The growing interest in bivocational ministry

Last week I received a Doctor of Ministry dissertation a student at Talbot School of Theology had written.  It had been approved, and he wanted me to have a copy of it since I was one of the people he interviewed as part of his project.  The title of the dissertation is Effective Strategies for Bi-Vocational Ministry.  I haven't read it yet, but it is on my reading schedule for later this month.

For the past few years I have been interviewed for two or three DMin projects each year that  explored aspects of bivocational ministry.  This excites me because it demonstrates that people are seeing the valuable contribution bivocational ministers are making to their churches and to the Kingdom of God.  Although I have not studied this, I would venture a guess that even ten years ago there were very few doctoral papers being written on bivocational ministry.  When my first book on bivocational ministry, Tentmaking Pastor, The: The Joy of Bivocational Ministry, was released in 2000 there were no more than a handful of books written on the subject, and I doubt there were any more doctoral studies on the topic than that either.  Today, that is slowly changing as more doctoral students are studying bivocational ministry and writing papers on their learnings.

Along with doctoral papers there are more books and magazine articles being written on the subject as well.  In addition to the ones I've written several others have contributed books on the subject.  My friend Terry Dorsett wrote one that I think is proving to be very valuable to bivocational ministers entitled Developing Leadership Teams in the Bivocational Church.  I am very thankful for these resources that will help bivocational pastors and the churches they serve.

More denominations and judicatories are scheduling training events for their bivocational and small church leadership.  As many of you know, in the past month I've led such events in Boston and in New Hampshire.  Both events were very well done, and I applaud the leaders who made these events possible.  This again reflects a growing appreciation for what bivocational ministers are doing.

It is also exciting to see universities and seminaries offering programs specially designed for bivocational ministers.  A few are offering dual-degree programs that will be quite helpful for those persons who feel specifically called to bivocational ministry, and I know of at least one other school now actively considering such a program.  Growing numbers of seminaries are now offering at least some of their degree programs entirely online making them more accessible to bivocational ministers who are already juggling family, work, and church responsibilities.  These programs will make it possible for many of these ministers to benefit from a seminary education.  Schools like Campbellsville University have certificate programs that have been developed for bivocational ministers who do not have a college education to make it possible for them to receive valuable theological and ministerial education.

When you combine all these new developments together it is easy to see the change in how bivocational ministry is perceived today compared to how many viewed it twenty years ago.  There is a growing interest in bivocational ministry because it is obvious that our numbers are growing, and the expectation is that bivocational ministry will increase even more in the future.  But, more than just the fact that our numbers are growing is the realization that we are bringing valuable ministry to the churches we serve.  We no longer have to try to justify our existence to others; our ministries provides all the justification that is needed.

I encourage my bivocational brothers and sisters to take advantage of the many opportunities available to you.  Buy the books that will help your ministry.  Attend the workshops that are offered.  Take the classes that will help you be a more effective minister.  When I began my bivocational pastorate in 1981 none of these things were available to me.  You are richly blessed that more and more resources are now available to you, so please use them.  Invest in yourself and your ministry.