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If you have bi-vocational pastors at your church, you’re not alone. More and more responsibility is being taken on every year by these heroes of ministry. The question is: what can we do to support them and ensure their longevity?

Researcher Thom Rainer called the bi-vocational movement “a true revolution in the church.”¹ He estimates there are over one million bi-vocational pastors in North America alone, with that number consistently increasing since the start of the pandemic. According to a recent Lifeway research study, over 26% of pastors surveyed reported being bi-vocational with at least one job outside of the church.²

So, what does this mean? It means that bi-vocational pastors aren’t going anywhere and the way we care for and develop them will have a direct correlation to the successful impact of our ministries.

Being a bi-vocational minister is hard. It’s not for the faint of heart. So, what can we do as church leaders to support them? How can we give our bi-vocational ministers the resources and tools they need to be successful? 

The #1 thing we can do to support a bi-vocational pastor is give them a canvas.

I’ve heard it said that clarity is kindness, and the bi-vocational pastors on your team need even more clarity than a full-time pastor. Think about it: the bi-vocational pastor doesn’t have any time to waste! Their time is the most precious thing they have and it has to be split between their day job, the church, and their family. Hands down, the best thing you can do for a bi-vocational pastor is to give them the gift of clarity.

And one of the best ways to think about the gift of clarity is to picture an art canvas. 

To a non-artist, a blank canvas can be intimidating. But to an artist, a blank canvas provides a boundaried space full of possibilities! Upon this surface, defined by its four sides, artists have the freedom to create whatever they want. And nothing they create on the canvas can be labeled wrong. The confidence that comes from knowing “this is mine to paint” and to not have to worry about any other canvases allows for focus and attention to be directed rightly. 

The canvas you give your bi-vocational pastors works largely the same way. Each side of the canvas represents a different type of clarity bi-vocational pastors need. As they use these four lines to guide their work, they’ll experience freedom to pursue all sorts of possibilities and the confidence to live into the plans God has for them. Instead of frustrating bi-vocational pastors with choices about what they have time to accomplish and what they must ignore, a canvas of clarity allows them to operate freely in the sweet spot of the ministry they’re called to. Let’s take a look at this canvas:

Side #1: Clear Boundaries

The first side of the canvas represents clear boundaries. To say the bi-vocational pastor has a lot on their plate is a massive understatement. Without clear boundaries around family, rest, and vocational availability, what often gets sacrificed first is the pastor’s own health and family. When that happens, their ministry will always suffer.

The most effective ministry comes from the most healthy pastors with healthy families. These are exactly the things this side of the canvas protects. The first gift we want to give to a bi-vocational pastor is to give them clear boundaries around family, rest, and availability. Help them set clear time frames around when they will be available and when they will not. Help them find the limit to their availability, as well. Because they will have a limit and they need to know it’s okay to step back when they’ve hit it.

We also want to help them set boundaries around family. A pastor’s first ministry is always to their family. Help your bi-vocational ministers to identify where their family will always come first. What will take precedence when ministry and family compete? How often are they willing to miss family dinner? When is it okay to choose work or the church over their child’s birthday or an extracurricular event? Clarity around these items will help the bi-vocational pastor choose – in advance – who gets their time when there’s not enough to go around. As a bonus, their family will be more supportive and bought into the ministry because they’ll have an understanding of the boundaries, too, and the priority they are.

Finally, help your bi-vocational pastors set boundaries around rest. When will they sabbath? How will they protect the sabbath? How many weeks do they need to take off each year to stay healthy? What will they do when they start to feel burnout or exhaustion coming their way? Answering these questions will pay major dividends for the church and the pastor down the road.

Side #2: Clear Expectations

What are your expectations for the bi-vocational pastor in their role? The answers to this question are represented in the second side of the canvas. Do you have a clear job description with areas of oversight designated specificaly to them? How many hours, on average, do you expect them to be available each week? Are your expectations hours-based or task-based? Is there a cap you don’t want them exceeding or a “this must get done” list for each month? 

Finally, what results do you expect? If we don’t connect clear expectations to well-defined results, it becomes difficult for leaders to know if they are being effective or not. Identifying the key responsibilities a leader must accomplish to be successful provides thoughtful direction to both the minister and the ministry.

Side #3: Clear Plan for Work & Care

Even with clear boundaries and expectations, this isn’t all the bi-vocational pastor will need. They will also need your help to create a work plan that works for them. The first part of a clear work plan is a strategy for time management. Again, the bi-vocational pastor’s time is their most precious resource, so why not help them plan how to manage this limited resource? 

