Jason serves as pastor of a growing church–in his spare time. His full-time job, as a physician’s assistant, pays the bills.
Jason is part of a growing trend that is challenging the concept and definition of professional ministry. As church budgets tighten and the supply of seminary-trained clergy dwindles, churches are looking at alternate approaches to staffing. For some, the full-time paid minister is a waning memory. And they like it that way.
Some ministry-minded people tout the advantages of bi-vocational leaders. They, like Jason, not only enjoy their regular careers, they see them as opportunities for building real relationships with real people where they live and work. This is especially evident with Millennials, who often look for ways to change the world–and live out their faith in everyday settings.
Millennial expert and author Chris Folmsbee says today’s younger generations embrace the idea of multiple life priorities. Their “Main Street” priority may be their 9-to-5 job responsibilities. But their “Second Street” priority may engage their faith in new ways, including non-paid church leadership.
Folmsbee refrains from labeling this alternate model of church staffing as bi-vocational. That term, he says, was used by those who would say, “I do this job so I can do the church thing.” Instead, Folmsbee prefers the term co-vocational, which underscores that working in multiple environments is actually best for the church. “It creates a broader, deeper sense of relationship,” he says.
Folmsbee, who is the (full-time, paid) director of discipleship at the large Church of the Resurrection in the Kansas City area, said his young son recently asked him, “Would you do this if you had to work at Starbucks?” The question caught him off-guard.
The co-vocational model of church ministry requires a change in how the church defines leadership, Folmsbee says. Ministry must become more “collective and collaborative,” he says.
What is the church coming to? What some see as a worrisome draining of the professional pond, others see as an ocean of new opportunity.
For more insights, listen to my conversation with Chris Folmsbee on the Holy Soup Podcast.
Chris Folmsbee, and Jason the physician’s assistant, will also address this trend at the Future of the Church summit.
Thanks for another example of how to go beyond church as usual!
Anyone from that church who is not actively working to remove the heretic Hamilton should not be used for any type of story that has to do with the church.
This aptly describes me. I have always been “co-vocational”, and not because I never had the opportunity to be “full time”, but have seen the value my work (self employment) has provided me in terms of financial resources, contact with those outside the church, empathy for volunteers, and the list goes on. I have jokingly described myself as cheap labor. I would absolutely pay to do the ministry I have had the opportunity to do within the church. I have been a youth pastor for many years…decades, and have learned to lead thriving growing ministries through team – Which is Another advantage of being co vocational…the leader is forced to equip and release other leaders rather than hoard leadership responsibility. What a concept (sounds biblical). Of course that’s not to say that there should never be full time paid leaders. And of course there are advantages and disadvantages to both. But I see the trend and I think it is a healthy challenge to how we see church, and more importantly how we do church.
If you study scripture Bob you will find that there are no advantages to full time paid leadership and there are no disadvantages to not having full time paid leadership.
One issue that can develop with full-time ministers is a reduction in the role volunteers can play. If you are a volunteer who has many years as a Christian and a desire to put your years of experience to work, you may be held at arms-length by a professional clergy who see that as their prerogative. Many are happy to be ushers and front-door greeters, but if you feel you have contributions to make in ministry direction, too much of this stiff-arming can lead either to resignation to warming a back row pew, or departure. Even the few who make it onto various church boards ( elders/deacons ) may feel “controlled” by the full-timers
Frank Viola says that the biggest barrier to the priesthood of all believers which is scriptural is the priesthood of a chosen few.
David commented on Facebook: “This is how the Mormons roll.”
One of the problems with this is the training that’s required to become competent in a teaching ministry. One cannot afford to get training and then also work for free in the ministry–which is what the “bi-vocational” model assumes. On the other hand, I did it, using my training in a full-time ministry and working in real estate sales to supplement my income. It was not easy, and led to many very busy weeks.
We oughtn’t to forget that the amount of time, effort and money required to train for the ministry is significant, unless we want to eliminate training. which turns the minister into the uneducated individual that he’s so often represented to be.
The minister is the church’s responsibility, and when a church can say, “we haven’t the money,” something is seriously wrong. It’s fine to supplement when you’re church planting (which is what I did), or if the church is in poverty, but at some point the church must step up to the plate and take care of the people it hires.
