Only 17 out of 240 ministers surveyed said their congregation provides their health insurance.

That number stopped us in our tracks.

In this episode of Trends with Truth in Churches of Christ, Dale Jenkins, Dr. Michael Jackson, and Jeff Jenkins tackle an issue that rarely gets discussed openly: health insurance for ministers—and what happens when churches don’t provide it.

This conversation goes far beyond insurance premiums.

When a minister has to rely on a spouse’s job for coverage, take a second job, accept an enormous deductible, or go without insurance altogether, the consequences can affect his family, stress level, effectiveness, and even whether he stays in ministry.

The question for church leaders is bigger than, “Do we provide insurance?”

It is:

Are we creating a situation where our ministers can realistically afford to stay in ministry?

In this episode, we discuss:

• Why only about 7% of surveyed ministers reported receiving church-provided insurance
• Why so many ministry families depend on a spouse’s employer for coverage
• Ministers taking second jobs simply to afford healthcare
• Why insurance should be viewed as ministry support, not just compensation
• The financial pressure that can drive good ministers out of ministry
• Why elders should regularly reevaluate salary, insurance, deductibles, and benefits
• The difficulty churches face trying to establish health insurance plans
• Why ministers should never be made to feel guilty for trying to protect their families

This is an especially important conversation for elders, church leaders, ministers, search committees, and anyone involved in determining minister compensation.

A church may say it wants to keep a good minister for twenty years—but the way it structures compensation and benefits may make that impossible.

Every number has a name.
Every church has a story.

Trends with Truth in Churches of Christ looks beneath the statistics to understand what is actually happening in ministry and congregational life.

00:00 — Trends with Truth
00:39 — Welcome & Introduction
01:23 — One of the Biggest Questions Ministers Ask
03:05 — Why Insurance Affects Staying in Ministry
04:22 — Should Churches Be Providing Insurance?
05:26 — Only 17 of 240 Ministers Receive Church-Provided Insurance
06:24 — When a Spouse Has to Provide the Insurance
07:23 — Ministers Taking Second Jobs for Benefits
08:47 — Do Churches Simply Not Realize the Problem?
09:52 — Why Providing Insurance Can Be Complicated
11:13 — The Impact on Ministers’ Wives and Families
12:11 — Churches Can Figure Out Hard Problems
14:14 — Could There Be an Insurance Program for Ministers?
15:00 — Don’t Make Ministers Feel Guilty for Asking
15:59 — Why Ministry Gets Treated Differently Than Other Jobs
17:25 — Taking Care of Ministers Makes Churches Stronger
17:46 — One Medical Crisis Can Change Everything
18:59 — Insurance Is a Major Financial Concern
19:41 — Have Ministers Simply Learned to Live With It?
20:04 — Insurance as Ministry Support, Not Just Compensation
20:56 — Elders: Revisit Your Minister’s Benefits
22:06 — Rising Deductibles and Hidden Costs
22:54 — The Bottom Line

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