Ep 087: Covocational Pastoring: What It Is, And Why You Should Consider It (with Jon Sanders)
Oct 10, 2024
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Jon Sanders, co-host of the EntrePastors Podcast and Director of Coaching for the 95Network, discusses the shift toward covocational pastoring. He explains how this model enhances financial security and fosters deeper connections within church communities. The conversation covers the importance of adapting pastoral roles to modern expectations, leveraging transferable skills in the job market, and improving financial sustainability. Jon also shares humorous anecdotes, showcasing the need for lightheartedness amidst ministry challenges.
Co-vocational pastoring emerges as a vital solution for small church pastors, enabling financial stability while fulfilling their spiritual duties.
Recognizing the evolving expectations of pastoral roles promotes collaborative church dynamics, fostering effective ministry and greater community engagement.
Deep dives
The Rise of Co-vocational Ministry
Co-vocational pastoring is emerging as a vital path for many small church pastors, offering opportunities for effective ministry through non-traditional job structures. As the economic landscape shifts, obtaining full-time roles becomes less common, prompting a conversation about how pastors can better meet their financial needs and serve their congregations. This approach contrasts with bivocational roles, seen as temporary solutions, by emphasizing an intentional balance between marketplace engagement and pastoral responsibilities. With the right mindset, pastors can lead the charge in embracing co-vocational ministry, positioning themselves as influential community figures while maintaining their spiritual duties.
Financial Sustainability and Pastoral Health
Many pastors face financial strains due to declining church budgets, leading them to explore co-vocational paths that generate additional income without compromising their pastoral calls. The conversation highlights the importance of recognizing the limits of traditional full-time roles as congregations shrink in size and giving lessens. By developing side businesses or entrepreneurial ventures, pastors can reduce dependency on church salaries, alleviating stress and allowing them greater freedom in spiritual leadership. This shift not only benefits pastors financially but also empowers churches by reallocating funds towards diverse ministry efforts.
Redefining Ministry Within the Community
The understanding of ministry is expanding beyond church walls as pastors engage with their communities through various vocations. By redefining what ministry looks like, congregations can recognize their members' everyday influence in the marketplace and move away from a narrow view of church-based work. Encouraging shared responsibilities among church members enhances a sense of collective ministry where everyone's contribution is valued, ultimately benefiting the church as a whole. By integrating pastoral work in everyday life, pastors can foster relationships with individuals outside the church, expanding outreach opportunities and building community connections.
Transforming Pastor Expectations and Church Dynamics
Expectations placed on pastors are evolving, with a collective need for congregations to understand the changing landscape of pastoral roles. Congregations often carry the burden of expectations for full-time pastoral availability and performance despite financial limitations. Educating church members on the realities of co-vocational ministry helps align expectations with the new norms of pastoral engagement. This transformation encourages more collaborative and supportive church dynamics, where shared efforts lead to richer, more effective ministry experiences.
Working a side hustle is no longer the exception for pastors, it’s the norm. Embracing it might answer a lot of your (and your church’s) needs.
Karl Vaters talks with Jon Sanders about the rise in covocational pastoring and why it’s something more pastors, especially small-church pastors, should take seriously. Jon is the co-host of the EntrePastors Podcast and the co-founder of EntrePastors.com (with Les Hughes).
The culture around us is shifting. The idea that someone entering the workplace will get a single full-time job to pay the bills is a rarity. And the church is no exception. But, unlike the secular marketplace, we shouldn’t be playing catch-up with this. We can lead.
Jon and Karl talk about several important aspects of bivo/covo ministry, including:
Why this is a growing need
How to make the shift without neglecting the church
The difference between bivocational and covocational
How to prepare your congregation for a covocational pastorate
And more.
Jon also serves as the Director of Coaching for the 95Network, a ministry that specializes in serving small to midsize churches.
Finding a Covocational Job That Fits a Pastor’s Skills and Schedule, with Jon Sanders
What marketplace jobs work well for covocational pastors?
The skills you have honed as a pastor are highly desirable in the secular marketplace. But how can they be turned into a paying job that won’t interfere with your pastoral calling?
In the bonus conversation I talk to Jon Sanders of EntrePastors.com about how to make that transition, including several real-life examples of pastors who have made that transition well.