6 Truths About Church Staff Turnover Every Leader Should Know

by Dave Miller, Co-Founder

Staff turnover isn’t just a corporate HR problem—it’s real in church world too. We recently asked around 100 church leaders we work with: “What’s your staff turnover rate?” The answers—and what we’ve learned—are worth paying attention to.

Here’s what you need to know:

1. Turnover in Churches Doesn’t Play by Business Rules

While the average small business turnover in America hovers around 15% (some even say 10% is healthy), churches operate in a totally different ecosystem. We’re more mission-driven, people-focused, and frequently navigating transitions like church planting or leadership change. That means higher—and sometimes more frequent—turnover.

2. No One Benchmark Fits Every Church

Groups like the Unstuck Group give us helpful data, but even those numbers vary by style, size, and denomination. The truth? There’s no magic number. Don’t obsess over the “perfect” rate—focus on understanding your church’s unique rhythm.

3. Your Turnover Is Like Instagram Engagement

You know how you track open rates for emails or likes on Instagram? Do the same with staff transitions. Over time, your own trend becomes your benchmark. Are we turning over less this year than last? Are we improving our culture or just reacting? Why are staff leading, and what can we do to slow that?

4. Growing Churches = Moving Targets

Here’s our gut-level (and field-tested) take: if your church is growing, launching new things, changing strategy, or hiring new key leaders, expect around 20%+ turnover every 18 months. Example: If you have a staff of ten, two will likely leave between now and 18 months from now. And that’s not always a bad thing—growth brings change. People leave new bosses, they do not leave organizations, and church staff leaders are not exempt from this time-tested cliche.

5. Don’t Be Surprised—Be Prepared

Imagine hearing, “Our youth pastor just quit!” and realizing it’ll take 9–18 months to replace them. Or… you could’ve planned for this. If turnover is inevitable, let’s stop being surprised by it and start preparing for it. This is why Leadership Pathway began eight years ago - to help church leaders grow what they need.

6. Proactive > Reactive

You’re going to spend money either way—on a full-time search or on developing someone through a pipeline. Why not invest those dollars proactively? Build systems. Grow your own leaders. Develop a bench.

Bottom line: Change is coming whether you like it or not. Let’s lead with open eyes, open hands, and a solid plan for what’s next.

If you’re wondering how to start a pipeline of leaders, consider starting with These 7 Must Have Ingredients.

And when you are ready, reach out & set up a call.