The second part of a clear work plan will be helping them outline weekly priorities. When they don’t have enough time to get everything done, what do you want them to focus on first?

Lastly, what’s the best rhythm to help hold the bi-vocational minister accountable and proactively get their feedback? This part of the plan ensures you, as their support, stay in the know and any problems that arise can be addressed as early as possible.

Side #4: Clear Path to the Future

Now we’ve made it to the final side of the ministry canvas: a clear path for the future. This part of the canvas is all about outlining hopes and dreams for the future. Is there a pathway for the pastor to eventually join the staff full-time or is this role best served by someone willing to invest part-time? Does the leader want to let go of their other job and solely focus, full time, on this work, or do they prefer being bi-vocational? If the pastor does desire to go full-time in the future and that is a viable option, when and how will it happen? By answering these questions together, the bi-vocational pastor and the church leadership get to paint the same picture and significantly decrease possible frustrations or issues from popping up later.

If you want to support the bi-vocational pastors in your congregation well, the best gift you can give them is a clear canvas for ministry. When you do, they will thank you. 

Let Jeff know if you would like to talk more about bi-vocational ministry. He’d love to hear from you and learn what sides of this canvas make the most sense, or what’s missing, and how you support the bi-vocational heroes in your community.

¹ https://churchanswers.com/blog/the-bi-vocational-revolution-most-churches-are-missing/

² HTTPS://lifewayresearch.com/2019/01/11/more-than-half-of-pastors-started-their-careers-outside-the-church/

It’s Sunday morning. Everything is ready. Materials are prepared, worship is cued, and volunteers are in place. Then it happens. One child’s behavior sends your morning off the rails.

So much for well-made plans. 

All children deal with behavioral issues now and then, but what if that behavior tells you something else? What if the behavior communicates that this child needs accommodations due to special needs or trauma?

Dr. Karyn Purvis said it best: “Behavior is the language of a child who has lost their voice.” Whether you refer to these children as differently-abled, exceptional, or special needs, we all agree there are some children who need extra help to participate in our ministry successfully. 

Not sure these kids are in your ministry? Chances are that if you serve more than ten children, these kids are already part of your church. Here are some statistics to keep in mind:

• 1 in 6 kids has a diagnosed special need, whether medical or developmental 
• 6.1 million children/students have been diagnosed with ADHD
• 1 in 44 children/students has been diagnosed with autism

As ministry leaders, we aim for everyone to feel welcome in our church. With that in mind, it may be time for us to find out what is behind our kids’ behavior. When a child enters the church in a wheelchair, we consider the accommodations they need to participate in the ministry. But what about children who have invisible challenges? Autism, ADHD, and anxiety play out in the ministry as behavioral problems when really, they are challenges a child needs help navigating. The good news is you don’t need a separate special needs ministry to welcome these families. You need a plan, and that plan can start with these steps:

1. Cultivate Awareness

People are our greatest asset when it comes to serving children with special needs. Train your team with a brief understanding of invisible differences and how they may impact your ministry environment. Volunteers do not need to be experts on autism; they need to be experts on the child in their group. Training a volunteer to sit near a child who needs additional help can change the trajectory of your morning. If a child is talking out of turn, a gentle reminder with a hand on their shoulder is often all they need to get back on track.

2. Partner with Parents

Partnering with parents can seem like an elusive goal for ministry leaders. When working with differently-abled children, it becomes much easier. Parents are the experts. If parents share their child’s challenges, seek them out for what works best for them both at home and school.

Have an intake form available for parents to complete before attending or when checking their child into the ministry. An intake form gives you important information to better serve the child. 

Parents may not disclose their child’s challenges for fear of rejection. Asking a parent, “How can we help your child be more successful?” opens a dialogue with the parent and builds a partnership. 

Some children have never been diagnosed. It is never the job of a ministry leader to suggest a diagnosis. You don’t need a diagnosis to serve a child. You can accommodate a child because you know they need extra help. 

3. Know Your Kids

Help your team become “empathetic investigators” by finding out what is behind the behavior. Develop a relationship by asking questions of a child struggling in your ministry. Try this approach:

• Ask-Words alone are often not enough. Visual aids help kids put words to their emotions. An Emoticon Chart is a simple tool that helps kids describe their feelings. This is a great starter for small group or class.

• Listen– Listen to what children communicate through their words and behaviors. Remember, behavior is a language.

