Bivocational Ministry

“The Small Church Academy launched a year ago through the Bivocational & Small Church Leadership Network (BSCLN) with three cohorts. Those cohorts – small groups of up to 10 members…. Eight are currently meeting.” - BPNews

“Pastors are getting older, and this trend will likely continue….The future can be bright with bi-vocational and co-vocational pastors.” - CPost

“Whether staff-heavy or staff-light initially, most churches discover, in time, the need for a healthy blend of both paid and unpaid leaders.” - Desiring God

“Though we don’t have precise data, we estimate that there are over one million bi-vocational pastors and church staff in North America alone. That number is increasing during the pandemic. Indeed, most churches have at least one bi-vocational staff member.” - Thom Rainer

“Serving as a bi-vocational pastor has undeniable challenges…both pastors and police officers statistically have high burnout rates. To maintain his mental, emotional and spiritual health, he surrounds himself with biblical support, from his wife and the elders at his church to weekly meetings with a Christian counselor.” - C.Post

“Being the only staff focuses conflict on just the pastor. Bivocational pastors have to deal with time and conflict management in ways that large church pastors often do not. Holding two or even three jobs has its own challenges.” - BPNews

“In addition to serving as a full-time pastor, I also serve part-time as a chaplain in the National Guard. I would like to make a case for why it can be a win-win for smaller churches and their pastors.” - SBC Voices

“As a bivocational pastor, one of the most hurtful comments I’ve heard over the years is this: ‘Oh, you’re just a part-time pastor?’ ….In reality, there is no such thing as part-time ministry.” - F&T

“The Bivocational and Small Church Leadership Network hosted the Bivocational Pastor’s Luncheon, held June 12 in conjunction with the Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting.” - BPNews

“… a recent Christianity Today article suggested that more than one-third of all American pastors are bivocational, and they predict that number to increase.” - IFWE