In recent years, many Christian denominations have faced a significant decline in church attendance,¹David Kinnaman’s new work on this is found in the book Churchless, from which this Barna article was adapted. Read more here: https://www.barna.com/research/10-facts-about-americas-churchless/ leading to the closure of numerous existing congregations. In response, denominations across the board are now dedicating more resources toward establishing new church communities. This trend has also led to the emergence of various church planting networks that encourage collaboration across denominational boundaries.

One of the most noteworthy trends in this church-planting movement is the rise of bi-vocational leaders taking the initiative to establish new churches. Traditionally, the term “bi-vocational pastor” referred to a leader who, due to financial constraints, took on additional employment to supplement their church-provided salary. Often, these pastors had to work multiple jobs out of necessity rather than preference, embodying the “tentmaker” model based on the Apostle Paul’s trade as described in Acts 18:3. 

Today, however, there is a shift from bi-vocational to co-vocational ministry. More church planters are choosing to plant co-vocationally, merging their sacred and secular professions. In other words, it is becoming a first option, not a last resort.

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Definitions:

A Bi-vocational Church Planter is one who works a second job to supplement the salary the church provides. Historically the language of “tentmaker” (the Apostle Paul’s trade described in Acts 18:3) has been used to define this type of church planter. Typically, a “Bivo” planter is one who has a marketplace job that they view as temporary. Their hope is that the church plant will eventually be able to provide the financial support for the planter to leave their “Bivo” job to focus full-time on the church.

A Co-vocational Church Planter is one whose primary vocation is in the marketplace, but at the same time, is called to start a church. A “Covo” planter is one who has a clear and definite calling in the marketplace that they never intend to leave. They know God has called them to be a teacher, mechanic, graphic designer, or doctor, and they desire to weave that calling into the plan to plant a church. The prefix “co” is the reduced form of the Latin “com” which means “together” or “to have in common.” English words like co-founder, co-pilot or co-author are examples of words that denote partnership and equality. Co-vocation embodies the reality that if a person is called to the marketplace, and at the same time are called to start a church, the different callings are not isolated from one another, but instead are interlinked and equal.

Developed by Brad Brisco, Director of Multiplication Strategies for Send Network

While there is a place for both co-vocational church planting and fully funded approaches, there are some significant benefits to planting as a co-vocational leader. Let’s consider six major advantages. 

1. Missiological Advantage

Perhaps the most significant reason for planting as a co-vocational pastor is that it gives the church planter greater opportunities to connect relationally with people in the community. Their vocation gives them access to a mission field that is not readily available to a pastor employed full-time by a local church. Many traditional pastors work inside a church bubble, spending most of their time with church people. For a co-vocational planter, their marketplace job isn’t a hindrance to what God is doing, it is an advantage to engaging their city with the gospel.

2. Credibility Advantage

Co-vocational planting helps to diminish the sacred-secular divide with respect to vocation. The congregation can see in this  church planter model that all work matters. Work is a sacred calling regardless of what God has called a person to do. As a result, the benefits of being in the marketplace are multiplied exponentially as every member recognizes how their vocation fits into God’s redemptive mission. Further, when the planter has a vocation in the marketplace, the congregation knows that the leader better understands what others experience during a work week.

Working in the marketplace not only builds credibility with those inside the church, it provides greater respectability outside the church. In a post-Christian context, where people are skeptical of the church, non-Christians need to see that church leaders have jobs like everyone else. In a time when Christianity doesn’t have the best reputation, it can provide significant “street-cred” with those outside the church.

Traditionally, the term 'bi-vocational pastor' referred to a leader who, due to financial constraints, took on additional employment to supplement their church-provided salary. (1/3) Share on X

Often, these pastors had to work multiple jobs out of necessity rather than preference, embodying the 'tentmaker' model based on the Apostle Paul’s trade as described in Acts 18:3. (2/3) Share on X

Today, however, there is a shift from bi-vocational to co-vocational ministry. More church planters are choosing to plant co-vocationally, merging their sacred and secular professions. It is a first option, not a last resort. (3/3) Share on X

3. Financial Advantage(s)

Another benefit for being co-vocational relates to the financial stability it provides in three key areas central to the flourishing of a new church plant:

1. 1. The Church Planter

When the primary financial support comes from a marketplace source rather than the church plant, there is usually less financial strain on a family. This is especially true when the planter is employed full-time in a vocation that provides benefits like insurance, vacation, and retirement.

1. 2. The New Church

A church led by co-vocational leaders usually finds that its financial base is much stronger. Without the need to provide full-time salaries and benefits, the church can direct more of its financial resources outward toward mission and ministry. Furthermore, since co-vocational planters are not fully dependent on the church for their income, there is less urgency to grow the congregation quickly for financial sustainability. This allows for a more patient, relational approach to ministry, focusing on engaging the brokenness in their context rather than attracting people who are already professing Christ-followers.

1. 3. The Church Planting Entity

To reach everyone with the gospel, we must be creative. Co-vocational planting allows funding entities to embrace a wider range of sustainable church planting practices. This is especially necessary for planters engaging in socio-economically diverse contexts, including low-income or immigrant populations. There will never be a church planting movement without activating co-vocational leaders. It simply isn’t realistic to assume otherwise.

4. Empowerment Advantage

Co-vocational church planting creates opportunities for leaders in the congregation to use their God-given talents to create a culture of participation rather than one of spectatorship. Since co-vocational planters have limited time to fulfill church responsibilities, they are more likely to train and equip other members for ministry tasks. This fosters a culture of shared leadership, where lay members take on meaningful roles within the church, developing their own gifts and callings. 

Further, when the church planter has a full-time vocation, the congregation understands that the planter can’t do it all. Therefore, more church members, out of necessity, step up to engage in the mission of the church. Co-vocational leadership helps to diminish the clergy-laity divide and highlights the necessity of empowering all the people of God. This in turn creates a more resilient and sustainable structure, where the ministry does not solely depend on one person.

5. Prophetic Voice Advantage

There are times a church leader needs to speak boldly about difficult issues, both inside and outside the church. However, when there is the possibility of offending those who provide financial support, the voice of the leader can be weakened. But when the primary support for the pastor comes from the marketplace, it often provides freedom for the leader to speak prophetically about the mission and ministry of the church.

6. Professional Development Advantage

Working in the marketplace often requires continuous professional development and adaptation to changing environments. Co-vocational leaders can gain a wide range of development from their vocations, such as time management, teamwork, collaboration, customer service, and communication. These skills can enhance their effectiveness in church leadership. 

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Reflection Questions:

1. How could leadership within your church be re-imagined using a co-vocational model?
2. If you are a part of a growing church plant, what is working – and not working? Prayerfully consider how you can support the core pastoral leadership team as they seek to grow and mature the church.
3. What insights from Brad’s article can you bring into dialogue with your church leadership?

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A Bi-vocational Church Planter is one who works a second job to supplement the salary the church provides, hoping that the church plant will eventually be able to provide financial support to focus full-time on the church. (1/2) Share on X

A Co-vocational Church Planter is one whose primary vocation is in the marketplace, but is also called to start a church. A 'Covo' planter is has a clear and definite calling in the marketplace that they never intend to leave. (2/2) Share on X

*Editorial Note: Missio Alliance is pleased to have Forge America as content partners. Forge America is a network of practitioners cultivating practitioners who join in the everyday mission of God. On the last Tuesday of each month (except when falling on a major holiday), articles from missional practitioners within the Forge network will be featured in our Writing Collectives. We look forward to sharing their thoughtful, leading-edge missional perspectives with you. ~MA