• Plan-Have a plan in place when you know the child is struggling. Schools offer Individual Education Plans. Why not an Individual Ministry Plan? What does this child need to be successful? Having a plan for one child will serve the whole group.

4. Assess the Environment

How does the room feel to a child walking in for the first time? Is the music loud? Are the lights too bright? Is the room crowded? Be mindful of sensory needs. A child with supervision may step out during worship or sit in the back of the room. Knowing your child will help you answer these questions and have a plan.

We once changed our entire Sunday morning schedule with one child with ADHD in mind. The kids were moving and singing during worship, sitting during Bible story, standing for a game, sitting during the closing prayer, and traveling to small groups. Do you see a pattern? The outcome of just moving our schedule around served all our children, not just the child with ADHD.

5. Train Volunteers and Kids

Communicate clear expectations to everyone. Begin your time with what kids can expect and what you expect from them. We begin our time by sharing three expectations. 

Together we will:
Respect God
Respect leaders
Respect each other

When we experience behavioral issues, we connect it back to one of these expectations. Another clear expectation would be a visual schedule for my friends who need additional help. Understanding what will happen next gives participants a sense of control. Boundaries and clear expectations provide safety for everyone.

Having the desire to serve these families is the first step. You don’t need a sensory room or separate space. You need people, and you can start with one person willing to partner with a child. I like to encourage volunteers with the reminder that when they serve these children they help, not just the child, they help their family be part of the church, as well. 

So, where do you start? You start with one child. Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” (Matthew 19:14)

A perspective on bi-vocational ministry.

If you’ve been in ministry for any length of time, you know that it reaches much further than the time you’re officially “on the clock” for your job. Ministry can seep into every corner of our lives – sometimes in beautiful ways, other times in unhealthy ways. 

On a typical day, I may find myself —

• Serving a cold drink to someone in the blazing heat
• Helping someone unfamiliar with my area feel at home
• Providing a place to rest, refresh, and renew
• Showing the love of Jesus through smiles and actions, not just words

Am I talking about my role in a local church? Nope. But I am talking about my ministry, which actually looks a lot like a business because, well…it is.

My husband and younger son and I moved to Belize a little over three years ago now. We own and manage Placencia Beach Club in the tiny little fishing village of Placencia. It’s a business open to the public – local Belizeans, expats, and tourists alike. My days are filled with helping manage our team of 15, chatting with guests, and day-to-day operations. It may not look like a ministry in the traditional sense but have no doubts – our family is on mission here.

You see, our dream is to have a small resort where people in ministry can come to rest, refresh, and relax for little to no cost. How? By tithing back 10% of the room nights at the resort to folks in ministry. My husband and I both grew up as MK’s (missionary kids), in a setting where using “someone else’s money” to go on vacation was a strict no-no. In other words, if you needed a break, you had to fund it yourself. Pretty difficult to do on a typical pastor or missionary salary.

It’s time to retell the story. We want to remove the obstacles that prevent our ministers of the gospel from being able to experience a time of renewal. We aren’t quite to the realization of that dream yet, but God keeps bringing us closer every single day. (Feel free to email me if you’d like to keep up with our story!)

In our case, ministry has expanded past the typical boundaries in a beautiful way. Not a single person pulling into our sandy parking lot for a day at the beach and pool will automatically identify us as a ministry. I suspect, however, that after their experience here, more than one person has left feeling like there was “something different.” (Experiencing the hands and feet of Jesus in action, perhaps?)  

Your ministry story may be a little different than the norm as well. Different doesn’t mean less valuable.

“Bi-vocational” is a term almost exclusively used in the context of ministry. It typically refers to a minister who serves a church part-time and works another job (or jobs) as well. Many of you reading this have other jobs or roles outside of your role in ministry. Some of you are part-time children’s directors or volunteer youth directors. Others are full-time pastors with a side job to help make ends meet. 

When our ministry story doesn’t include a full-time paid position, it can be difficult to discern when to allow ministry to seep into the edges of our lives. 

• Sometimes ministry seeps into our lives in a way that brightens the dark corners.
• Sometimes ministry seeps into our lives and robs us of our sense of self.
• Sometimes ministry seeps in to expand our understanding of our God.
• Sometimes ministry seeps in and distorts our understanding of God.
• Sometimes ministry seeps in and brings with it new relationships and new opportunities.
• Sometimes ministry seeps in and chips away at our relationships.