That’s my .02, and I know that not a lot of people will agree, based on the idea that the church “needs a new model,” but if you consider the minister a physician of the soul, he should get paid.
Steven, I don’t find any authority in scripture for your comments. The disciples turned the world upside down. What was their training? Three years with Jesus. How many pastors have 12 men shadowing him? If this happened, bible colleges would be non existent. Especially if we used the tools that the New Testament Church was given. The supernatural power of the Holy Spirit.
Tell me, what is going to be more convincing in spreading the gospel. Raising someone from the dead or giving a nicely prepared exegetical sermon?
If you have 12 men shadow you and you are anointed with a teaching ministry (Ephesians 4:11) not appointed by a denomination because you have gone through their bible college, you will produce 12 competent teachers.
The fact that we don’t is because most pastors are not teachers. If they are teachers they are not pastors. It happens because the denomination expect them to be pastors and teachers because they have chosen to ignore what the scriptures show. And whether they are pastors or teachers, most are not into discipling.
As for ministers being uneducated people what does the scripture say….Acts 2:7 And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galileans? If you know your history, Galileans were not educated men.
Plus…Acts 4:13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.
Why did they take knowledge of them? Because they had theological degrees? Because they were exegetically correct? Because they wore their collar back to front?
No. They took notice of them because they had BEEN WITH JESUS.
I am 74 years old and I remember several men who spoke into my life and taught me. The outstanding feature they revealed was that they had been with Jesus. They weren’t sharing with me theology. They were sharing with me a relationship. The one they had with Jesus.
Today, I find very few men that seem to have been with Jesus. Most men seem to give us systems, not relationships.
GLORY!
THANK YOU ROGER MARKS.
Thankyou Rosalind. So nice to see your happy smiling face.
Donna commented on Facebook: “I have experienced several churches that did not have full time pastors. The problem is that the congregation does not have a pastor that is there for them in their time of need.”
When you put all your begs in one ask it, that is the result. In the New Testament Church, everyone was an able minister of the new covenant. Everyone. So tell me, why do you need only one man to solve your problems?If everyone is an able minister of the new covenant, then you can call on anyone for help in time of need.
If everyone is not an able minister of the new covenant, then that church is doing a very bad job of being church.
Part-time minister = part-time sermons, part-time pastoral-care, part-time soul-winning, part-time commitment.
I’m bi-vocational and a full time business owner. Never, not ever have I stepped into the pulpit not being fully prepared. You have painted with a very broad but very inaccurate brush. My little country church has grown from 12 to 109 members. We have 2 Worship Services to accommodate an average of 180 a Sunday. Our average age has declined from 71 to 43. We have added 6 SS classes, a jail ministry, bereavement ministry, Mid week worship and a Bible Study. So exactly how is this part time? The difference, some answer a calling not a career.
You say you have never ever stepped into the pulpit not being fully prepared. When I see spiritual cliches my antenna goes up so let me ask you “how many hours do you spend in prayer for your congregation and subject matter before going into the pulpit?”
How do you prepare yourself for a breakthrough by the Holy Spirit who decides to wreck your meeting with conviction of sin and unworthiness?
How do you prepare for an occasion when the Holy Spirit may not let you preach until you get right with him over something that he is not pleased about?
How do you prepare for a situation should a person want prayer for healing for an incurable disease?
Great Rick!
If you are a disciple of Jesus, you are not part time. The problem is, there are not many of that kind of Christian around.
True Roger – I was baffled by the part-time and volunteer comments – thought we became runners, fighters, servants, soldier disciples when we became part of Christ body.
A movement started in the 1850s in UK that emphasised the priesthood of all believers. It grew rapidly in many countries and had mo local paid ministry. Those traveling teaching, evangelising and planting churches lived by faith (as it was called) and raised up local unpaid leadership to care for and grow the churches. In places the movement almost emptied the state church into this model.
They just read the NT and attempted to follow it.
Its demise in the 20th century was due to division, legalism, resistance to the Holy Spirit and failure to raise disciples and a retreat towards paid pastors. But they showed the way in a past generation. Available resources should be channeled into disciple-ing/training of people, care for the needy and support of church planters – not spent on places to meet in for limited periods of weekly time. Total wast were believer learn to come for their weekly fix. Church need to change from hearing to living the gospel!.
