I know many faithful men who pastor and also have to work at least 30 hours per week. Wow, I have a real respect for our bi-vocational men, but cannot imagine how hard it must be.

I wish there was a way to support these pastors like we would missionaries, such that they could focus more on the ministry.

What could be done in a collective way and are there such networks that help to fund pastors of small congregations such that they could labor in the ministry exclusively.

This is sometimes done for new church plants. But what about older, established plateauing or declining churches?

__________________
Pergamum


"If a commission by an earthly king is considered a honor, how can a commission by a Heavenly King be considered a sacrifice?"
-- David Livingstone

You have my ear, brother. I would LOVE to be focused exclusively on the ministry. I have considered attempting to garner support and become full-time in the ministry but I'm not sure how to go about doing that.

I work 48 hours a week at Walmart as an assistant manager, as most of you know. It is a struggle to get all the things done that I need to do in the ministry. It definitely affects my effectiveness.

Thing is, if we had good health insurance I'd go full-time with what the church pays me and what my wife makes as a nurse. It would be far less than what we make now, but it would be enough.

What to do? I'm listening to all advice here. Bring it!

__________________
Ivan R. Schoen, B.A., M.A., M.L.I.S.
Pastor of Maranatha Baptist Church (SBC)
Poplar Grove, IL, USA
http://maranatha-sbc.org

This is something that we have been discussing in the Underwood house for a while now. There are bi-vocational pastors who do it out of a theological/philosophical conviction and then there are those that do it out of financial necessity. I am current working 60 hours each week in a 'regular' job to keep the bills paid and to secure health insurance. The church pays be a bit and Lord willing it will be more in time. I would love to be able to devote that 60 hours among my family and the ministry of the church.

We have been thinking of contacting other churches that we know and individuals that we know to see about setting a network of support together. But, we haven't started that yet.

__________________
We shall not adjust our Bible to the age; but before we have done with it, by God's grace, we shall adjust the age to the Bible. - Charles Haddon Spurgeon

Lawrence Underwood, Jr.
Pastor - Providence Family Fellowship / Mobile, Alabama
1644/46 LBC
My Blog - Imprimis

That is exactly what I was thinking. If a church is part of an association, if each church voluntarily puts a little in the pot, then the association as a whole could be strengthened and new church plants financed, and the bi-vocational guys freed up.

The early church seemed to distribute their goods quite liberally, I think we are FAR from that NT standard in our gnerosity, and if we were, in fact, even half this generous than the church could better thrive and more pastors could focus more on souls.

-----Added 7/19/2009 at 09:15:21 EST-----

P.s.:



Part of the motivation for my post is this: I live on mission support. I am not lacking.

However, sometimes I do to churches and they want to give me money and yet are not supporting their own pastor. This makes me feel rather weird.

Although I would not want all foreign missions support to dry out until the American chuch was ready to support its own pastors first, I cannot imagine that in this rich nation there is not enough for both, if Christians merely tithed or even came somewhat close to regular giving.

Pergs, you have got ME thinking with this one. AS a church, we say we cannot support a pastor, but we must be pumping out at least a third of a pastor's salary to missionaries!

Which comes first? I'd never stop the missionary support, but if you were starting from scratch, what would be the first priority? Supporting the pastor or supporting missionaries?

__________________
Jonathan Hunt

Elder holding forth the word of life at:
Cheltenham Evangelical Free Church (Confessionally Based)
Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, United Kingdom

Logic is a systematic method of coming to the wrong conclusion with confidence.
-- Thomas Elsworth

Going about asking for support from fellow churches for the support of the pastor isn't normal procedure in Southern Baptist churches. Plus, I'd feel strange asking for support of ME. Probably would be much better if the CHURCH ask for the support.

Right now, if we weren't building our first building, the church could probably support me for about three years. If the church sold the six acres it owns they could support me for many years, Of course, we wouldn't have a building and that is, I think, one of the necessary steps to getting to full-time status.

It's an interesting concept though, garnering financial support for the bi-vocational pastor in order to devote all his time to the ministry. I'd appreciate any ideas on this matter. There are a couple of PB members that could see why this morning why I'm so interested!!

I think it would be somewhat problematic for Baptists. At the very least, it would compromise the "autonomy" of that pastor. I know that missionaries have to deal with the same problems, but missionaries are usually far enough away that their day-to-day activities and disillusioned ex-members don't get the ear of the supporting churches.

I'm not saying that it would be wrong, only that it would involve that pastor in certain entanglements, and that he should consider what is the real "price" of being financially supported.

__________________
Charlie Johnson
Downtown Presbyterian Church (PCA)
Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, student

Actually Baptists, at least Southern Baptists, do this already with new church starts and church planters. In my case, it's an established church that needs a full-time pastor but can't afford one. I'd need at least twice as much as I'm getting to have enough to live on. Personally, I'd make sure there weren't any "autonomy" issues.

It appears many are also working to help provide health insurance benefits, Don't the Denomination's have insurance for it's employees?

I found these online..

Health Insurance Pastors | Health Insurance

Health Insurance for Ministers, Missionaries, and Pastors | Health-Insurance.org

pastorsandclergyassociation.com - Home

Missions to North America

healthinsurance

Long Term Disability | PCA Retirement & Benefits, Inc.

Praisegod Barebones: Changes to Guidestone's Health Savings Account

Insurance

__________________
Bobbi Clark
Covenant Member
Pinewood Pres. (PCA) Middleburg

When I kept Silent, My bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. Psalm 32:3

Not an employee of the denomination. One can get insurance through Guidestone, but you pay for it.

-----Added 7/19/2009 at 09:51:44 EST-----

[quote=BJClark;656744]I found these online..

These were incredible high. A $10,000 deductible?!

Wrong denomination.

Right denomination...both Guidestone, which is very, very high too, but aren't they all?! There is no easy answers...and no cheap ones! I think going it alone works better.

Imagine how I feel. I come through once and they pledge to help me, and the pastor stays behind and reports into work the next day. It would hurt me, but I do think that the pastor gets first dibs... and I do think there is plentous resources available in most churches of even 30-40 people to fully support a pastor AND missions.

-----Added 7/19/2009 at 10:22:17 EST-----

Just 10 breadwinners, earning 30,000 USD per year and tithing can support a pastor at 30,000 USD per year. 10 more and the building is paid for. 10 more and missions is paid for. Maybe that's simplistic, but you get the picture....even a mere tithe and a proper prioritization would fund most needs.

And, that my friend is the problem. The vast majority of Christians, even those attending solid churches, give next to nothing. I'm not talking 5% either; more like .5 - 1.2% if at all. Couple that with wacked out fiscal priorities in a lot of churches and you have a bad situation.