We planted our church, The Vine, about 10 months ago. We held our first service on July 25th, 2010. From the beginning we have been a team of three pastors/elders, and part of our commitment has been to work a part-time job for the sake of modeling the mission.
This commitment has been harder than I expected and better than I expected.
I work at the Apple store. It’s hard to walk into work some days. The only real reason I am there is to build relationships with non-Christians but some days I am stuck with the minutiae of angry customers, endless questions about operating systems, and broken iPod screens. Oftentimes I am left with the thought, “Why am I here again?!? I didn’t move to Madison to sell computers.” This reality has been harder than I expected.
But then I step back and look over my last 10 months of working at Apple and can see many significant interactions of clearly speaking The Gospel. These numerous interactions are enough to want to keep me there for a long time and I would never have had them had I not taken this job. This reality has been better than I expected. Pastor, I would commend it to you.
There have been two different seasons in my life when I have shared the Gospel the most frequently and both of those seasons happened to be when I worked a job outside the church. One was when I was waiting tables as a side gig when I was touring musician in Nashville, and the second one is where I am at now. It’s not hard to figure out. Relationships with unbelievers are structured into my life for 20 hours a week. We live among each other and our lives naturally intersect. Do you have a structure in your life that forces this upon you?
I wish I could say that I am spiritual enough to do evangelism without having to structure these relationships into my life, but sadly, I am not. It’s somewhat analogous to my reason for going to seminary. I needed to structure advanced theological learning into my life. I am not spiritual enough or disciplined enough to go home every night and read a chapter of Bavinick, Frame, or Edwards all on my own. I wish I could say that I am, but it’s just not going to happen unless I impose a structure for it upon myself.
Same with evangelism. I do want to do it. I always say that I am going to do it but the demands of family, exercise, music, church, and leisure always seem to soak up the majority of my time. I have found that unless I structure this time into my life it just doesn’t happen in a way that seems appropriate to what the Bible presents at normative.
But here is the rub. No one has repented yet at my job. Of all the people in the last 10 months that have heard me talk about Jesus, not one has responded favorably... yet. So I find myself reflecting on my motives. On the darker side, I can get frustrated that no one is responding. But WHY am I frustrated? Is it because I need validation and a sense of accomplishment in the mission? If I was honest, I would sadly have to say “yes” and repent.
But here is the bittersweet blessing. Having no one turn and trust Christ has driven me deeper into passionate pleading with God that he would save people from their sins and his wrath that awaits. I work with these people everyday and I think that God is growing my heart to love and care for them better. My prayer life and sense of utter desperation and dependance has greatly increased. It certainly is bitter, but oh so sweet.
I know many of you are reading this and thinking, “There is no way I could ever have time for a part-time job.” But let me suggest that maybe you are asking the wrong question. The question maybe should not be, “What do I have time for?”, but rather, “What should my priorities be?” We all have time for the things we choose to be priorities. Do your priorities reflect Biblical priorities? Is your church a community on mission? Do your people have a passion to share the Gospel? I know there are not always quantifiable answers to those questions. But one thing I know for sure, if the leader is not structuring his life to have a context for evangelism, his people won’t either. Shouldn’t this be a primary priority in the life of the leader?
So pastor, why not give it a shot? Have you structured evangelism into your life? If not, why not? I know I need that structure in order to actually do it. I am too lazy and unspiritual. For the sake of the leadership of your people on mission, could it be worth it? Do they have a pastor leading them with stories to tell about sharing the Gospel and passionate prayers uttered for the lost that flow out of real relationships with people?
Will I be working bi-vocationally as long as I am a pastor? I don’t know. But I pray that no matter what, God continues to give grace to love those who are far from him and that we all seek to structure our lives in such a way that we can’t not do evangelism.
30 comments:
Thanks for the post. I am a bi-vocational pastor as well who thought I would plant a nice middle-class church and ended up with a congregation littered with addicts in a dying Appalachian town. I am praying now how to be a better missional pastor to the people God has placed before me (http://pastormattblog.com/2011/04/12/piercing-portsmouths-darkness/). Will be praying for you, bro. It's not necessarily about productivity, it's about faithfulness.
I've been Bi-Vocational since January. I took on a long-term Science Sub position at a local Vocational School for High School Juniors and seniors. I can agree with a lot of what you said. I pastor a rural church of 30 so we needed some interaction with younger people.
The hard part is the time structure with my wife and finding time to relax. However, I have had some great conversations, shared the gospel with many students and provided some a good leadership example.
