God Directs Our Paths

I'm looking for a job. The church I serve has to cut back the budget and that includes salaries. I've been bivocational before so this is not too big a shift for me.

I used to think that the goal of every pastor should be to get a church that can fully support him financially. But the truth is that most churches are small and therefore cannot fully support a pastor and/or staff. This brings to life a biblical reality for both the pastor and the church that gets hidden in our modern concept of the church.

Many churches - mine included, according to a seminary students research - rely on the pastor and staff to do the ministry. And pastors should be involved in the ministry of the church. But one man, in the case of a smaller membership church, cannot do all the ministry that ought to be done.

The Bible shows us a church where all the Christians are involved in ministry. In fact, this is necessary for the church to be what it is to be. Paul illustrates this by comparing the church to a human body. Each part of the body is important and has its own functions. The whole body suffers when one part of the body suffers.

So the church needs all the believers doing what they are designed and gifted to do in order for the church to function properly. What typically happens is that when one believer does not do his part somebody picks up the slack. But that person isn't necessarily designed and gifted for that task. So although the task gets done it gets done with less effectiveness - perhaps efficient but not effective. And the body of Christ suffers for it.

Churches need to see that each person has equal responsibility for the ministry. The pastor and staff are to lead and equip. And they are to do their part of the ministry but not all of it. Having a bivocational pastor often positions the church to have a broader participation in ministry.

From my personal experience, not having a job away from the church has sheltered me from many people who need a Christian's ministry. Let me say that more accurately: I let myself become sheltered from people outside the church. Not every pastor does this but I did.

At the last job I had outside the church I had opportunities everyday to shares God's love and the gospel with people who did not attend church. They were all around me. Sometimes they even sought me out for spiritual help. Honestly, very few - almost none - come to the church office looking for spiritual guidance.

It's been easy to become isolated. That's not good.

So working outside the church will help me overcome the tendency toward isolation. And that's good. The substitute teaching I am doing now is a great way to be around people who really need to know God's love and hear the gospel.

But the opportunity to make what I need to make is not there, so I'm looking for a job. This will be good for everyone: the church, me, my family, and people outside the church. I believe this is God's direction for his glory and my good.