Solving the Pastor Housing Crisis with Creative Housing Solutions

Download our free resource "Avoiding the Exodus: Solving the 7 Housing Pitfalls" at Pastorsfinancialtoolkit.com/3

 

Scott Pearring shares how churches in the Bay Area are quietly losing gifted leaders—not to burnout, but to the crushing cost of housing. He reveals three practical housing models churches can use to keep pastors where they’re needed most. Expect to learn how creative solutions, like equity sharing and IRA-funded down payments, can turn housing pressure into a long-term ministry strength.

• Scott introduces John—a faithful pastor who was facing a structural crisis in his church. His church was growing, the mission was thriving, but his staff kept slipping away.
• Behind every resignation wasn’t burnout or dysfunction, it was the cost of housing. Team members weren’t leaving the church; they were being priced out of the city.
• John took action. He ran the numbers and explored three housing models: the Parsonage Model, the Equity Share Model, and the Investment Model. Scott breaks them down clearly for you.
• John landed on the Equity Share Model to keep his staff from leaving—a solution that empowered pastors to build equity, offered upside to the church, and created a long-term, evergreen investment in the ministry’s future.
• Scott introduces Paul—he’s not a pastor or a staff member but a committed church member who started asking deeper questions about leaving a legacy.
• Paul had built up his IRA, then he heard about a youth pastor struggling to afford rent.
• Paul didn’t just write a check. He asked, “Can I use my IRA to solve this?” The answer: Yes. Through a self-directed IRA, Paul helped that pastor buy a home using an equity share model.
• Scott explains how underutilized this investment housing model is—and how game-changing it can be when people understand the tools they already have access to.
• No one-size-fits-all solution works in every church—but two questions always get you closer: What resources do we have? And what are our options?
• Scott makes it clear: Pastors shouldn’t have to choose between thriving in their ministry and surviving financially. The good news is that church members want to help, they just need to be shown how.
• Scott shares why pastors are often financially overlooked and under-resourced.
• Housing support isn’t about real estate—it’s about retaining leadership, strengthening churches, and reclaiming ground for the Kingdom.
• As Scott—who’s both the son and brother of pastors—says: Strong pastors need strong foundations. And sometimes, that foundation starts with a secure place to live.

 

 

Download our free resource "Avoiding the Exodus: Solving the 7 Housing Pitfalls" at Pastorsfinancialtoolkit.com/3