In the New Testament, no one was paid to lead the church. A plurality of Elders (not pastors) gave oversight to the church locally and they were chosen from within the congregation because they were men (not women) of integrity and managed their household well (which means they were married) amongst other things. None of them were paid to do the job.
Apostles were supported whilst they were travelling but once they set up shop they supported themselves. As we don’t believe we need Apostles, that is not an issue.
The other thing is that Elders had the oversight of the church in the town, as in the church at Corinth, not the Baptist Church on the corner. The town church was broken up into meetings in homes which were usually no more than 30 people (the size of the average upper room that could accommodate that number).
In my two year study of church leadership and life, I found 25 verses that referred to church leadership and not one of them mentioned a pastor. The three ministries involved in church leadership were Apostles, Prophets and Elders.
That meant each town church has multiple leadership (it has been suggested that each church in the home was led by an Elder), so no one person was loaded down with doing everything of importance.
And one other thing. Most of the ministries that we have in the church today did not exist in the New Testament Church, so there was no need to employ say a Youth Pastor as families worshipped together or evangelism director because evangelism was living your life.
Mark commented on Facebook: “This is how it works in many – maybe most – countries around the world.”
Fascinating and helpful podcast! I visited the Think Burlap website and can’t wait to dive in and listen to those podcasts too.
I so appreciate Holy Soup (and Group Publishing) for reaching across denominational lines in so many ways. Just as an example, I serve as a children’s ministry volunteer at a PCUSA (moderate/progressive Presbyterian church) but also work closely with pastors and volunteers from other local churches. These include the Assembly of God, United Church of Christ, EPC (conservative Presbyterian) and Methodist churches. As you can imagine, these denominations serve people all across the conservative – liberal theology spectrum. It is wonderful to have access to great resources that all of us can use together.
Thank you, Debbie. The Body of Christ is a colorful combination. It’s good to hear of your work throughout the Body.
Hallo Debbie. I keep reading about these progressive churches, which usually means support for moral relativism where churches and their members make up the rules as they go along so the word of God does not have much influence.
I support churches that are regressive, You know those that keep going back to scripture for their inspiration and truth and do not see the need to accommodate the heresies of the homosexual religion and the demands of baby killers.
But then that is me. I just happen to put truth high on the agenda, preferring to forego heretical blasphemies.
And I do hope that the greatest resource you make use of is the word of God as NOTHING can supercede that for knowing God and his wisdom.
Full time in a medical field means very little time for ministry.
If you work in the medical field, you are in full time ministry. We have this strange idea that unless you are preaching sermons you are not in the ministry.
I agree Jeanie. There are only 24 hours in a day. Life consists of more than work. What about family, raising children, self-time, etc. Less individuals are considered to be Chrisians according to the Pew Forum. Church decline has been in motion for years. People are less committed also. I finished less than a year ago a doctoral dissertation on behaviors that inibit church participaion.
I should have proof-read my comments.
My husband and I pastor a church while both working. We love our work as we meet and connect with so many people, some of who end up making friendships with those in our church through the opportunities to hang out. Some end up coming to faith but that’s not the goal, relationship is. We choose to do this and love that the people in the church get involved in the services, pastoral care and where their hearts desire is. If we’re needed urgently on a pastoral care need we have flexibility to do that. It is hard at times and we are looking at my husband going part time sometime in the near future so he can have a day for himself. I think it’s healthy because it’s not all about us, it about a group of people learning and growing together.
Bill commented on Facebook: “What do they do in churches like mine when there may be 5 funerals with wakes a week, and maybe 2 weddings on a weekend? It’s hard for a minister to be “part time”. I would think.”
If your church has five funerals a week it would soon die out (pun intended).
I think the main point here is that context matters a great deal. This model may be great for some churches – that’s great. More power to them. Then again, it may be the exact wrong model for another church. This goes to show that there are no silver bullet solutions when it comes to church – Something we should all keep in mind
And another thing that we should keep in mind is that the New Testament has already given us a pattern for church government and ministry. We get into a bind because we choose to ignore it.
