90% of the World's Pastors are Bi-vocational...really?

Last week at the Vancouver Urban Planning Group meeting I was at, Ian Green told us that 90% of the world’s pastors were bi-vocational. He related how their international church planting ministry Next Level International made an important policy decision about 5 of 6 years ago, and now all of their church planters are bi-vocational. They have found it to be hugely successful (for many of the reasons listed below). I didn’t get a chance to ask him if that was a model they pursue long term, or if that is just until the church can financially support the pastor, but he also mentioned that in his home church, which is large by European standards, most of the church staff are part time – by design, not default.

Can it be true that 90% of the world’s pastors are bi-vocational? From a North American perspective, that is shocking. Bi-vocational ministry and churches are often regarded as second class. Pastors want the salary and respect that comes from a full-time position. Churches want a pastor that is on call 24/7.

But, if you’ve been reading this blog, you know that bi-vocational ministry is something we are experimenting with. I am not opposed to vocational ministry, but to us, being bi-vocational is educational (we’re learning lots about life), keeps us in touch with the real world (and out of the church sub-culture bubble), self-finances our dream, and provides a template for rapid, cost effective church multiplication. Just as importantly, it forces us to develop a new way of being and doing church. Everyone in our church must be involved. It can’t be left to the “pastor” to do all the ministry, be it pastoral care or teaching. You can’t be a passenger. You have to be a participant. I have a hunch that the future North American church may be more bi-vocational than it is now.

Stuart Murray in his book Church Planting says that bi-vocational pastors are less likely to embrace the seclusion that inhibits many full-time church leaders. This exile from the real world can create:

1. An orientation toward maintenance rather than mission; (the focus becomes keeping the lights of the church building on in the name of touching a community rather than really touching a community.)


2. A practical if not ideological clericalism; (the pastor has the time, so the pastor does the work. Worst case scenario is when the Pastor is considered the highly trained, called and anointed professional who alone is capable of ‘real’ ministry. I hope that too many pastors don't buy into that, but a lot of church people seem to.)


3. Ecclesiocentric attitudes and interests; (all they think, talk, and read about is church, church, church. Conferences, seminars, personal study, courses, continuing education, hobbies, all revolve around one thing.)


4. Insensitivity to the context within which most church members live and work; (enough said – that’s why I refer to my real-world job as my “real-world job”.)


5. A tendency to multiply church activities and to use centripetal methods of evangelism; (Come to church, and come often! It gives the pastor something to do and justifies all the money we spend on building and salary. Classic ‘attractional’ methods and values.)


6. Teaching that does not engage with contemporary issues, especially issues of the work place. (I’ve talked to pastors recently who feel they can’t speak to marketplace issues with integrity because they don’t have experience in the real world.)

Stuart points out that bi-vocational leadership does not guarantee these kind of issues won’t happen. But maybe it will help.

Here’s the rub. I haven’t been a paid staff now for almost 2 years, but I have to admit that sometimes I really miss it. I miss the kind of work that I did (especially preaching and music), the more flexible life-style, and the satisfaction of doing a job I was trained in and am proficient at. I also miss getting paid to do something I truely love to do. And as much as I didn’t like being the answer man, being the answer man did bring a certain satisfaction.

Yesterday a good friend who is also a vocational pastor told me of a great congregation of about 100 that is looking for a new pastor. The salary would probably be about $50,000 a year in an area of the country with a lower cost of living than we currently enjoy. I almost hear the call…(where did I file my resume anyway?)

So I live in a very real tension. The adventure we are currently living, versus the comfort and security of what we have known. I’m trying not to whine, just wanting to be honest. Pray for me.