By Roy Hayhurst, GuideStone Financial Resources
DALLAS, Texas – GuideStone Financial Resources, LifeWay Research and Baptist state conventions have teamed up again in 2018 for the biennial SBC Church Compensation Survey. Pastors and church employees are invited to participate in the survey, a resource used by churches of all sizes to determine fair wages and benefits. The survey takes about 10 minutes to complete; it is available on the GuideStone website.
Survey respondents can enter to win an iPad.
The survey’s results will be made available in the early fall, in time for many churches considering their 2019 budgets. The survey is the largest, free, church compensation study available in the United States.
These surveys are a valuable tool for churches to benchmark their own salary and benefits against churches of similar size within Southern Baptist life. Through GuideStone’s compensation planning materials, GuideStone offers materials to help churches structure their compensation to make proper use of tax laws.
Individual survey results can be contributed anonymously: Survey results are not reported individually. Once the survey closes May 31, LifeWay Research will work on compiling results. Survey respondents will receive advance notice of the survey’s availability.
Respondents should have available the church’s average weekly attendance, church membership and 2018 annual budget, along with their annual salary, annual contributions to a retirement plan and annual church-paid insurance premiums. They should also have their annual housing allowance, Social Security offset and the rental value and utilities for church-provided housing.
Southern Baptist church ministers and staff have until May 31 to complete the online survey. The winner of the iPad will be notified via email.
