Since February of this year, I have had the great joy and privilege of studying at Bible College. Initially, I enrolled to equip myself to serve faithfully as a layperson in a church – a role I greatly admire. However, after much consideration, I have decided to pursue chaplaincy work at the completion of my Diploma – rather than returning to my previous work or pursuing ordained church-based ministry (I’ll save this story for another day).

During this time, as I considered vocational ministry for myself, something has been bothering me… Why does Australia have so few bivocational ministry workers? Along with many others, I have been growing increasingly convinced that we should consider this more seriously. I am not saying this is a silver bullet to our problems, nor that I want to see fewer people in full-time gospel ministry. Rather, my question is: are we missing out on something good and helpful by failing to equip and support bivocational ministry workers?

Ministry in the Bible

Throughout history, Church planters and missiologists have claimed they have found the ‘right’ model or the ‘best’ strategy for ministry. This is not what I am here to do, but rather, consider the value and appropriateness of bivocational ministry. Let me summarise what I think the Scriptures clearly say regarding church ministry:

  • We must rely on God for our work to be effective, as we “Pray to the lord of the harvest” to raise workers (Matthew 9:38).
  • The whole church needs to be involved in gospel work (1 Peter 2:5, Ephesians 2:20-22).
  • Gospel workers/church leaders are meant to equip the church to live for God and complete His works (Ephesians 4:11-13, Matthew 28:19).
  • Members of the church have different functions, and that is good (1 Corinthians 12:12-31).
  • There is good in distinguishing between teaching and non-teaching responsibilities within the church (Acts 6, 1 Timothy 3).
  • Some, like Paul, receive gifts/support to continue ministry work (Phil 4:15-18).
  • Not everyone is paid to do gospel ministry, but some should be. (Acts 18:1-5, Acts 20:33–34, 1 Corinthians 9:3–18; 1 Thessalonians 2:9; 2 Thessalonians 3:8, 1 Timothy 5:17-25, Galatians 6:6)

Bivocational Ministry in the Bible

Well, what is bivocational* ministry? And where do we see its support in the Bible? Bivocational ministry is defined simply as being ‘dual/multi occupational’. In practice, bivocational ministry will vary wildly for individuals but generally consists of working outside the church yet still leading, preaching, and pastoring to a church community part-time. Sometimes, these workers are paid, and other times, they’re entirely self-supporting, and as such, bivocational ministers complement a range of church and mission models.

* Two similar terms/ideas to bivocational ministry are:
1) ‘Covocational’ or ‘Volunteer Pastor’ – Someone who is in a non-paid ministry position but works significantly in a church (such as an unpaid elder, licenced lay minister, Bible study leader, or children’s ministry volunteer).[1] I know many people who already do this in Australia. Therefore, the purpose of this article is not to focus on this.
2) “Tentmakers”– “Tentmakers are missions-motivated Christians who support themselves in secular work as they do cross-cultural evangelism [generally overseas] on the job and in free time…They can serve at little or no cost to the church”. This is very similar to bivocational ministry but focuses on cross-cultural ministry.

Bivocational ministry is consistent with Paul’s life as we read in 1 Thessalonians 2:9, where Paul forgoes payment so that the gospel would be free of charge (supported by his labouring as a tentmaker). He goes on to show this in 1 Corinthians:

“But we did not use this right. On the contrary, we put up with anything rather than hinder the gospel of Christ. – 1 Corinthians 9:12b

Furthermore, we see that bivocational ministry might have been expected by the apostles who returned to fishing after the crucifixion (John 21). Now, I am not saying we should stop encouraging people into full-time ministry, supporting them financially, and maintaining the institutions that currently raise them. But I want us to consider whether we are missing out on something good by not supporting and encouraging people into bivocational ministry. And are we failing to encourage and support those who are already bivocational?

A Future of Problems?

A recent seminar I attended discussed how societal changes have significantly affected our churches over the last few decades. Specifically, we have fewer church volunteers (volunteering rates in Australia dropped from 34.1% in 2006 to 24.8% in 2020), a greater reliance on paid gospel workers (with giving broadly reducing[2]), a growing need for more workers and new churches as our population grows (Australia’s population is expected to be between 34.3 and 45.9 million by 2071), and increasing opportunities for gospel workers (such as in mission work, university ministry, chaplaincy, etc.). Additionally, in the last few years, concerns over the burnout of those in pastoral ministry have been front-and-centre, with research showing the growing demands and complexity in ministry roles leading to increasingly burdened pastoral workers.[3] Although the exact dropout rate of clergy is unclear – and often exaggerated – a conservative estimate would be an attrition rate of 1-3% each year on average (and with more baby boomers retiring, this will affect us more starkly in the next few years).[4] Given the low numbers of students at our Bible Colleges, the task is far too big, considering there are dozens of vacant pastoral positions across evangelical and reformed churches and organisations.

