on bi-vocational ministry
I intended to write a post yesterday about some of the things I’m thankful for, but I spent my time instead hanging out with friends enjoying company and a break. It was nice and something I’m really thankful for(see what I did there?).
One thing that I am quite thankful about though, is that God didn’t strongly call me into the ministry until I was so far along in my computer science degree that it only made sense to finish my degree. It would be much tougher for me to do what I’m doing today if it wasn’t for that.
It seems that conversations about being bi-vocational in ministry are on the rise. David Fitch posted a great article about some of the tensions one feels about being bivocational. It’s well worth the read(see Why Missional Leaders Need to Get Over White Man’s Angst). The angst that Fitch hits at is one of the angst about not having ministry be a full-time gig. It’s the sort of experience of feeling like one is lesser because they aren’t getting paid to only do ministry. And I agree with Fitch that this is something to get over.
Bi-Vocational ministry is not nearly as sexy and great as some make it out to be. Many times between getting my programming duties done and doing both the incarnational and organizational work of getting Sacred Roots moved towards a better place of sustainability, I feel like my life is herding cats. The state of my room is usually a good indicator of this, and let’s not talk about the state it is in right now, okay? Rarely though does it feel like there is time to fit everything in. And over the last year, I’ve found many times that I’ve been quite thankful to find myself so single. Honestly, if I was in a relationship I don’t know how I would keep everything going.
Much of the angst that Fitch is naming I feel. And I think there’s more to it than just the career thing. There’s something that can easily creep in that wants to insinuate that one is lesser for working in a team instead of being a solo leader as well, that one is lesser because they don’t have the story of somebody else. I find though that it’s incredibly important that I confront this desire for “greatness” at all times. It seems the idea that what we’re doing must constantly become bigger and better can many times seep into our metric for what it means to be faithful in ministry. I am constantly noticing all the things Jesus has to say about the allure of being noticable. It seems actually that it’s the religious leaders relishing in their positions of noted religiosity that Jesus takes aim at the most in his Sermon on the Mount.
In contrast Jesus presents the analogy of ministry as one of servanthood, of not constantly seeking the limelight and more influence but seeking to serve as much as possible. I need to hear that message all the time. Ministry is not a career or a way that I define myself as a person, it’s only a part of the unique way that God has called me to faithfulness. My job isn’t to get a blog with huge readership or grow Sacred Roots to the point that it has thousands of people involved. My job is to help people be aware of what God is already doing in their lives and spur a community to more ad more loving of our neighbors. If I’m doing this with 8 people, I’m fulfilling my calling.
I apologize for being autobiographical, but it’s really the only way I have of exploring the experience of being bi-vocational. It’s much harder than it sounds, but I truly believe it is the way forward. Just know, if it’s a way you choose to pursue, it’s challenging and there are moments that you’ll be tired and questioning your calling. But hopefully in the midst of that you might find life, just as I have!