I wish it was less time intensive but for a season it was a good opportunity. I've learned some more of the problems in the community and it gave me 90 daily interactions with non-christians plus teachers.
Just out of curiosity, how much do you make from the advertisements on the blog?
Really, anonymous? Did you really ask that?
Great idea for a church planter. Keep yourself mixed up with real people as long as possible.
I really appreciate that you frame the question as “What should my priorities be?". As this allows for circumstances and context shape the answer.
I find myself in a very odd situation. I do not receive a salary of any kind from the church I planted & pastor. I receive a portion of my income as a missionary through the support of friends, family & other churches. However, I am bi-vocational in that I make up much my income through "non-ministry" jobs. Thankfully, those jobs are contract work that & other means that allow me to work at an open schedule (which helps, being an insomniac!).
However, I live & pastor in an inner city context. Our church is very much a neighbourhood church. Most jobs I have found would have taken me out of the neighbourhood. So, where your job allows you to engage with your neighbours in the context of the workplace, my job frees me up to spend my days among those in my community who are very often unemployed & wouldn't come into contact with me in other work places.
Thanks for your honesty. Great post.
Jim,
Why just for church planters?
z
thanks for these good words brother.
You just blessed tons of us here.
We praise God for you and for all that He is about to do through your ministry.
PS:Anonymous,
unless you were joking, your comment was really ...,
especially on a post that is to inspire and encourage us all to live for Christ and seek his kingdom FIRST!
Whatever was heavy on your heart and led you to ask that, we pray for and trust our Lord Jesus to help and lead you out of.
Great post. It seems to me that if the church is going to mobilize it's members for mission, those leading are going to have to model that mission. Makes me think of Paul's admonition to the Ephesian elders.
My pastor is bi-vocational (a cop, until he retires in the next year or so), as is my assistant pastor. I attend a Calvary Chapel and my understanding is that this happens a lot. I think it can be a good thing.
@Jim I would ask also why just church planters. It is so much better to hear from my pastor who is working in the trenches along side of me in the mission field of life. It was good enough for Paul wasn't it? God Bless Now Zack and all you hard praying and working people of God.
Totally agree, Zach. This is the way to do effective ministry in Japan also - and the way we have committed to. We have seen God bring us into some sweet relationships and key ministry opportunities through our "side business".
Blessings on you, my brother.
Thanks for sharing with us. I'm not a pastor, and although this post was mainly devoted to pastors, as a Christian I can relate to the evangelism part.
All I can I say is: keep praying, keep being the light. I felt like that in a place I used to work at, but God opened doors at heart in His time and I got to witness to some of my coworkers and even to a couple of Mormons. Just keep on!
I think this a very good way at looking at it. Paul was also bi-Vocational. It is great to have the pastor in the trenches with you, leading by example but, working a normal 9-5 job, looking after wife and kids and preparing good expositional sermons, home studies can kill you.
I think ideally a “not fulltime” job will be excellent.
I am a pastor working in Harvest a church in N. Ireland. I feel so blessed to be able to use my Mandarin every day as I work. My physical boss reminds me of my heavenly 'boss' to whom I must someday give an account. I praise Him for the provision of this job and also His Calling in my life to churchplant. They are complimentary.
I have a very different take on this. I am bi-vocational now, and while I have learned much and had my faith stretched, and while I have certainly had much opportunity to connect with non-Christians, I am hesitant to recommend bi-vocational ministry. Evangelism is something that my wife and I have consistently built into our lives with neighbors and through hobbies and kids activities. If anything, being bi-vocational has made that kind of evangelism harder, as my time has become stretched thin. With two small children, it also puts greater strain on spending the time I want to spend with my family. And when there is a crisis with a family in the church... My second job is not always accommodating to such situations. Nor do I have the time and resources to equip my congregation for missional living, not with the other demands on my time.
There are good reasons the apostle Paul affirmed that those who minister the gospel should make their living by it (1 Cor 9:3-14). And while Paul did not avail himself of Corinthian support while in Corinth, he certainly accepted it from other churches and expected it from the Corinthians while ministering elsewhere (1 Cor 16:6). Could it not be said that when a church commits to supporting its pastor full-time, or when a church planter is supported full-time, that he is freed to shepherd both the flock and his own family, and that the church demonstrates tangibly its commitment to gospel ministry?
Mike McKinley makes the case in his book on church planting for full support of pastors and church planters. While bi-vocational ministry may be a good option for some, and the only option for others, I think in an optimal situation that McKinley is right.
