A UNIQUE and wide-ranging questionnaire has found that Baptist ministers are broadly content with their work and its conditions.

More than 200 ministers completed the Baptist Ministers' Fellowship (BMF) survey, the results of which have just been published.

The study aimed to discover what ministers think about key features of life in their vocation, and focused on areas such as the work itself, the impact of ministry on personal life, housing and finance, and ongoing professional development.

It was also put together by the BMF to highlight where changes might need to be made or matters brought to the attention of the Baptist Union of Great Britain.

The Revd Brian Jones, minister of Christ Church Woodloes Park LEP, Warwick, and a research student at the University of Manchester, helped analyse the data for the BMF.

His article summarising the survey results appears in the latest issue of the BMF journal, and has been posted on the BMF website.

He told The Baptist Times, 'There are always caveats when you conduct questionnaires of this sort - with a slightly different methodology you could get different results.

'But, generally speaking, there seems to be quite a high degree of overall satisfaction from the four categories of life in ministry.

'Life is, on balance, OK.'

Nevertheless, Mr Jones added that while the results indicated high levels of satisfaction, the other, 'minority' views 'ought not to be easily discarded'.

Some of these issues picked up by the questionnaire included isolation, the lack of pastoral care and support, personal abuse and bullying by church members, caring for aged and disabled parents and unacceptable behaviour by other ministers.

In total 231 respondents started the online survey, with 218 (94.4 per cent) completing it.

Four members also submitted hard copies.

In terms of personal finance, more than 60 per cent of respondents either strongly agreed or agreed that they were happy with their level of stipend.

Less than 20 per cent disagreed or strongly disagreed, but respondents spoke about their regret at the financial sacrifices they've had to make.

Eighty-five per cent were happy with housing arrangements and nearly 70 per cent felt they had adequate pension arrangements.

Just over 50 per cent were happy with their retirement housing provision, but a significant minority, 10.6 per cent strongly disagreed.

In terms of the personal life of the minister, there was a sense of 'good control over their personal life', and that they were happy with amount of work required.

'Equally noticeable' was the feeling of being well supported by family, and that ministers were 'happy about the well being of their families', although not everyone was so positive.

As regards doing the work, almost 60 per cent seemed to be happy with the number of hours they worked, despite more than half conceding they were often asked to worked unsocial hours.

However not everyone shared this view, with 39 respondents, out of 208, indicating they were not happy with the hours they were expected to work.

There was a range of responses when respondents were asked whether they were happy with the criteria used by the church/employer to judge their competency as ministers.

This question registered one of the highest 'strongly disagree' category responses of the whole survey.

As for self-evaluation and the future, a far higher percentage appeared to be more 'happy' with their choice of vocation (91.9 per cent) than they are with changes that are occurring to their role and responsibilities as ministers (43.9 per cent).

The BMF will determine what to do with the data at its next meeting later this month.

BMF chair, the Revd Ted Hale, told The Baptist Times he expects there to be three main areas - findings that can be noted, but little actually be done at present; findings to be passed to the BUGB ministry department; and areas where the BMF could take a lead.

Mr Jones added that while a lot of research has been done in the US on the life of a minister, little has been done in the UK.

'No other ministerial group in a mainline denomination has done this, so it's a unique initiative,' he said.

'And in reality there is a tremendous amount of information in these answers.'

The Revd Jonathan Edwards, general secretary of the Baptist Union of Great Britain, said he was 'very grateful' to the BMF for this research.

'It is immensely valuable to hear Baptist ministers' views on a range of issues and this is what the BMF does best,' Mr Edwards told The Baptist Times.

'I read the research findings with immense interest and particularly noted the overwhelming sense of call, purpose and satisfaction that came through.

'I also recognise that ministry is a struggle for many people and our task as a Baptist family is to do what we can to give support and care to those who need it. That's what a family is for.

'We need to be continually thankful to God for the ministers that he has given to us and this survey can only strengthen that sense of gratitude.'