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SBC DIGEST: Church compensation survey underway; GuideStone offers single-staff churches health care options


Pastors encouraged to participate in church compensation survey

DALLAS (BP) — 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 at GuideStone.org/CompensationSurvey. 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.

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 rental value and utilities for church-provided housing.

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 the results. Respondents will receive advance notice of the survey’s availability. The winner of the iPad will be notified via email.

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GuideStone offers single-staff churches health care options

DALLAS (BP) — Continued uncertainty in the health care marketplace with the repeal of the individual mandate coming in 2019 and reductions in the number of individuals served by the health care exchanges has some pastors and ministry workers wondering about health care options this year.

Further, the Affordable Care Act continues to drive up costs for consumers nationwide. GuideStone Financial Resources recognizes that affordability is a key issue, and while, like others, the Southern Baptist entity is not immune from the financial pressures caused by the 2010 law, President O.S. Hawkins said, “We are working diligently every day to develop options that reflect the values of our participants and keep costs extremely competitive in the marketplace,” noted Personal health plans offered by GuideStone may be options for churches with a single staff member, usually the pastor.

“We take seriously our ministry assignment from Southern Baptists to make available life and health coverage to our churches and ministry organizations, especially those pastors serving out at the crossroads,”. Hawkins said. “We’d encourage any pastor of a single staff-member church to call GuideStone to see if we may be able to serve him and his family.”

For GuideStone to provide health insurance to a pastor or other single staff member, he must be a paid employee of an eligible church or ministry that is affiliated with or shares common religious bonds with the Southern Baptist Convention and works 20 or more hours per week.

GuideStone’s personal health care coverage options include traditional PPO plans, an economy PPO plan and a federally-qualified High Deductible Health Plan designed to be paired with a Health Savings Account.

Churches and pastors interested in seeing if GuideStone can serve them in the individual marketplace can call 1-844-INS-GUIDE (1-844-467-4843) or visit GuideStoneInsurance.org.

    About the Author

  • Roy Hayhurst

    Roy Hayhurst is director of denominational and public relations services for GuideStone Financial Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention.

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