Mission:Dignity provides monthly financial support to retired Baptist ministers, church staff and their widows living below the poverty line. North Carolina Baptists expanded this ministry by providing an additional 13th check every May. This Mission:Dignity Sunday, June 28, learn how you can honor those who served faithfully by supporting this vital ministry.

After decades of faithful ministry leading congregations, serving families and investing in the next generation, many retired Baptist ministers and ministry workers across the country face financial hardship in retirement. 

Many devoted decades to serving the church, yet find themselves struggling to afford basic necessities. Mission:Dignity exists to honor their legacy by providing essential financial support to those who have sacrificed so much for the kingdom of God.

Mission:Dignity provides monthly financial support to retirement-aged Southern Baptist ministers, workers and their widows living below the poverty line. Every year, this vital ministry helps about 2,800 (about 160 North Carolina Baptists) individuals with money for housing, food and medications. The support provides not only financial relief, but dignity, independence and the ability to continue serving the Lord.

Sixty percent of those served are widows. One in four is over age 85. The average recipient has devoted 33 years to ministry. To be eligible for Mission:Dignity support, recipients must have spent at least 10 years in vocational Southern Baptist service.

Mission:Dignity provides monthly support ranging from $275 per month for individuals to $375 for married couples. For those with at least 25 years of ministerial service and more limited income, these amounts may be doubled — up to $550 and $750 respectively.

Thanks to the faithful missions giving of N.C. Baptists through their local churches, N.C. Baptists have been able to expand this ministry.

Since 2023, N.C. Baptists have partnered with GuideStone to provide an additional 13th check every year — a special honorarium fully funded by the state convention. This extra gift is made possible through generous individual donors to a designated fund and through the state convention’s investment returns. N.C. Baptists have also partnered with Provision Financial Resources to establish an endowment with the intent that its annual returns will eventually fully sustain this 13th check.

“These faithful servants dedicated their lives to serving the Lord and N.C. Baptists. Through Mission:Dignity, North Carolina Baptists are able to give back and have the privilege of honoring them in retirement,” said Todd Unzicker, N.C. Baptist executive director-treasurer. “I’m grateful to N.C. Baptists whose generosity makes it possible to continue serving our pastors and ministry workers in this season of life.”

This Mission:Dignity Sunday, June 28, N.C. Baptists have two opportunities to make a difference:

1. Refer someone in need
Do you know a retired minister, church staff member or widow who is struggling financially? Mission:Dignity may be able to help. Visit MissionDignity.org to learn more and submit a referral.

2. Give toward future 13th checks
Your gift directly supports the additional honorarium that North Carolina Baptists provide each year. Whether you give once or establish a monthly gift, you’re helping ensure that retired servants of Christ have the resources they need to live with dignity.

To contribute to N.C. Baptists’ Mission:Dignity fund, give at ncbaptist.org/give and select “Mission:Dignity 13th Check” as your designation.