Well, How Did We Get Here?

Over the last several decades, several factors have led to decreased lay participation and an increased reliance on paid gospel-workers. These include increased work hours, higher female workforce participation[5], and longer commute times. Even our leisure time has diminished, and what time is left is most often spent on the internet or watching TV (roughly 3 hours a day). Furthermore, Tim Macbride summarised financial factors concisely:

“[From 1999 to today] After adjusting for inflation, Sydney rents are 40-50% higher; [and] college fees are nearly three times as much”.[6]

With the increasing cost of living, increasing debts, and the inability of most families to survive on one income in our largest cities (where most Aussies live), it’s not surprising that fewer people are able or willing to make the investment (of time and money) to go into vocational ministry. Yet, we’re increasingly reliant on paid gospel workers. If we’re not keeping up with the demand, what can be done to supplement (not replace) the current pathways?

A Lacklustre Response and a Significant Hindrance

Only a few years ago, the alarms concerning the gospel worker drought were blaring, yet it appears we’re yet to change course significantly.[7] Furthermore, very legitimate calls to increase the engagement of ‘everyday people’ (non-university educated) have pointed out unhelpful biases in our training pathways/processes and the lack of effectiveness of our evangelism towards these people.[8] Are we failing to allow people into pastoral ministry simply because they don’t have a university education? If so, are we adding barriers to most of the population considering paid gospel ministry? (68% of Australians don’t have a university degree).

M. Pepper, R. Powell, and S. Sterland, “Educational Attainment for Churches That Consider Themselves ‘Reformed’: Results from the 2021 National Church Life Survey for Andrew Beddoe, Vocational Bible College. Sydney: NCLS Research.” (2023).

One pathway forward

I am certainly not the first person, nor will be the last, to suggest that bivocational ministry might be one of the solutions to the problems (alongside prayer to the Sovereign Lord of the harvest) above. In an article last year, Andrew Hamilton said the following;

“In my discussions around the topic of bivocational mission and ministry, I discovered that I have been unexpectedly messing with a sacred cow… [And that] Many of our smaller communities would be better served by a team of bivocational staff”.

Bivocational ministry is normal and supported in many other places worldwide. For example, Lifeway Research found that “Fewer than two-thirds (62.2%) of churches in the United States have a full-time pastor. That’s down from 71.4 per cent in 2010”. These findings are echoed by the ‘National Congregations Study’, which surveyed more than 3500 congregations in the United States and found that “roughly one-third of congregations have lead ministers who also hold another job; 35% in 2018–2019”.[9]  This same study also showed that “30% of graduates from theological schools in the United States and Canada in 2017 expected to hold another paid position in additional to ministerial work after graduation, with higher percentages among African American (57%) and Hispanic/Latinx (41%) graduates”.[10]

But Why Should We Support Bivocational Ministry?

Now, I certainly don’t think we should be doing things in the church for pragmatic reasons or simply due to societal changes, so why should we support bivocational ministry in Australia? A report published by the Christian Reformed Church of North America (CRCNA) summarised that people generally went into bivocational ministry for two reasons. The first group became bivocational ministers by necessity (“congregation cannot afford to support a full-time position”), and the second became bivocational by choice (“chosen to be bivocational, working by design both in vocational ministry and in another occupation”). This Task Force found that “Although bivocational ministry is relatively rare within churches of the CRCNA that are monoethnic and middle class, the same is not true among CRCNA churches that reach ethnic minorities and economically challenged communities”. But why should we support Bivocational ministry? Let me lay out some of the benefits:

Bivocational ministry is mission-focused:

  • Bivocational pastors can reach more people in the workforce/community than regular pastors. Given that “around four in ten Australians open to being invited to church”, this is a great mission opportunity!
    • Additionally, Lifeway found that pastors are very concerned with reaching those outside of their church community yet struggle to do so. Working in the community you seek to reach can be a welcome opportunity for evangelism!
  • By embracing Bivocational ministry, we can proclaim the gospel among people who might otherwise not have anyone ministering to them.
    • This is particularly beneficial for church planting, where bivocational ministry may be a temporary situation, to make the church plant a reality.

