NEWS PROVIDED BY
National Association of Evangelicals
April 29, 2021

WASHINGTON, April 29, 2021 /Christian Newswire/ -- As part of the National Association of Evangelicals' (NAE) Financial Health initiative, Brian Kluth, national spokesperson, will travel to over 100 cities across America on the Bless Your Pastor Tour to encourage greater financial health and generosity of churches and pastors.

The NAE's national research shows that pastors are facing personal and church financial challenges:

• 90% of pastors are experiencing financial stress (which has increased since COVID-19).
    
• 83% of pastors are providing both in person and online worship services to care for their flock.
   
• 60% of pastors receive no retirement, health care or employee benefits.
   
• 50% of pastors are paid under $50,000 while working 50 to 70 hours every week.
   
• 40% of pastor spouses serve the church 20 or more hours per week, normally without any pay.
   
• 80% of churches are under 200 people and have an average budget of $125,000.
   
• 34% of churches have seen their giving decrease because of COVID-19.

NAE Financial Health offers solutions for pastors and churches facing economic challenges, including self-assessment surveys, Best Practices resources, and online training courses. Since 2019, the Bless Your Pastor campaign — which is part of NAE Financial Health — has helped churches show and share God's love for their pastor and church staff. Over 2,000 churches have participated, raising $1.25 million in appreciation offerings. In addition, the NAE has sent $500,000 in grant-funded gift cards to senior pastors at participating churches.

On the national Bless Your Pastor media tour, Kluth will be visiting local radio and TV stations to provide Bless Your Pastor materials and to record live or pre-recorded interviews. Upon the request of the station or local ministerial groups, he will also offer a free "Financial Health and Generosity" seminar and grant-funded online training materials to bless local pastors and leaders.

"These have been challenging times for pastors and churches," said Kluth. "But by God's grace, for the past six years we've been developing quality, grant-funded financial health and generosity online training resources. We now have good seed in the barn that we can freely give to bless pastors and churches across America with the Bless Your Pastor Tour materials, interviews and free seminars."

Brian Kluth, national spokesperson for NAE Financial Health, has served within the financial health and generosity space for over 35 years, has authored several books and resources, and is a frequent media guest on local television news and radio programs. Kluth learned that God has many ways to care for pastors through their congregation when his first wife went through an 8-year cancer journey. This experience inspired him to write the list of "50 Creative Ways to Bless Your Pastor and Staff" and to help lead this movement.

Founded in 1942, the National Association of Evangelicals includes more than 45,000 churches from 40 denominations and serves a constituency of millions. The NAE provides resources, connection and influence to help evangelical leaders foster thriving communities and navigate complexity with biblical clarity.

SOURCE National Association of Evangelicals

CONTACT: Carolyn Shaw, 219-776-7707, CShaw@BlessYourPastor.org