When Your Calling No Longer Fits Inside the Church. Episode 22. David Brock

My new book, The Incongruent Professional, is live! Order your copy (Kindle, Hardcover & Paperback) today.

Episode Takeaways

Co-Vocational Calling - Dave serves as both an executive pastor and a fractional HR/operations leader for a construction company. He views this dual calling not as leaving ministry but as expanding it; living in obedience meant offering his skills to businesses as well as churches.

Skills Translation & Lifelong Learning - Dave discovered his marketable strengths by paying attention to what people repeatedly came to him for (systems, HR, operations). Pursued certifications (IT, SHRM-CP, OSHA) and used early mornings (5–8 a.m.) to reskill. Learned that translating church skills requires humility, mentors, and conversations with business leaders, not just Google or AI searches.

Navigating the Transition - Experienced culture shock moving from ministry to business (e.g., workplace language, different HR standards). Noted that church resumes and secular resumes differ dramatically, and auto-generated Indeed/LinkedIn resumes often fail to represent candidates well.

Systems, Time, and Family Priorities - Lives by his calendar as both planner and journal, doing time audits to stay accountable. Emphasizes systems (e.g., Notion, automations) as the foundation for sustainable work, saying: “I exist to make vision sustainable.”

Advice for Aspiring Co-Vocational Leaders - Try something small, don’t overthink it Take targeted risks, learn from failures, and keep iterating. Don’t underestimate the value of small businesses and nonprofits, they often need the skills pastors already have.

You can learn more about David’s Business at Brock Office Solutions.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit erichoke.substack.com