Episode 642: Next-generation missionaries and church planters are leveraging their careers for mission. Host Ed Stetzer talks with NAMB’s Tiffany Smith and Clint Clifton about vocational options that work well for bivo/covo church planters.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:
- Considerations you must keep in mind as you think about planting a church while having another job
- Whether the bivo/covo trend actually is increasing
- What vocations are really good fits for bivo/covo work
- How well entrepreneurial work fits with bivo/covo planting
- A New Testament perspective on bivo/covo work
- Opportunities for next-generation missionaries and church planters to leverage their careers for mission
Sharable Quotes (#NewChurches):
People who are bivocational or covocational are just amazing heroes. And bivocational pastors are much more common than most think. In some denominations, half the pastors are bivocational. @edstetzer
There seems in many many cases to be an assumption that the best church planting is fully funded. That’s not necessarily something statistical. @edstetzer
It is very very common to think of covocational or bivocational as Plan B. But it would be amazing to see a shift, because I think we’ll see more momentum into places the church normally isn’t present. @tiffanydsmith
It has been a talking point for years for bivocational pastors to be the heroes, but now we’re actually seeing stories of bivocational or covocational pastors deeply entrenched in their careers who also are fruitful pastors and church planters. @clintjclifton
Jobs that have start and end times and allow you to bring your best in planting seem to make the bigger difference. @edstetzer
Bivocational ministry was so normal in the early church that the believers were encouraged to give an extra blessing to those who were pulling double duty. @tiffanydsmith
Perhaps the most significant benefit of planting as a bivo/covo leader is that it gives the planter greater opportunities to connect relationally with people in the community. @edstetzer
The planter sees a genuine and real need in the community and then moves into that segment to meet the need naturally and connects to the community. @tiffanydsmith
Some planters are getting into a business connecting to people that the church would not typically have access to. @tiffanydsmith
Certain entrepreneurial ventures are really given to being great missiologically. There are missiological advantages to certain careers. @clintjclifton
A social entrepreneur explores business opportunities that have a positive impact on their community, in society or the world. @edstetzer
You end up not as two closed hands, but as two hands actually working together. @edstetzer
You have to be careful because you want to be a person of integrity and not planting a church using social entrepreneurship as a tool. @edstetzer
Right now, in our culture there’s a vacuum in relational connections. Whatever creative way we end up connecting in the community, we should give the highest relational salt and light and fruit of the Spirit we can. @tiffanydsmith
More often, it’s helpful for a church planter to be solving local problems in a local place and find a way to rally the community around that problem and place. Interacting with the same group of people provides new missional opportunities. @clintjclifton
Invite the Holy Spirit. Say, “Hey, show me a creative way to step into my vocation, step into my passion and maximize the gospel and the kingdom movement.” @tiffanydsmith
I would love to see the church unleashed. If we make the shift where everybody sees themselves on mission, sent and released into the world to be salt and light, then we’re going to see more movement and discipleship at a deeper, richer level than we’ve seen before. @tiffanydsmith
Helpful Resources:
- Free article: Brad Brisco: 3 Benefits of Bivocational Church Planting
- Free ebook: Brad Brisco: Covocational Church Planting
- Steve Sjogren: Community of Kindness
- Ed Stetzer: Planting Missional Churches
- Daniel Im: You Are What You Do: And Six Other Lies about Work, Life, and Love
- Interested in learning more? Check out our Church Planting Primer
- Are you ready to enroll in our Church Planting Masterclass?
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Published February 17, 2022