Resourcing our bivocational ministers

This past weekend I had the opportunity to lead two workshops for a Deacon/Pastor/Spouse retreat sponsored by the Kentucky Baptist Convention. One workshop was on the "Healthy Small Church," and the other workshop focused on "Time Management for Church Leaders." The conference had about 450 registrants several who told me they were bivocational. At this conference I was told by someone that about 70% of the KBC pastors are bivocational. I wondered how many I would have at my workshops and was pleased that about 50 people attended each one.

As bivocational ministry continues to grow judicatories must find ways to bring bivocational ministers and lay leaders from their churches together for training, fellowship, and encouragement. There must be an intentional effort to provide these opportunities or we will shortchange a large number of our churches and the persons God has called to lead them. We must find ways to help our small churches and their pastors to recognize the importance of their ministry to the Kingdom of God. We must lift up bivocational ministry as a valid call of God on a person's life that is not inferior to any other call God may give to another. We must stop complaining about the lack of training some bivocational ministers have and begin to provide such training at times and in ways that will be accessible to them. We must bring these bivocational leaders together so they can learn from one another. We must help them find mentors and coaches who can help them through rough spots in their lives and ministries.

The Kentucky Baptist Convention is doing these things. So is the American Baptist Churches of Indiana and Kentucky. The same could be said of the Tennessee Baptist Convention and many other judicatories, but more needs to be done. Some denominational organizations act as if we don't exist or that we don't need encouragement or resources. Denominations, seminaries and Bible schools, publishing houses, and churches need to come together with bivocational ministers and identify ways to meet their training needs and the best ways to offer those opportunities. More resources need to be produced to assist bivocational ministers and the churches they serve. More seminaries need to offer dual-degree programs to help bivocational ministers be prepared for both their church ministries and their other careers.

I would love to hear from you what training needs you would like to have available to you that would benefit your ministry, your family needs, and your own personal development.