Chase Replogle, who has been a bivocational pastor for Bent Oak Church in Springfield, MO, for five years (and works as a freelance web designer too) writes: Many bivocational pastors say this keeps them in touch with their congregation and spiritually grounded. They, too, are juggling work, family, and ministry-all while trying to prioritize the Lord-which John Koning says “should also their preaching, teaching, pastoral strategies, and expectations.” 9 Plus, because they’ve got one foot in the secular marketplace and one foot in the church, bivocational pastors have a unique understanding of the people to whom they minister. The result? A healthier church and a more effective ministry. Longevity increases the church’s stability and solidifies what Darius Salter says is essential for ministry: trust. But when blessed with a bivocational pastor, they can increase their ministry to their people and the community without depleting their often limited budgets.Īnd because bivocational pastors often own homes and “are more permanent members of the community,” 7 they tend to stay at churches longer than fully-funded pastors. Small churches that can’t afford a full-time pastor tend to experience instability-leadership can come and go like the wind. Is there a benefit for churches to have a bivocational pastor? Paul recounted their labor, saying “we worked night and day that we might not burden any of you, while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God” (1 Thess 2:9). 11:7–9) and the Thessalonians of this-that while he ministered in their cities, he “work with his hands and dependent on no one” (1 Thess 4:10b–12) and was not “preaching the gospel for money” (1 Thess 2:9 see also 2 Thess 3:8)-he provided for his own physical needs. He reminded the Corinthians (1 Cor 4:12 2 Cor. In his book The Tentmaking Pastor: The Joy of Bivocational Ministry, Bickers writes that Paul “continued to make tents as he traveled from city to city” so he would not be a financial burden on those he was ministering to. As a tentmaker, he had a “marketable skill that was needed wherever God might lead him to minister.” 6 The three worked together during the week, earning their living, but every Sabbath, Paul ministered in the synagogue. 5 Scripture tells us that when he was in Corinth, Paul lodged with Priscilla and Acquilla, who were also tentmakers (Acts 18:3 see also 1 Cor 9:1–15). However, the “birth” of bivocational ministry goes back even further to the apostle Paul, who supported himself financially by making tents. 3 But before that shift, Dennis Bickers says many ministers “served churches as the people moved west, supporting themselves as farmers, store owners, schoolteachers, and many other occupations while also providing pastoral care to their congregations and leading worship on Sunday mornings.” 4 Biblical support for bivocational ministryīivocational ministry was common up until the 1950s when churches began to encourage and support paid pastors, and many denominations began to prioritize seminary education. 2īut even though more and more men and women consider themselves bivocational ministers, it’s not a new concept. In fact, a recent Lifeway Research study found that 26 percent of pastors said they were bivocational. He says it’s “far more common” than most really understand. In his article “The Hidden Truth Behind Bivocational Ministry,” Matt Henslee affirms that bivocational ministry is growing. Often, however, there’s no salary at all-many pastors work full-time to support themselves and their families while carrying all the responsibilities of a staff pastor.Īnd the numbers of churches with bivocational pastors are increasing. Sometimes churches offer a small salary, so the pastor either lives on a meager budget or juggles a second job. They often earn income from other means, like a job in the secular marketplace or private income. That’s because they serve churches that can’t compensate them with full-time pay (or they choose to stay in another job to save the church money). The bivocational pastor is one of the most unique, gifted, and selfless individuals in the Church. Facebook Reddit Pinterest Email LinkedIn WhatsApp
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