DALLAS (BP) — GuideStone Financial Resources is giving thanks for a year marked by ministry milestones, strategic collaboration and renewed commitment to its mission of serving those who serve the Lord.
“Our theme for 2025, Honor, shaped our posture and priorities,” said GuideStone President Hance Dilbeck. “Honor upward is worship, honor inward is integrity, and honor outward is respect. These truths informed every decision as we sought to serve pastors, churches and ministries with integrity, heart and skill.”
GuideStone rounded out the year with $26.5 billion in assets under management as of November 30, an increase of 12.8% from $23.5 billion as of December 31, 2024. (Assets under management represent the total market value of all the investments that GuideStone stewards on behalf of GuideStone members and investors. These are assets of individual account holders and represents the combined value of portfolios managed.)
Additionally, 2025 marked the third consecutive year that flows to retirement accounts hit or exceeded $1 billion. During the year, GuideStone paid out more than $2.8 million to Southern Baptist ministers and church staff who are in the Church Retirement Program through Protection Section Benefits offered jointly between GuideStone and Baptist state conventions.
Among the year’s highlights:
Pastoral Wellness Summit
In February, GuideStone convened leaders from across the Southern Baptist Convention to collaborate on strategies for pastoral resilience and wellness.
“Healthy pastors lead healthy churches,” Dilbeck noted. “This summit reinforced our shared commitment to care for those who shepherd God’s people.”
Clergy Act Advocacy
GuideStone continued its work to support the Clergy Act, which advanced through the House Ways and Means Committee in December. The legislation would provide important tax relief for ministers.
“We are grateful for progress on this measure and remain committed to advocating for those who serve,” Dilbeck said, paying a special thanks to California Congressmen Vince Fong and Mike Thompson for their sponsorship, along with many other co-sponsors, for this important legislation. “Ministers who opt out of Social Security trade the short-term benefit of lower taxes for the security of ongoing retirement and insurance benefits, including benefits for their families should they die young. GuideStone supports this legislation and will work to inform our members and ministry partners of how to opt back in should this legislation become law.”
Companion legislation has been proposed in the U.S. Senate with Alabama Sen. Katie Britt and New Hampshire Sen. Maggie Hassan as co-sponsors.
Presence at the SBC Annual Meeting
GuideStone welcomed messengers to its hometown of Dallas during the Southern Baptist Convention Annual Meeting in June, providing resources and personal engagement with pastors and ministry leaders. The meeting provided messengers with more opportunities to engage with GuideStone staff for retirement and insurance appointments, to send Mission:Dignity recipients postcards, and to complete a free wellness check.
“We are thankful for the opportunity to host SBC messengers in our hometown and show them the hospitality that Dallas is known for,” Dilbeck said.
Mission:Dignity Impact
More than $12 million has been raised through the end of November to support retired ministers, their wives, and widows, including a record-setting $1.8 million on Giving Tuesday.
“Mission:Dignity is the heartbeat of GuideStone,” Dilbeck said. “These gifts provide not only financial support but tangible expressions of honor and care.”
As the ministry turns toward 2026, Dilbeck emphasized GuideStone’s continued focus on its enterprise values of Integrity, Heart and Skill.
“We remain committed to our vision that every servant of Christ finishes well,” he said. “We are excited about new initiatives that will strengthen financial security and resilience for those we serve.”
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