018. It was canceled in 2020 due to the pandemic.
In order to have a more complete report, more churches are needed to participate. 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.
Respondents should have the church’s average weekly attendance, church membership and 2022 annual budget. Additional information needed to complete the survey includes respondents’ annual salary, annual contributions to a retirement plan and annual church-paid insurance premiums, annual housing allowance, Social Security offset and the rental value and utilities for church-provided housing.
Southern Baptist church ministers and staff have until June 30 to complete the online survey.
(EDITOR’S NOTE – Roy Hayhurst is director of denominational and public relations services for GuideStone Financial Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention.)
