Should a Church Planter Be Bi-Vocational?
Answering the fourth church planting question (if you don't know what I'm talking about, see here): In your opinion, is it better for a planter to be fully funded or to work at least part-time? Why?
Some people think that it's strategic for church-planters to be bi-vocational at the outset. This saves on money (since their congregation isn't able to support them) and provides them regular contact with unbelievers. This approach seems to work best when the cell-group model is in play. Basically, the planter is working on making contacts during the day and leading evangelistic cell-groups in the evenings.
But I was fully funded and as our church has planted new churches we have chosen to fully fund our planters. I think it's much better that way.
Think about it this way: when you pay a pastor or church planter, you are essentially buying up his time. Every dollar you pay him is time he doesn't have to spend flipping burgers. If you have a gifted church planter, wouldn't you want to free up all of his time for the ministry?
Church planting is hard work. When we launched out, I was working 70-80 hours a week. If I had had the burden of working part-time as well, my ministry would have been negatively impacted.
Your answer has Biblical precedent in Acts 18, the "tentmaker" passage. When Paul arrived in Corinth, he worked as a tentmaker and preached on the Sabbath. But when "Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia" with financial support, "Paul was occupied with the word, testifying to the Jews that the Christ was Jesus."
He worked as a tentmaker, true. But only until the financial means to minister full-time were attained. If financial support is available, full-time vocational ministry is preferable.
Posted by: Nathan | Sep 3, 2009 9:39:11 AM
Perfectly said Nathan.
Can it be said that God is our inheritance and portion? Numbers 18:20.
There was a time when I thought my way in life was through vocational ministry. The reality of it is keeping it proper perspective and going with how God provides according to Numbers 18 and Acts 18.
I know that I have been obedient to God and I have been more than blessed.
Posted by: Joseph Louthan | Sep 5, 2009 9:53:30 PM
Thanks for your input Mike, I am always aided by your words, but may I push a bit on the above?
"If you had a gifted church planter, wouldnt you want to free up his time for ministry?"
Isnt this a False Dilemma? Especially given our understanding of a theology of work that men of the Reformation recovered, etc.
While I will confess I would like more time away from my PT job, I also have had the opportunity to get to know more people more deeply which has allowed the Gospel to have been spoken in a meaningful way to virtually every employee I have worked alongside (not to mention the cultivation of humility and smashing my foolish pride in thinking I am 'better than this PT').
There are other items to consider, however it would seem to me that speaking of bi-vocational church planting would be best served in laying out the positives and negatives of both instead of an either or scenario.
I am always helped by the wisdom on this blog...thanks Mike, blessings to you in Christ.
Posted by: Nathan | Sep 7, 2009 7:01:19 AM