Bowden McElroy offers an excellent summary of the advantages of the Bivocational pastor (BiVo) to the Traditional in-place Vocational pastor (TiVo?). Bowden offers three advantages:
1. There is a biblical model for the bivocational minister
2. It prevents a "hired gun" mentality for pastors
3. It promotes "fearless" ministry because no one's livlihood is held hostage
I agree with each of his points and would like to add two of my own. First, and related to #2, is the fact that the minister can better identify with the laity. When the pastor wrestles with balancing a “secular” career and church ministry, I believe that he associates himself more closely with the laity by sharing their struggles. (I put quotes around secular because I think that the sacred/secular dichotomy has done more harm than good.) When the minister preaches on the importance of sharing faith with a coworker or of loving an unlovable boss, he has more credibility.
The parishioners identify more completely with a bivocational pastor because he has become like them. In short, the BiVo is a more incarnational approach than the TiVo. In fact, one of the greatest elements about Christ's Incarnation is this very point. We could apply Hebrews 4:15 “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses” to this question by noting that “We do not have a pastor who cannot sympathize with our balancing act of work, family and church.”
Second, I think that church leadership would benefit more from a more varied vocational expertise. I daresay Bowden’s own contribution to the SBC conversation is most enriching because of his training in counseling. He sees things that the rest of us normal people don’t see. But counseling is obviously not the only beneficial field. One’s vocation can become the lens through which one views church activity. A professional manager, development officer, script writer, or a self-employed plumber would each bring a different perspective from the traditional pastor.
Consider a common trajectory for a Southern Baptist pastor’s ministry. For many it starts as they are given responsibilities as teenagers in church. Then they graduate from a Baptist university, then a Baptist seminary, and eventually take the pulpit of their first church. They often remain in this position for the rest of their life. Such a system can promote myopic and insular thinking.* Combine this with an autocratic pastoral approach and other perspectives can be shut out. A bivocational minister can make a tremendous contribution to church life.
*Be clear about what I am not saying. I am not arguing that the BiVo is superior to the TiVo. I’m arguing instead, that there are advantages to the BiVo approach that make it just as necessary and important in the contemporary church.
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5 comments:
Do Baptists have "parishioners"? I would have thought "congregants" a better choice.
(You'll have to imagine the little smiley face symbol. I refuse to use emoticons.)
Another advantage is the BiVo pastor IS in the world and insulated from it. When I was on a church staff it was possible to go an entire week without any interaction with lost people. How can you model evangelism and outreach when you're only around believers?
Granted, I know many pastors who intentionally set aside time to be involved in the larger community whether its through the Rotary Club or by coaching little league.
Wow... can't type today.
The BiVo pastor is IN the world NOT insulated from it.
Taran, Does this mean that your search committee is open to calling a BiVo pastor? (smile) Here in Colorado, roughly half of our pastors are BiVo. I would dare say that 1/2 of the ramaining 50% do not really make a liveable wage from the church. Having served as both BiVo and TiVo in my ministry, I would contribute to the discussion by simply stating that in my opinion the TiVo is more effective because of the time and the focus that he is able to put into his ministry. As a BiVo pastor, I often had to adjust the church schedule to fit around my job schedule. The time available for ministry is greatly diminished when you have a full-time job outside of the church. I would not disagree with the three points that Bowden suggests. All are true. I also would not disagree with the two points that you add. I wouldn't know what the numbers are, but I believe that there are a great many pastors (like myself) who came into the ministry as a second vocation. I'm a recovering accountant. I'm wondering if the same arguments could be made for BiVo teachers and counselors. I had some great business instructers in college who were full-time CPA's teaching for fun. Great discussion!
I’ve been out of town and have only just returned. Thank you both for limiting your profanity in my absence.
Bowden,
I’ve noticed that when a blogger cannot respond to the substance of someone’s point, they instead resort to scurrilous attacks on the post’s grammar or choice of words. I’m pleased to see that this tactic is not beneath you, even if using emoticons is.
;)
Dave,
Of course you nailed me with your first line. I’m not sure that we would consider a BiVo minister for our church, although honestly we haven’t discussed it. I suppose that the committee would say they were open to anyone God sends in our direction…but I can imagine some conflict if we recommended that this position be part time. (Although for the last six years our Music ministers have all been both excellent and part time for whatever that’s worth.)
As to your larger point about part time counselors or teachers, I am in absolute agreement with you. The best profs I’ve had at any level have been those who were actively engaged in their discipline outside the campus community. Be they business consultants or scientists working with industry, I think that we need to get out of our ivory tower and interact with the world.
I think I try to work this out myself through the intentional interim program, teaching Sunday School, composing lame blog posts...etc.
Taran,
You da man!
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