2008 SBC Church Compensation Study
To access data and run customized reports, click on the heading above.
The 2008 Compensation Study was a joint project of state Baptist conventions, GuideStone Financial Resources, and LifeWay Christian Resources. Compensation and congregational data was collected anonymously from ministers and office/custodial personnel of Southern Baptist churches and church-type missions. Reports are based on compensation for nearly 13,000 respondents from all 50 states.
2008 Church Compensation Study Release
Almost 13,000 Southern Baptist pastors and staff members in all 50 states participated in this comprehensive compensation study. The study was a joint effort of the state Conventions, Guidestone Financial Resources and LifeWay. This article highlights growth in full time salaries since 2006, pastor benefits, and what determines a pastor's salary.
Southern Baptist Convention Statistics
The following charts and tables were compiled from the Annual Church Profile of Southern Baptist churches. Permission is given to reproduce and distribute any free content from LifeWay Research, with the provision that it is unaltered and reproduced in its entirety including identifying information.
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Southern Baptist Convention 2007 Annual Church Profile Summary Tables and Charts |
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Southern Baptist Convention 2007 Annual Church Profile Summary Tables (Data by State Convention and Historical Data) |
Research Studies
Conducted Within the Southern Baptist Convention
Membership and Baptism Trends in the Southern Baptist Convention
- Southern Baptists Face Further Decline Without Renewed Evangelism Emphasis Article
Analysis of membership and baptism trends yield projections of future membership and baptisms. Click Here for High Resolution Charts of SBC Trends - Southern Baptist Membership and Baptism Trends PowerPoint
Critical Ministries and Their Leadership
- Critical Ministries and Their Leadership Article
Pastors list the five most ministries critical to the mission and future health of their church. They also indicate if effective leaders are in place and how they personally relate to those leaders. Click here for high-res charts - Critical Ministries and Their Leadership PowerPoint
View this PowerPoint to see pastors' detailed responses.
Pastors Unaware of Church Member Debt
LifeWay Research Finds Pastors Unaware of Church Member Debt Article
Despite national statistics to the contrary, a surprising number of pastors believe their church members have a significant amount of personal debt. LifeWay Research conducted this study for the Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention. This article highlights what pastors are doing to promote stewardship and where they believe their members stand. Click here to download resarch charts.
Study of the Perceptions of the Cooperative Program
- Southern Baptist Pastors' Views on the Cooperative Program Article
Overview of pastors' opinions of important aspects of the Cooperative Program, how they currently describe it, their level of satisfaction with it, and their promotion of it.
Click here to download research charts of information highlighted in the article. - Cooperative Program and Stewardship Survey National Report PowerPoint
Leadership Issues for the Small Church
- Poor Planning Hinders Small Church Progress
Small church pastors are frustrated at the pace of change in their churches. This study finds that many churches fail to plan or even evaluate their current activities. - Leadership Issues for the Small Church PowerPoint
LifeWay Research surveyed pastors of smaller Southern Baptist churches and found that poor planning hinders progress of small churches. Download this PowerPoint for detailed responses to the questions.
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Christian Involvement in Politics
Southern Baptist Pastors Level of Concern about Christian Involvement in Politics PowerPoint
Do Southern Baptist pastors agree that at times Christians are too involved in politics? Download this powerpoint to see how SBC pastors compare to American adults, Protestants, conservatives, and others.
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Impact of Economy on Churches
Economy Pinching Most Churches, But Giving Still Strong
Economic pressure is being felt by the majority of Southern Baptist pastors surveyed in the spring of 2008. Despite the pressure, most expect to meet or exceed their budget for 2008.
Hot Topics in Southern Baptist Life
LifeWay Research examines hot topics in Southern Baptist life
Research among Southern Baptist pastors provides hard numbers to inform topics that often arise in SBC discussions: Calvinism, prevalence of elders, speaking in tongues, and baptism practices.
Views of Scripture Among Southern Baptists
Views of Scripture Among Southern Baptists
Research from two new studies indicate a disconnect between Southern Baptist pastors' view of Scripture and those of the people in their pews.
Global Warming, Physician-Assisted Suicide, Stem Cell Research, and the Presidential Election
SBC Pastors Values Differ from Many Americans on Current Topics PowerPoint
Representative surveys of both adult Americans and Southern Baptist pastors provide side-by-side comparisons on questions related to global warming, physician-assisted suicide, and stem cell research. Additional questions were also asked of Southern Baptist pastors related to global warming and the upcoming presidential election.
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Standout Churches Study:
- Encouragement for Evangelism: LifeWay Research Studies Standout Churches
LifeWay Research investigates Southern Baptist churches who are effective in reaching people for Christ and baptism. - Standout Church Pastor Interview with Pastor Robby Foster of Hopewell Baptist in Georgia
- Standout Church Pastor Interview 2 with Pastor Guy Melton of Oasis Church in Florida
- Standout Churches Podcast
- Standout Churches By the Numbers PowerPoint
Trends Among SBC Messengers
- Under -40 Messengers at SBC Declining Precipitously
Annual statistics indicate the messengers to the Southern Baptist Convention include an increasingly smaller percentage of adults under the age of 40. - Trends Among SBC Messengers PowerPoint
Calvinism Studies
- Research Indicates Calvinism on Upswing Among Younger SBC Pastors
- Calvinism and Recent SBC Seminary Graduates PowerPoint
- Is TULIP blooming in the SBC?
- FAQ File at the LifeWay Research Blog
Private Prayer Language Study:
More LifeWay Research Articles: