Transition from being a fully-funded pastor to bivocational

A few years ago I worked with a church that could no longer afford a fully-funded pastor. Their current pastor had been there for a few years and felt no leading from God to leave. He was willing to seek outside employment to remain at the church in a bivocational role. Other pastors have contacted me over the years saying their churches were considering the same transition and wondering what they should do. Some were willing to become bivocational but were unsure what other careers they should consider. A few told me they were not trained to do anything but ministry and were frightened by the prospect of having to leave the ministry if they were unable to find another church.

During these conversations I remind these pastors that their ministry training has given them many transferable skills that could be used in other areas of work. One pastor who made this transition had served several years in youth ministry before being called to a pastoral role. When he later became bivocational he found a job leading a youth center in his community, a job he's now been doing for several years. It was a perfect fit. Other pastors serve as teachers, some as substitute teachers, to keep their hours flexible. Some have gone into business or accepted leadership roles in various organizations. Some have furthered their education in counseling and have transitioned into that field while remaining in the ministry. Many of the things we do in ministry are needed in other fields as well.

One question I often ask these pastors concerns their majors in college. Many pastors were considering other careers while in college and pursuing education to prepare them for that work before feeling called to ministry. If this was an area of interest for them in the past, perhaps it is a good career choice to consider while becoming a bivocational minister.

Bivocational ministers can be found working many different jobs. For me, the most important challenge is to find a job you will enjoy that gives you the flexibility you need to also serve your church and provide financially for your family.

Tomorrow we will focus on the more difficult aspect of making this transition: letting go of some of the ministry tasks you were used to doing.