Bivocational numbers may be higher than we realize

At a recent small church leader's conference several pastors told me they had not thought of themselves as bivocational even though they had other sources of employment and income.  Most of these pastors were from mainline denominations where the term bivocational may not be used quite as often as in other denominations.  They just saw themselves as pastors who happened to have a second job.  Most of the jobs were part-time that just required a few hours each week, but they still added income for the minister and his or her family.  For instance, I spoke with one individual who had a number of dogs he walked for a few hours each week.  He never really considered himself as bivocational partly because he often used the time he spent walking the dogs to think about upcoming sermons or church issues he had to address.  I felt there were a couple of interesting insights in this.

One, these individuals just saw themselves as pastors.  This pastor was not a dog walker who happened to pastor a church.  He was a pastor who spent a few hours each week walking dogs.  I was not a factory worker who spent time each week pastoring a church.  I was a pastor who spent a few hours each week working in a factory. 

How we see ourselves will have a great impact on our self-esteem and how we value what we do.  I was a pastor 24/7/365.  I just happened to have a factory job to help pay my bills and provide for my family, but my identity was in being a pastor.  I think this is a very healthy way for bivocational ministers to view what they do.

The second insight is that there are probably far more bivocational ministers already serving churches than we have previously believed.  If the pastors do not see themselves as bivocational it is highly unlikely their denominations will capture that distinction either.  It again affirms a comment I frequently make: we really have no idea how many people are currently serving as bivocational ministers, but it is more obvious that there are more than we believe and the numbers are growing.  God is using bivocational ministers to lead his smaller churches (and sometimes larger churches) in effective ministry to their communities and to fellow believers.

If God is using you in a bivocational role, rejoice.  You are in good company.   Rejoice also because bivocational ministry is becoming recognized by more and more church, judicatory, and denominational leaders as an effective way of providing leadership to a growing number of churches.