Adam commented on Facebook: “I’ve been bi-vocational in every parish I’ve served. It’s not always easy. The biggest issue was handing over the reins. I’ve had to spend most of my time training the congregation’s elders. They provide the biggest chunk of the parish’s pastoral care. I get calls and texts throughout the week letting me know what they have been doing so I’m in the loop and they involve me if it’s a situation that’s outside of their comfort zone (however their comfort zone has grown the more they have been trained and empowered). It frees me to be what I’m called to be, a minister of word and sacrament. Most of my parish related tasks involve those two functions.”
Adam, where does it say in scripture anyone is appointed to be the minister of the Word and Sacrament? Neither existed in the New Testament so it must be an invention of the modern day church to give someone kudos.
Suppose you serve in a rural, economically struggling area where there are very few jobs for the native citizens who were raised there. Finding another job is even more difficult for an outsider coming into such a community. It seems to me that one has to be in a location with plentiful employment opportunities.
The problem with your comment David is that the New Testament church did not bring in outsiders. All the ruling Elders were appointed from men already in the church and who had proved themselves with their integrity and way of life.
I am in a denomination who is very happy to remind seminary students “A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown.” They are big on pushing global awareness and experiences in settings outside of one’s place of origin. But to simply have a local layperson as pastor is one viable model. I will grant that. And if one looks at the Catholic Epistles, there are beginnings of church hierarchy. I do not want to go ‘toe to toe: with Bible proof texts. I think it is a matter of which church tradition one comes from. Each has a unique history and biblical heritage to make their case. It is boils down to if the church itself was formally trained clergy who are globally aware, or a local person [who already had a full time job] as pastor. What might be more helpful is simply “ante up” and say full time paid ministry is no longer viable. So go to college for a major in Marketing, Business, or Communications with a minor in “Religion” might be a more workable option. It would be a reminder that church is not a “day job”…but a weekend interest. I have seen this model in urban storefront churches.
And when you have done that David, find a godly man who will disciple you for three years.
An interesting comment David which suggests that you are not committed to the life of the church as someone who is would not move around so much.
And I admit I don’t know how much you have imbibed of the New Testament pattern of leadership but there the church leadership annointed Elders (not pastors) to lead. These men (not women) were already established members of the church who had amongst other things exemplified integrity and ruled their households well.
This shows they were men because women didn’t rule the household in those days. So you have leaders annointed for the ministry (not position) of Eldership who had already proven themselves as Eldership material.
How it worked out in practice the church met in homes (not churches) with up to 30 people per congregation. That is the number the average upper room could hold when they sat for meals which they did every time they met. History shows that an Elder would have the oversight of that meeting.
If the church in the town had thirty homes being used for meetings, that meant 30 Elders give or take. Those 30 Elders would carry the load for the whole church in the town so who is the idiot that expects to do the ministry of Uncle Tom Cobley and all on his own just because he gets paid to?
I would run a mile if anyone asked me to do that.
And it no use saying that they are not on their own because they have a team of laymen and women around them. If that is the case, why is it the paid minister has the burnout but not the unpaid laymen and women?
Ministers come and go, but the unpaid layman/woman abideth forever.
Charlie commented on Facebook: “I have often heard it said there are no part-time pastors, just part-time pay. I wonder the same thing.”
I have a pastor friend who is bi-vocational. His church pays him a salary, just not enough to support a young family of five. As a pastor myself, I can honestly say that one of the vocations has to suffer when you are trying to handle both jobs in the course of a week. The investment of yourself in either vocation takes a toll both physically and spiritually, especially if one is holding down a difficult and demanding secular position. Surely something has to get less than one’s best in the bargain. Or, even worst, family will take the brunt head on and potentially cause other problems that will most certainly affect pastoring a church. Perhaps the answer is remodeling the present church paradigm. With a new work it probably could be done with less friction and more success than retrofitting an existing fellowship. Bottom line, let’s not kid ourselves as to what is required to under shepherd Christ’s Church. It takes full investment of one’s self, totally and without excuse. This is true whether one receives a salary or not.
And it takes everyone being able ministers in the New Covenant as scripture shows. We have got ourselves into a bind as we have replaced what scriptures teaches that everyone has with only the professionally trained has.
And that is why in my small country there over 10,000 ex ministers who have resigned because of burnout and/or unrealistic expectations. I watched one church that was run by the founder since its inception and when he retired his understudy of 23 years took over. Thing was, he was not the founder and made the mistake of trying to be him. Within five years he was running a supermarket and out of the ministry.
