Defining Bivocational Ministry

The term “bivocational ministry” connotes different things to different people. For persons in non-white or immigrant communities, it may be the usual way ministry is done. For persons in white-majority settings, it may indicate falling short of a goal, namely, the model of a full-time pastorate. For others, it may represent the cutting edge of leadership for the missional church, reaching out into the world in creative, entrepreneurial ways. For many, it begs definition. The range of possible meanings and connotations of this term provide an opportunity for religious education, leading Christian congregations to imagine new ways of being church.

In this newly published article, I view the ambiguities and uncertainties about defining bivocational ministry as an opportunity for theological reflection and religious education. In it, I propose intentional bivocational ministry as a practice of the entire faith community. Bivocational ministry can become the congregation’s curriculum.

Read more: 2021. “Bivocational Ministry as the Congregation’s Curriculum.” Religions 12 (1), 56. Special Issue Practical Theology & Theological Education — An Overview. https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/12/1/56.

For related writings, see my current research page on Bivocational Ministry and Missional Vitality.