As you ponder your own ministry story, I pray that God will reveal to you how the gifts, talents, and passions that you’ve been given are part of the whole picture, not just the ministry portion. Seek discernment about where to lean in, and where to lean back. 

You’re not alone. We are in this together!

For six years my husband has been an aspiring gardener. When we moved to rural New Jersey (yes, such a thing exists) he was inspired by the local farms to start a family vegetable garden. Every year, he and our children prepare the same patch of lawn, plant some seeds, and then we all wait to see what survives. 

Our children get to choose the seeds. Their choices are largely dictated by what looks the most interesting rather than what grows well in the rocky clay soil native to our area. Sunflowers, popcorn, pumpkins, and tomatoes all pop up in early April. But, so far, the team has been disappointed by a less than stellar fall harvest. Last year, one of the kids asked my husband, “Dad, do you even know what you’re doing?” 

Desperate to preserve the goodwill of his assistant gardeners, he paused for a minute and said, “Not at all! But isn’t this fun?”

And the answer he got back was, “NO! It’s really hard!”

Ministry can be a lot like gardening. There are times when we work hard, investing so much, only to feel like there’s not much to show for all that we’ve done.

Anne Lamott says, “We are Easter Christians living in a Good Friday World.” 

And many of us working in churches have lived that reality in a new way during the last two years. We know and talk about God being alive and at work in our world. But it’s not always clear or apparent what God is doing. We know and believe the seeds of new life have been sown. Deep in the soil those roots are growing. But there is still a lot of work to do before those roots become a plant that bears fruit.

As people of faith, our calling is to find these seeds God has planted—both in our lives and in the institutions we serve—and help them take root and grow. But sometimes, we could use a little help. 

Spiritual direction and coaching are both great options when it comes to navigating the challenges and changes that the seasons of life will bring. Both types of support have their unique strengths and can actually work quite well together when simultaneously in place. 

Spiritual Direction is about Discernment

People often seek spiritual direction during a time in life when they have to make a big decision. Maybe you’re considering changing careers or making a big move. Setting aside time to prayerfully reflect on your choices can be extremely helpful. It can make you feel like you’ve done everything you can to make a choice well. A spiritual director will help you listen deeply to God’s prayer for you in the big and the small. Spiritual direction impacts our everyday lives and everyday choices. 

Coaching is about Development

Partnering with a coach often helps people grow as individuals and professionals. In ministry, engaging a coach can be a great opportunity to get input and feedback from a voice outside of your typical collection of colleagues and parishioners. Coaches provide reliable support and accountability at a variety of stages in our lives. They can help us identify and build skills that help us and our ministries flourish.

Spiritual Direction is about Relationships

It’s not just about sitting in a quiet place praying by yourself. Spiritual direction grounds your interaction with the world and everyone you meet in prayer. When you partner with a director, you partner with someone who is there to be your support and guide. They help you think through what’s going on in your life and what the thoughts and feelings that bubble up inside might mean. Spiritual directors can also give you tools (prayer practices, books to read, etc.) to grow a deeper faith and to build healthy relationships.

Coaching is about Outcomes

Personal coaches work with their clients to identify goals and develop criteria useful for measuring progress towards those goals. This work can range from focusing on a particular project to giving attention to a broader target, such as developing your effectiveness as a leader. The experience and resources a coach can offer may also help you be proactive about challenges that could arise after your time together.

Spiritual Direction is about Transformation

Author Rose Mary Dougherty says that when it comes to decision making, the outcome is much less significant than the process itself. Spiritual direction embraces that spirit by focusing less on solving problems and fixing things. Instead, it focuses more on who God is calling us to be in each moment or situation. A spiritual director will be more attentive to your transformation than accomplishing tasks.

Coaching is Task-Oriented

Conversely, coaches generally focus on specific needs or issues rather than taking a broad view of an individual. From building or improving a ministry at your church to navigating a challenging situation with a fellow staff member, a coach will help you think through all the possibilities, opportunities, and challenges, then create a plan with you. The coaching process typically begins with a diagnostic analysis that pinpoints the needs of you or your ministry. Then, it works to address those, specifically. 

The last two years have been dizzying and disorienting for pretty much everyone. The challenges and changes the pandemic brought have forced churches, ministers, and nonprofits to make some really big changes and to do so quickly. As we all continue to find our way forward in 2022, I hope this guide helps you discern who could be a good support for you and your ministry. And if you’d like help discerning your next step, we’d love to connect in a free 30-minute call.