The churches I have been involved in who have had a plurality of unpaid Elders have never suffered that problem so as they say, the proof is in the pudding. They have not been bothered about growing the church. They have left that to the Holy Spirit. They concentrated on producing disciples and able ministers. When you do that no one and nothing suffers.
Roger, you are spot on with these comments. We’ve collectively asked/expected/demanded an impossible thing. There’s a reason why God has given apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds, teachers to equip the Church– one man can’t do it!
Burnout and the load that so many pastors carry is common and recognized around the world. Yet it seems that we can’t recognize that our Heavenly Father would never place such a crushing load on His servants. When I teach on spiritual gifting, one of the hallmarks of functioning in our gifting is joy and that it is not a burden, yet our pastors effectively model the ‘burden’ version of service despite whatever they might intend. Part of the disconnect today and the rise of the ‘dones’ is that what we teach by our actions is inconsistent with what we teach from the pulpit no matter how well intended. It’s no wonder folks don’t want to serve the Body– or the lost, because it’s seen as a burden.
We simply MUST work towards a return to the model set before us in the NT. That is a model of plurality of leadership.
As far as your article is concerned heartspeak all I can say is yes, yes and yes.
Phillip commented on Facebook: “That opens up the opportunity for others to minister. I’ve been bi-vocational for 25 years. It is easier financially on the church, and gives me greater liberty to serve at God’s leading.”
I am rather non plussed with the focus on paying someone to run the church. let me ask with all sincerity where in the NT was anyone paid for running the church. To answer my own question, no one was so why do we believe we have more wisdom than God’s word and insist on paying christians to run the church?
If the New Testament Church changed the world without paying anyone to do it, what does that say about the church today who can’t even change the street they are in even if we pay people to do it?
If you really study the Bible you will see all believers were intended to be ministers from the beginning.
Church leadership has let them get away with holding up the arms of Moses way too long. In my opinion,
there is nothing new or novel here, just a long-delayed move toward the true New Testament model!!!
i like you analogy of holding up the arms of Moses. Very good.
That ministry of simply holding up the arms of one minister was meant to end when the arms of our Lord were nailed in place. He is holding us all up so lets get on with our part!!!
Full time pastor here. I’ve done both. I’ve told my church that if they ever couldn’t pay my salary I’d keep right on ministering. Being a full time pastor allows me to be involved in a broad range of ministries and community activities that I just couldn’t if I weren’t.
Here’s an idea. Maybe God uses all of us. Maybe what’s working for one isn’t the be all end all for everyone. I agree ministry belongs to every believer. We need to make sure everyone’s spiritual gifts are being properly utilized. There’s always a need to review and correct issues. There always will be.
A couple of notes. I have an Associates of Divinity from a small Baptist college. The Baptist College of Florida to be exact. I’m not seminary trained. Yet in my eight years of pastoring I’ve never served a church that didn’t grow. Imagine that! God using little old poorly educated me. The idea that’s expressed in many of these comments about education is anti-scripture. Yes we’re to be trained, but learning by being is best when it comes to being a follower of Christ. Being a disciple. Being a servant. God gives us spiritual gifts we’re responsible for growing in them.
Also the repeated idea that there’s no Biblical evidence for Pastors or for paid ministers is just silly. I could link to a hundred well written articles on this topic but I don’t think that the kind of people who make these claims would read or believe them.
I may end up in bivocational, or covacatilnal of it makes you feel better, ministery tomorrow and that’s fine with me. What gets old is the constant claim that there’s a new better way to do things. If what your doing is what you’re called to do them praise God! There’s no point in looking down on others who are honestly using their gifts to serve where God would have them to be. Be careful about painting with the wide brush that says God only does things this way or that way. However stay true to God’s Word.
This is directed more towards comments that I read than the article itself. I’m proud that you’re doing what Gods called you to do. Meanwhile I’m out here building relationships with people in the community, evangelizing, discipling, and being obedient to my calling. Glad to be your brother in ministry.
As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
(1 Peter 4:10)
RKM said, “Here’s an idea. Maybe God uses all of us. Maybe what’s working for one isn’t the be all end all for everyone” and “If what your doing is what you’re called to do then praise God”
Also, spot on! This is the crux of the issue for each one of us.
