Bivocational Pastor needs help

[Tom Butler]

Without speaking to any individual situation on this thread, I offer some thoughts.

Seems to me that instead of waiting until a schedule conflict develops, a bivocational pastor should deal with those potential conflicts at the beginning, with both his church and his secular boss.

Any church with a bivoc pastor must understand that there will be sometimes when his secular job comes first The church must offer him some flexibility, even to the point of encouraging him to put his job first, if necessary.

The employer needs to know of church responsibilities at the outset. That's the time to have an understanding as to the employer's willingness to allow some schedule flexibility. If he is willing, good. If not, you have choices. Don't take the job, or take it and advise the church of the implications. In most cases, the church will understand.

I think it is a mistake to think that choosing your church responsibilities over your secular job is choosing God over your employer.

Remember, I'm speaking in general terms, not trying to deal with individual situations.

 

[BillYoung]

Good advise

Its not a sin to be bivocational!!! After 19 years of full time pastorate I am moving into that very ministry.

You are not the only boat in the water----ring up your deacons--get your wife to call a deacon's wife and the two of them take the elderly lady to the funeral and then afterward make sure the two ladies buy lunch for the elderly lady.

Personally----I would not "haggle" with your secular employer---you just may need to take off some other time----for something far more important than taking that lady to a funeral.

I was bivocational from 1977 til 2004 when I began having heart trouble.
If you train your people in your church to be servants you will have plenty of help for these causes.You cannot do all the work along.Teach your people to minister with you. Blackbird give you the best advise in my opinion. Brother Bill :jesus: www.TheYoungsgospel.com

 

[El_Guero]

How are things going brother?

Hey Guys and Ladies,

I am in quite a pickle. Here is the story and you tell me what I should do. I work and Pastor a church. On Monday I got a call from a elderly lady in my congregation asking if I could take her to a funeral on Friday. Well I got with my work on Tuesday and asked if I could get Friday off. Originally, my work did not think it would be a problem. They claim they never approved it and I evidently took it as it was approved. Now I come in today and they told me I could not get that day off. However, I have gave my word to this elderly lady that I would take her to the funeral as she has no one else to take her.

I have always stated being a bivo pastor does not work. It will always lead to you letting someone down no matter where you turn. My work has told me if I miss friday then they will do what they have to do.

What should I do? I let them know my loyality lies with the church first and foremost....