Bivocational ministry can be more sustainable, viable, and credible:

  • A wider variety of churches will remain feasible by only funding part-time ministers.
    • By only needing to raise a proportion of a salary, paying for a gospel worker can be less burdensome.
    • This is particularly relevant for church communities in less wealthy areas and regions where churches are naturally smaller.
  • Additional staff may be hired, or hired sooner.
    • Having a team or a larger team can make pastoral charges more sustainable.
  • By working in the community, they can model godly work in the secular workforce to their congregation and gain respect from those outside the church (hopefully to aid in evangelism).
  • Bivocational ministers have less time to spend on various tasks and thus rely on the whole church to be involved in ministry/mission. This gives others the opportunity to step up!

This is not an exhaustive list of the benefits of bivocational ministry, but I hope you see some of them. It’s very encouraging to know that it’s gaining traction in Australia for example, in Sydney, The Well Training program seeks to “develop leaders in marginalised communities” by preparing bivocational assistant ministers. It follows a bivocational model as this is more sustainable in areas that may struggle to afford a full-time pastor. If this is an appropriate model for Anglican ministry, it could prove likewise for Presbyterians.

Why Not Support Bivocational Ministry?

There is a range of concerns for those who go into bivocational ministry, including increased complexity in balancing two jobs, time constraints/stress, the need to delegate tasks, being ‘divided’ in thought, being under-resourced, and the need to have clear boundaries/expectations with your congregation. Additionally, J. D. Greear and Mike McDaniel shared cautions for supporting bivocational church plants. They said it might discourage others from supporting traditional and still effective church models. Bivocational church plants have their own set of challenges, and church resources might not be as limited as we think. They also cautioned that focusing too much on bivocational church planting could make it harder for traditional churches to raise funds.

What Next?

Although there are problems associated with bivocational ministry, many argue that the benefits outweigh the costs. I’m growing increasingly convinced of this, and I hope you may be too. So, I’ll end with this challenge. For those already in full-time ministry, are you willing to forgo your right to a full-time wage, like Paul did, so that some may hear the gospel? For those training at Bible College right now, would you consider going somewhere that cannot afford you (and getting a second job) for their sake? For those in charge of our denominations and Colleges, are you willing to support and train people who want to consider serving this way – how do you need to change? We should stop being so closed-minded about gospel ministry needing to look a specific way. I say this because I long for Australia and the world to know Jesus, and I trust many of you reading this do, too.

– Cooper Rispin,
Student at Moore Theological College

Additional Resources And Studies:

For Those Already Working Bivocationally:

For church denominational gatherings and churches:

For theological institutions:

[1] Brad Brisco, “5 Reasons to Be a Covocational Pastor,” February 2023, https://www.newchurches.com/resource/5-reasons-to-be-a-co-vocational-pastor/.

[2] Fleur Hourihan, Ruth Powell, and Carole Gan, “Church Finances and Giving: Practices and Attitudes in Australian Churches. NCLS Research Report 47.” (NCLS Research: Sydney., September 2023).

[3] Christopher J. Adams et al., “Clergy Burnout: A Comparison Study with Other Helping Professions,” Pastor. Psychol. 66.2 (2017): 147–75, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11089-016-0722-4.

[4] Allison K. Hamm and David E. Eagle, “Clergy Who Leave Congregational Ministry: A Review of the Literature,” J. Psychol. Theol. 49.4 (2021): 291–307, https://doi.org/10.1177/00916471211011597.

[5] “Employment Patterns and Trends for Families with Children,” 2023, https://aifs.gov.au/research/research-reports/employment-patterns-and-trends-families-children.

[6] timmacbride, “The Great Pastor Drought,” Timmacbride.Com, 5 July 2023, https://timmacbride.com/2023/07/06/where-is-the-next-generation-part-one/.

[7] John Sandeman, “The ‘Senior Minister Drought’ Is Real – Eternity News,” 11 September 2020, https://www.eternitynews.com.au/australia/the-senior-minister-drought-is-real/,

[8] M. Pepper, R. Powell, and S. Sterland, “Educational Attainment for Churches That Consider Themselves ‘Reformed’: Results from the 2021 National Church Life Survey for Andrew Beddoe, Vocational Bible College. Sydney: NCLS Research.” (2023).

[9] Darryl W. Stephens et al., “Bivocational and Beyond: Educating for Thriving Multivocational Ministry,” 2022, https://doi.org/10.31046/atlaopenpress.82, https://books.atla.com/atlapress/catalog/view/82/196/829.

[10] Stephens et al., “Bivocational and Beyond.”

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Cooper Rispin

Cooper lives in the Mid-North Coast of NSW with his wife Hannah, while working as a Pastoral Assistant at Gateway Presbyterian Church. He is a graduate of Moore Theological College and grew up in Sydney during his childhood and studies, before moving regionally.