A denominational leader recently contacted me asking my advice about a plan he was developing about establishing a certification process for bivocational ministers in his denomination. His process would require a couple of interviews, letters of recommendation, and the completion of a number of courses prior to being certified. Those persons who went through that process would then be listed on a register in that denomination and would be recommended as potential ministers to churches who were seeking bivocational leadership.
I would be very interested in hearing from the readers of this blog how you feel about such a process. Is this something you would support? Would you be willing to go through this process? What would happen if the church the denomination recommended you to was four states away? Would you be willing to relocate as a bivocational minister?
This individual is seeking to put some struture to bivocational ministry, but I think he needs to hear from those who are currently involved in this type of ministry. What advice would you give him?
3 comments:
I think some type of bivocational ministry certification/recognition process would help churches and up-coming ministers to see bivocational ministry as a real, practical, and Biblical option. Surely it would also help those who support the ministry by making tents to have a larger pool of resources and more encouragement, training, and networking possibilities.
As far as moving four states away: I would not currently be able to do such a thing, but that does not mean God would not change things in the future. I am sure there are those ministers who, at some point in their journeys, would love the opportunity to move and begin a fresh work.
It seems to me that the more bivocational ministry becomes recognized as a viable option (not the second choice for the guy who cannot find a "full-time" church), ministers will train for secular careers early on that will allow them to have the flexibility to move to pastor a church and still be able to find secular work, even four states away. For instance, I have recently begun training as a nurse in order that I could have the flexibility to minister anywhere bivocationally. There are careers out there that work great with church ministry. Those of us in the Christian community upon whom God has layed the burden must encourage those who believe God has called them to the ministry to make tents for the cause of Christ.
Again, IMHO, this certification looks like a step in the right direction....
Where does CLI fit in with Bivocational certification?
A number of American Baptists are now looking into a national certification of bivocational ministers. Some discussions are being held with seminaries to see if they would want to be part of this process. I have also recommended to these individuals that they look at an on-line program that Campbellsville University hopes to have available by the fall of 2008 as a possible educational component.
In the Region in which I serve as an Area Minister we have a program called the Church Leadership Institute that has been developed to provide training for our lay leaders and bivocational ministers. I have also invited some of the persons discussing a certification process to look at CLI as a possible training program leading to certification.
Personally, I think one of the challenges of a certification process will be the independence of many bivocational ministers. For so many years we had to be independent because we had little support from our denominations or from fellow ministers. Few people were interested in developing resources specifically for bivocational ministers which is why I began writing books that addressed bivocational and small church issues. For some of us who have served as bivocational ministers for a number of years it will be difficult to believe that a certification process will be beneficial. However, as Jeff notes, in time such a certification process could help both churches and ministers start to view bivocational ministry as the viable option that it is.
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