Our goal is to develop and disseminate minimum salary guidelines and to encourage churches to improve compensation where warranted. This update focuses on internal and external data, additional resource materials, and revision of the minimum guidelines. Specific application of this information requires interpretation and adjustment depending on the specifics of the local church situation. The focus of this report, both initially and on an ongoing basis, is to provide resource materials to local churches, specifically to encourage all churches to compensate pastors above the minimums and to promote adequate and fair compensation for all pastors.
Some conferences also publish information and guidelines regarding compensation in that conference.
Where there is conflicting information, you should utilize the conference material because it is designed for that specific geographical area. More detailed Covenant data is available to the local church pastoral relations committee through the Conference Superintendent, including information in the Department of the Ministry database. Plan to purchase for your church a copy of the 2001 Compensation Handbook for Church Staff. We have negotiated a special discount rate for Covenant churches. External Data Annually, the Church Pensions Conference collects and distributes salary information from many church denominations.