I am convinced that what was right for so many pastors and local bodies for many years had and has its place. But I am similarly convinced that as our society is changing, God is calling an increasing number of men and women to consider alternatives. Ironically, some of those alternatives may be a return to some of the things that we associate with the early church. We are on the cusp of losing our ‘christian’ oriented society and what worked when ‘church’ was mainstream won’t when it’s relegated to an increasingly secular culture. The early church was in the distinct minority and the freedom to function under the assumptions that we’ve operated under for the past 200-300 years is at risk as we lose general influence and ‘value’ (as understood by society) in today’s world.
When our ability to speak God’s truth is restricted because it is no longer PC and when our tax exemptions are stripped away, the current ‘model’ is going to become increasingly difficult to maintain. Much of what is being discussed on this blog today would never have been on anyone’s radar even 15 years ago. I believe we’re being led by God’s Spirit in preparation for the realities we’ll face in the days and years ahead until He returns.
Being able to adapt to the changing reality and having mature, Godly men and women who can help navigate through the difficult and uncharted (to this generation) waters is essential. Believers and seekers alike will need steady hands who can discern the times, like the men of Issachar, when all that is comfortable, familiar and safe is being displaced around us.
God and His Word never changes, nor do His gifts to men, but circumstances do and I think that’s what we’re seeing beginning to happen in a new way.
Thank you for your faithful service, when you can say, unlike many, “I’ve told my church that if they ever couldn’t pay my salary I’d keep right on ministering.”, then you are exactly where you should be. Me too.
Some of the comments here defending pastors as church leaders and paying them have got so many holes in them; they would be useless as umbrellas.
A classic example is this one…. Also the repeated idea that there’s no Biblical evidence for Pastors or for paid ministers is just silly. I could link to a hundred well written articles on this topic but I don’t think that the kind of people who make these claims would read or believe them.
Ahem, I don’t like to boast but I did spend two years researching and writing a thesis on New Testament Church Life and Ministry for a Ph.D. during which I studied the scriptures in its original language and read over 50 books on the subject and every verse that referred to church leadership.
Of course there is no biblical evidence if you choose to ignore the evidence such as 25 verses in the New Testament that speak of biblical leadership and NOT ONE OF THEM mentions the word pastor.
How silly of God to set out his design for leadership and avoid including the one person who should be the leader (according to man). I guess he thought thaty we all assumed that without hthe need to say as much.
And the other aspect is when has well written articles on this topic superseded the well written words on this topic in the Word of God.
It seems that if the church is losing people it is a case of emptying it by degrees. (That may be a bit subtle for some). As the scriptures say…Heaven and earth may pass away but MY WORD will never pass away. Please note that it does not say well written articles will not pass away.
I don’t know how the disciples would get on in today’s church world as it was noted how unlearned and ignorant they were so you would not get too many well written articles from them.
They did most of their talking through the power of the blood of Jesus and the anointing of the Holy Spirit. Not a degree in sight.
Oh dear, however did those ignorant disciples get to be so effective and powerful without degrees? One has to wonder doesn’t one? I will get back to that question after I have added a Ph.D. to my M.A. B.A., my Diploma in Ministry and my Diploma in Christian Leadership. After all, you can’t be expected to be very intelligent and have a power filled ministry.
Just one final point. I steer clear of churches that claim to be bible believing. All churches should be bible believing so if they need to claim that it is probably trying to convince themselves they are. Or should I say their denominational dictate line up with scripture.
The fact is NO CHURCH is bible believing. The fact is every church believes their interpretation of the Bible. Nuf zed. The New Testament church was not bible believing because the Bible did not exist in the New Testament Church. No New Testament church had a statement of faith other than “Jesus Christ is Lord.”
AC commented on Facebook: “I’ve been bi-vo for the last 30 years. My denomination has discriminated against me for being bi-vo but the Lord has blessed. In my last church, 8.5 years; my tithe was more than the church paid me, every year!”
I sincerely like Robert Kennedy Mitchell’s comments! He may not have a seminary degree but he is way more level-headed and Christ-centered than many of us. Thank you for sharing!!!
John commented on Facebook: “There may be some large churches left that can support staff…however it appears we are on the way to most congregations not being able to do that, thus necessitating bi-vocational ministers. However, the problem is, (in my opinion), many congregations want “our own” minister…meaning full time work for part time pay. No picnic.”