I’ve had many ministry opportunities in my life. I’ve
served as a youth pastor, Sunday School Director, Assistant Pastor, Pastor of
Christian Education, Senior Pastor, and Executive Pastor. Each opportunity had
its own challenges but I shared one common challenge in all each time … here it
is … I had (have) a job. Some reading may say here goes the excuses …. NOPE!
Wrong …. AGAIN! Here goes an exhortation…..
Let
me be extremely honest, nothing in life is without challenges. It’s how you
navigate during the challenges that can bring out the best or worst in you. I
admit I’ve experienced both, the best and worst of me over the years in dual
duty of the secular and sacred of my life. In the beginning stages of my
ministry, I had no idea what I was in for serving the church and working a job.
Because of that, some good relationships were ruined with pastors, preachers, family,
and friends due to my misguided understanding of dual duty. I would hear others
say to me; “If it were me blah, blah, blah….” Some of those; “if it were me” worked
but most failed. Unfortunately, there is no blueprint, GPS, or step by step
guide for a person to handling dual duty ministry. No one writes about it to
offer assistance. I have one book by Dennis Bickers entitled “The Tentmaking
Pastor – The Joy of Bi-vocational Ministry” that I keep next to my bible on my
desk. There is no convention, conference, or class to assist someone in this
vital position that seems to be growing every day. The only training is on the
job training which births many trials and errors.
So,
Did I have some failures? Absolutely! Did I have some successes? Absolutely!
Success and failure is like salt and pepper, use both to bring great taste to a
bland meal. Here’s how I’ve learned(-ing) to navigate in my calling…
- Prayer: I have to lay face down before God each day because there is a new challenge to test every fiber of my being. The only way for me to maintain is through prayer. Before, I was a hot-head and would just go off in church meetings and on my job. Not good, and it didn’t work out well for me either. I missed some good opportunities due to my hot-headness. However, my hot-headness was the direct result of me not spending time in prayer. I’ve learned that consistent constant prayer helps keep me stay mentally fit in the secular and sacred which is weaved into my life that cannot be separated. When I don’t pray I fall into defense mode and unleash the dragon on everyone. This is not a good testimony as a leader in church nor is it a good testimony as a Christian on my job. Don’t allow that to happen, stay before the Lord and He will keep you focused.
- Process: James 1:19 says; “Know this, my beloved brothers; let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger”. It’s not by accident that the first step to preventing anger is “be quick to hear”. In other words, process what’s being said before you react to what has been said. I intentionally keep quite regarding many things, whether I understand it or not, because I want to respond to what’s being said and not react. It may seem I’m slow, don’t care, impersonal, or stupid. It’s not either one of those, it’s being strategic. I can’t fight every battle because time doesn’t allow me to fight every battle. I have to provide strategic leadership towards a positive outcome and it requires listening and processing. Unfortunately, there are times when you can’t place a timetable on a strategic direction. I have to work it out in my head and with wise counsel before moving forward. That takes time!
- Practicality: I live by the saying: “K.I.S.S. = “Keep It Simple Stupid” which I’ve changed to “Keep It Simple Smith”. Less is best! Simple is success! Jesus’ commission to the disciples in Matthew 28:19-2 is powerfully simple in making disciples for Christ. Here are the instructions for making disciples…”Go” … “Baptize” …. “Teach”. If Jesus can keep it simple for the disciples, I can keep it simple for the saints. One of the biggest challenges to dual duty is time constraints. Think about this: 8-10hrs a day is spent at work + 2hrs travel time (national average) + 7hrs sleep (national average and/or if you’re lucky) = 17hrs of our day is accounted for as a necessity to maintain a living to live. 8-10hrs of our day is controlled by our employer. I have to process practicality for survival in life and service in the church. Stewardship principle in Ephesians says chapter 6:5-8 says; Slaves (employees), obey your earthly masters (employers) with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people, because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do, whether they are slave or free”. My work ethic at work is directly tied to my work ethic to Christ. Good stewardship requires a good work ethic with my employer as well as a good testimony to my co-workers for Christ. I’ve been very blessed to have employers with a team of co-workers that allows me to do what I need to do for the church. Being a good steward says I can’t take advantage of that. Keeping it simple helps to stay employed and serve the church at the same time.
- Personnel: Can you say TEAMWORK? In Bible Study recently, I taught a lesson entitled “Let’s Work Together” tied to 1 Corinthians 15:58 as a spring board text. I have many quotes relating to teamwork building that I use with my team at work past. I have 9 in total but one is posted on my work station as a daily reminder: “Good teams become great ones, when the members trust each other enough and humble enough to surrender the “ME” for “WE”!” Being successful in Bi-vocational ministry requires trust on both parts but trust building starts with the leader. Building trust requires being open, honest, and understanding. In my first pastorate, it took me at least 1-2years before the members really started trusting me and we started working as a team. I had to teach the members on the life of a Bi-vocational pastor so they would understand my challenges and what I needed to be at my best every week. Remember this, rather in full-time or part-time ministry people come to church to hear a Word from God. This requires the pastor to spend time in Word and Prayer. It is impossible for a Bi-vocational pastor to micro-manage everything. Therefore, leadership personnel must be strong and processes simple and TRUST is a must!
- Personal: I have one piece of advice here: “DON’T TAKE IT PERSONAL!” We did not choose this life, God choose this life for us and you just need to accept the fact full-time ministry may not be God’s will for your ministry. It would be nice to get there but only God can determine that for you not you. Also, you need to have thick skin for the attack of the enemy on your ministry. Satan will use people to attack you to discourage you with seeds of inadequacy, inferiority, and insecurity. He (Satan) will do whatever he can to stop the church of Jesus Christ any way he can. Before you go on attack with people especially those in your members for whom serve as a senior pastor or staff pastor remember this… “12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” – Ephesians 6:12. Know who you’re fighting before you fight.
The success of Bi-vocational ministry depends on the
leader. Not by trying to do everything but through building a winning team for which
you are the captain. There’s joy in ministry when everyone is working together
towards a common goal.
Next time on My life, my learning, my laughter, my legacy….
“My time is your and your time is my
time – How to manage your study life with the time you have”.
No comments:
Post a Comment