Just my two cents.
Justin,
I would submit that you and your wife's intentionality is sadly the exception and not the rule. Most people need it structured into their lives. Thanks for your comment.
z
Z, I appreciate your intentionality. Don't know if you're married with multiple children, but some bi-vocational ministers have 40 hr a week jobs and then a 20 hr a week church job. "Structure" is a relative term in some situations. Some have "structured" evangelism with their children who they only see for a few hours a day b/c of working 60+ hours a week. I doubt that there are either "rules" or "exceptions." Glad things are well for you and Justin Keller. This blog provides extra income at some level and helps you work some at Apple & church plant. And I'm glad Justin Keller is intentional.
Zach ::
I would love for you to share more thoughts on this subject. I recently went through some major transitions that led me from bi-vocational, to practically tri-vocational (20 hrs. at church, 40 hrs. at other job, and a farm), and now I'm now I'm just working the town job and the farm beginning to feel out what the next ministry move is.
What I would love to hear from you is how you balance your time between family, pastoral work, and your super cool job at the Apple Store. I imagine it is difficult to manage your time and I would love to hear your thoughts.
Z,
I totally understand about working at Apple. I work there too, while attending Southern Seminary. You really see the how material things can become idols, but it's a great place to be able to build relationships with co-workers and preach the gospel!
Great post.
Ben
I am not bi-vocational but my wife and I have spent 30 years making room in our lives for people outside the church and outside of the faith. It worked great when the kids were at home, but now we have had to find a new tactic, and that has been through her finding a part-time job nearby, in a context where relationships happen. It has been 7 years since we took this new course, but God is opening doors now and in new ways after 7 years. I would say pastors need to find a way to put themselves into significant long term relationships with people outside of Christ. It has been nothing but a fruitful endeavor for us. It certainly keeps my preaching from being prejudicial and stereotyping of unbelieving people, and has stirred my heart to prayer for conversions.
A seminary prof shared with us how bi-vocational ministry had blessed his life. His testimony changed my ministry. I knew I wanted to teach as well as be a pastor. There are places you cannot go as a pastor without being bi-vocational, if you want to be at all relevant. Can a pastor preach to a bunch of coal miners in Pennsylvania if he doesn't have dirt on his own hands? I think all churches should pay their pastors, but sometimes, it does a pastor a lot of good to not be totally dependent on his church.
Thanks, I needed that. I am a bi-vocational pastor by necessity, and face many of the same challenges you mentioned. Not the least of which is my need to repent of a desire for validation in ministry.
May the Lord of the harvest raise up laborers for His harvest.
I am a missionary church planter and your post makes me wonder if I should seek a part-time job here for the sake of building more relationships.
I very much appreciate these thoughts, particularly as a college student who has a passion for ministry but feels like I need to do something to keep myself from getting encapsulated in "church culture" and losing the love that we are meant to have for the lost.
One of the best ways to learn to love the world is to be in it, mingling with the people who are blind to Christ. Like you noted, it's one of the things that will drive us to our knees to plead with the Lord to move!
Great post! I'm a bi-vocationalChurch Planter who while feeling the need for a vacation believes I have found a great balance to life. I take Saturdays off (unless we have an event or something comes up), Sunday afternoons/evening are chilax time. Then Monday Through Friday I do a 9-5 job. On Monday evening I do my church admin work. Tuesday through Thursday are meeting nights where I will schedule no more than two meetings a week (the other night is dedicated just to my wife), Friday nights are social nights with friends, and people who we are trying to reach out to. My wife joins me for almost all social and formal church meetings. Then my personal devotional and sermon prep is always in the morning. I get up around 6am and spend two hours in prayer, sermon prep and the word.
I have realized the busier I have become how much more time there is in the day that we normally just waste away. Being bi-vocational has made be become so much more intentional and structured in my life that I think it has made me a much more equipped leader and pastor
Excellent post Zach. I remember that often in the church I grew up in, the pastor would continue to use the same personal evangelism example for a few years in a row, and I thought to myself: is this the only experience he has had that he can pull from?
Yes, thanks for the post.
I too am a bi-vocational pastor. While being in the world provides me with evangelistic opps, the pace of the week can be draining. I often feel that if I have a down day spiritually, i am loosing ground. With full time ministry there is time to feed your soul. With bi-vocational ministry evey week your must manage your time so closely and you must know how to bring your heart to be happy in the Lord. This is no small thing when the church needs more, the family needs your love and time and you have heartfelt desires to see the church go forward.
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