Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Bivocational ministers and education

About nine years ago I conducted a survey of bivocational ministers in the American Baptist Churches USA.  One of the questions addressed the level of education these ministers had.  The responses ran the gamut from high school diploma to PhD with most of the responders falling somewhere in between. 

As I've shared elsewhere, when I began my ministry I had no education beyond high school.  It took me only a few months to realize that some ministerial training and education might be helpful!  As I began to look around I found a two year Bible school about one hour away from my home, and I soon enrolled as a student.  It was a wonderful experience although it was challenging to work a full-time job, serve as a bivocational minister, be a student, and have a wife and two children.  However, I finished that program and enjoyed the learning process so much I enrolled at a university and began working on my bachelor's degree.  Before completing that degree I added running a small business to the other responsibilities listed above.  It took me seven years to finish that degree, and I graduated at 46 years of age.  Several years later I felt the need to earn a Master's and then a doctorate.  I was 62 when I received my doctorate.

My educational experience was certainly not the normal route most people take, and much of it occurred before distance learning was available.  Today there are many more options for the person who wants to further his or her education.  Not only are there opportunities for persons to earn accredited degrees online, but there are many non-degree educational opportunities available as well.  Bivocational ministers need to take advantage of these opportunities.

Now, I know the arguments about time and other demands on your time.  I didn't list all the things I had going on in the above paragraph to boast on all the things I did but to demonstrate that any objection you can give can be overcome.  And, there is not a age limit on when you can earn a degree or further your education.  When I began my bachelor's studies someone asked how long I thought it would take.  When I replied I thought it would take me about seven years they asked, "How old will you be when you graduate?"  I responded in seven years I would be 46 years old, but in seven years I would be 46 anyway.  The only thing I had to decide was did I want to be 46 with a college degree or 46 without one, and I chose to be 46 with one.

Doing a Google search will take you to a number of excellent schools where you can do much or all of your studies online.  I always recommend Campbellsville University as a great place to start.  They have a diploma program specifically for bivocational ministers, and they offer a very solid Master of Theology degree which can be taken entirely online if you wish.  You can get more information about those programs here.

Some judicatories have training programs available.  Our Region has offered the Church Leadership Institute to lay leaders and bivocational ministers in the American Baptist Churches of Indiana and Kentucky for the past ten years.  This year we have opened two additional locations for classes and now offer it to anyone regardless of denominational affiliation. 

You will have the opportunity to attend numerous workshops and seminars hosted by a wide variety of groups, and you should make every effort to attend at least one or two of these each year.  Ministry is changing rapidly, and you owe it to yourself and your church to learn new insights that will make you a more effective leader in your church.

I am a strong believer in being a life-long learner, and I hope you are as well.  The more I have learned the better minister I have become.  I don't ever want to stop learning and growing because I don't want there to ever be a lid on my ministry abilities.  I pray you feel the same way.

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