Decline in churches insuring their senior pastor
Southern Baptist congregations, 2008 to 2026
Key finding
- Decline in churches insuring their senior pastor: -43%. Coverage dropped from 65% to 37% of congregations, a 43% relative decline (28 points).
This figure is a Leader Insights calculation from published sources, with the formula shown to members.
Source: Leader Insights calculation from Lifeway Research, Southern Baptist Pastor Pay Stagnant Since 2024 · Calculated by Leader Insights, not a survey result. Formula: (37 - 65) / 65 x 100. Inputs: 65% in 2008, 37% in the 2026 report.
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Questions about this statistic
What does this statistic show?
Decline in churches insuring their senior pastor: -43%. Coverage dropped from 65% to 37% of congregations, a 43% relative decline (28 points).
Who published this data?
Leader Insights, 2026. Source: Leader Insights calculation from Lifeway Research, Southern Baptist Pastor Pay Stagnant Since 2024 (https://research.lifeway.com/2026/09/08/southern-baptist-pastor-pay-stagnant-since-2024/).
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About this data
Leader Insights collects statistics about U.S. churches from published research by organizations such as Lifeway Research, Barna Group, Springtide, the American Bible Society and PRRI. Every number is checked against the wording of the original source before it is published, and each statistic links back to the study it came from. Figures are reproduced from the publishers named above; see the source for full methodology.