Where does a church find a bivocational pastor?

 For years churches worked with their denomination to help them find a pastor. Many still do, and this was an important of my ministry as a Regional Minister for our denomination. Smaller churches in our area often sought help from the placement office in a nearby seminary. They could usually provide the names of seminary students seeking a ministry position while they finished their studies. However, as more and more churches have begun seeking bivocational leadership seminaries and denominations can struggle to provide good candidates. Where do these churches look to find a bivocational pastor?

Denominational leaders should still be the first contact. Like I often told smaller churches, I didn't have bivocational ministers growing on trees, but sometimes I would know of a retired minister or someone feeling led to enter the ministry who might be willing to serve their church. Sometimes I would know of lay leaders who felt called to do more and who had the gifts to serve a church as a bivocational minister who might consider a call to a church. Because denominational and regional leaders network with so many churches and people, they are the first contact a church should make when seeking bivocational leadership.

Your bivocational pastor is going to come from the same general geographical location as the church. It's not likely a pastor will move from New Jersey to Iowa to serve a bivocational church. When I worked with churches seeking such pastors I would try to keep within a 50 mile radius from the church and much closer when I could.

Sometimes the best person to serve as a bivocational pastor will come from within the congregation itself. Several times I saw someone from within the church accept the call to serve as the church's pastor and enjoy a very successful ministry. These are people who are known by the congregation and community, they are trusted, and they have shown good leadership in the past. Often, they will lack training, but there are numerous ways that can be addressed today.

Retired pastors can make great bivocational ministers. While they may have been glad to leave the stresses of fully-funded ministry, I have found many who were willing to serve a bivocational church. They bring a wealth of experience and wisdom to the role that a church will not get from someone just out of seminary. If they are willing to consider returning to the ministry it probably reflects a passion to serve people, and that is important in a bivocational church.

Although it often takes time to find a good bivocational pastor, they are out there. Churches should not give up or decide to settle on someone who really isn't a good fit for the church. Work with your denominational leaders and trust God in the process. You'll be glad you did.