Bivocational Ministry as a Veritable Tool of Church Growth and Tackling Economic Challenges in 21 Century Pastoral Ministry

Amusan; Opeoluwa Adefisoye; Professor Obasola; Kehinde E.; Professor Oderinde Olatundun A.

doi:10.56201/ijrcp.vol.11.no4.2026.pg44.56

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Bivocational Ministry as a Veritable Tool of Church Growth and Tackling Economic Challenges in 21 Century Pastoral Ministry

Amusan, Opeoluwa Adefisoye, Professor Obasola, Kehinde E., Professor Oderinde Olatundun A.

Abstract

Pastoral ministry is as old as the Church itself. There are full-time ministers who receive regular financial support from the church and some other ministers in bivocational ministry. Bivocational ministry is a practice that many see as controversial in the sense that a pastor simultaneously combines two distinct careers; one as a professional in a secular occupation and the other as a pastor in a church; balancing the two careers in many cases have raised serious challenges. Ability to synergise between the two careers in terms of effective time management, mental and general well-being, prioritisation, with neither of both vocations lagging behind has been a major concern. Also, some schools of thought argued that many full-time pastors in contemporary times are vulnerable and prone to fraudulent practices due to limited financial resources at their disposal and a lot of free time which promotes idleness. These issues call for the need to examine the socio-ethical implications of bivocational ministry and its impact on church growth with reference to Pentecostal churches. Bivocational ministry allows the minister to fend for his family without depending on the church while it also gives room for the minister to explore other possibilities aside pastoral ministry. Truth remains that while some do not reckon with bivocational ministry as a serious and desirable model, quite a sizeable number of people hold that it is as legitimate as full-time ministry and that it also helps in the capacity building of the minister and the congregation. The paper concludes that irrespective of the vilification and demarketing of bivocational ministry as a veritable priestly tool, it has become a major model for church growth, and rather than working against it, denominational leaders of historical or mainline churches should ensure that they embrace paradigm shift and have a renewed mindset toward bivocational ministry for the common good of the church. Key Words: Bivocational Ministry, Univocational Ministry, Tentmakers, Quandary and Discombobulation. P-ISSN 2695-219X

Keywords

Bivocational MinistryUnivocational MinistryTentmakersQuandary and Discombobulation. P-ISSN 2695-219X

References

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Bivocational Ministry as a Veritable Tool of Church Growth and Tackling Economic Challenges in 21 Century Pastoral Ministry

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