Becoming “Bi-Vocational” Saved My Ministry

This is a guest post by Doug Black Jr. He is a bi-vocational minister in the Philadelphia area and really passionate about making disciples where ever he goes! check him out at http://www.heyitsdoug.com

I was in youth ministry for years, reaching a group of students that (was supposed to be) between grades 7-12. These were amazing students, and many of them are still following Christ to this day, some thanks to us and some in spite of us. These students were reaching their friends at their lunch tables, giving testimonies and reports in classes, and becoming leaders in our growing little church.

And I was sitting in an office, wondering what to do while they were in school. Sure, I would prepare events and message. I would do some administrative stuff. But, I had a devastating hunger for more: making disciples where there were none, seeing ministry happened like Jesus did it, connecting with students, teachers and school events.

While I did my best to get into the schools, we were closed out from being on campus for a great many reasons (the local high school is Abington High, where prayer was removed from schools). We didn’t have a lot of sporty kids who had games, just a lot of study-ers. So I tried to connect with everyone (and I mean, everyone) after school. It wasn’t working. We plateaued at 15 or so students, and you know how we exaggerate our numbers.

I also didn’t have a lot of time to meet neighbors and bring them closer to Christ. During the days, they were working. During the nights, I was with students or my family.

All of this changed when I became bivocational (BiVo, for short). It had to change. I had to change.

I’m not a fan of bivocational ministry. I’m an activist. There are few other things in the life of a pastor, missionary, worship leader, whatever you want to call yourself, that will lead to more fruitful, longterm ministry options. Every person who asks me about becoming a “pastor” or “getting into ministry”, I give them the sage advice that George Thorogood: “Get a haircut, and get a real job.”

Going BiVo meant a number of significant changes for us. Here’s what changed to the glory of God:

1) I MULTIPLIED MISSION BY BECOMING MISSIONAL: I was surrounded by and paid to be with people who knew nothing of Jesus. I was having conversations about whether Jesus would smoke marijuana. I had never felt so alive before. Not only was I reaching friends and co-workers for Jesus, but I was bringing stories back to our students who then got inspired to do the same.

Much of the time, professional pastors find mission to be non-existent, or pre-programmed. It’s simply a matter of “doing what you get paid for first”. We try to encourage folks to live out the Missio Dei, but there is no model for it because we don’t do it.

BiVo gives a clearer picture. BiVo gives us a clearer opportunity. BiVo helps us be the model for what it means to live your faith in the marketplace.

2) I MULTIPLIED MINISTRY BY GIVING IT AWAY: I couldn’t do everything anymore, though I was pretty good at running a one-man show. I was forced to rely on student and adult leaders who would “do the work of the ministry”. My role became simply to empower them to do what God had given to them. We more than doubled in numbers in a year. In a church of 85, we were running 35 at our highest. Students made events that I couldn’t do, lead them, and brought even more to Christ.

Pastors with paychecks are often thought of as the “completer of ministry”. They’re the ones who have a paid spot, and are expected to do the 10K duties of the Church. But that’s not why you and I are there. BiVo forces us to a place where we are leading from behind: We have responsibility and authority to empower the people to the work because we are a worker.

3) I MULTIPLIED DISCIPLES BY BECOMING A DISCIPLER: Today, our youth ministry that we left three years ago is growing substantially. Those in charge are two leaders that we discipled closely for a year to take over in our stead. By being forced to spend more time with a few people, they could do the same. Those same leaders are raising up leaders to become what Christ had called them. It’s becoming viral.

Even now, as we plant simple churches following Disciple Making Movement principles, we seek to make disciples that make disciples that make disciples. It becomes less about focusing on the crowd, and more about focusing on the few who can focus on the crowd.