FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Two Years In: How Nazarene Ministers Are Building Retirement Security BY KEVIN P. GILMORE
The 403(b) match program has delivered over $6.6 million to local church ministers in its first two plan years—and a new benefit launching in 2026 could reach many more. When the benefits board of NBUSA approved the replacement of the Annual Pension Supplement (APS) system with a new matching contribution program in January 2024, the goal was straightforward: reward Local Church Ministers (LCMs) who actively save for retirement and give their churches a reason to support that effort. Two full plan years later, the results show a program gaining momentum—but still carrying enormous untapped potential.
that number had grown to 1,943, with 323 new participants joining and 86.6% of 2024 recipients returning for a second year. Participation Rate — Local Church Ministers: 2025: 35.0% 2024: 33.8% Local effort—the combined 403(b) contributions of minister and church—is growing steadily. Ministers and their churches together contributed $10.8 million in 2024 and $11.8 million in 2025, a 9.7% increase. That growth is a meaningful signal: participating ministers are saving more each year, not just getting started and stopping. Minister + Church Contributions vs. NBUSA Match Paid: 2025 Contributions: $11.84M 2025 NBUSA Match: $3.46M 2024 Contributions: $10.78M 2024 NBUSA Match: $3.22M The church’s role in this cannot be overstated. A local church that contributes alongside its minister doesn’t just add dollars to the account—it can make the difference between a minister who engages with the program and one who never starts. When a church sets up employer contributions to its pastor’s 403(b) account, those dollars also qualify as local effort and are multiplied by the NBUSA
NBUSA match paid (2 years)
Ministers receiving a match
Participation rate
$669M
2,195
350%
To local church ministers
Unique LCMs over both years
Up from 33.8% in 2024
Across 73 US districts and more than 4,200 local churches, approximately 5,500 Lead/Senior and Associate Pastors are eligible for the match each year. In 2024, 1,871 of them—about one in three—received at least one quarterly match payment. By 2025, Summer 2026
match. And local effort isn’t limited to straight 403(b) contributions: qualifying student debt payments also count, making the match accessible to early-career ministers still repaying education loans. In 2025, 45 ministers used this provision, up 32% from the year 3