Working Double

I considered yesterday, the struggle recently mentioned, about pastors who are bi-vocational. What a struggle, to try to keep your home operational while ministering in a church that perhaps isn't able to sustain it's operationg budget. 

Small churches understand this pain all too well. My first "real" job, post college, struggled some months, financially. The receivables weren't there and so pay-day arrived, sometimes without a paycheck. Other times, it arrived with a disclaimer. "Don't cash this until further notice", or whatever date was 2 or 3 days out. Talk about stressful.

Having to struggle on one income is tough. Working two jobs gets old. Working three jobs is begging for exhaustion. We all do what we have to do.

But each of those is not only a balancing act in and of itself, but can throw us out of balance quite quickly. Physically, emotionally, spiritually, mentally... the depletion level is rapid; although some days more noticably than others.

Having experienced such working situations myself, it didn't take more than a second to consider how much more of a challenge it would be to have multiple jobs and one of them involve being on the church staff. As the church struggles to make financial ends meet at certain times of the year, those helping to keep the doors open are suddenly scrambling themselves to make sure they stay afloat.

Of course, this leads back to the whole "making sure you have the right people on the bus" as far as organizational development. Such demands and constraints upon employees and volunteers when organizations face such levels of instability can prompt certain personalities to exit. Anyone else sensing a downward spiral?

A struggling church is as sensitive to changes in their community as a fledging start-up is to changes in their marketplace. Any given day could range from unbelievably awesome to unfathomable agony. Yet life keeps moving and so to, does the search for solutions... for the solvency of the church depends the Sovereign Hand of God moving miraculously on our behalf. For His Glory of course, but with the added benefit of keeping our sanity.

Would you join me, this #deaconThursday? Pray, of course, for pastors that are bi-vocational; but also for staff and other people and leaders within the church that are working full and part-time, as well as working other jobs and businesses in their community as a means of providing for the families and households. May God strengthen them, even this hour. Pray financial provision and break-through... for bills that are past-due, for debts that are trying to be dug out from, for needs that are on the horizon with no answer in sight. May the circumstances be opportunities for God's glory to be displayed. For the churches... may God raise them up. May God open their doors, to meet specific, tangible needs in the communities they serve. Pray God's provision, for resources, for people and opportunities for effective ministry.

May they witness the supernatural
In the midst of the struggle.
Peace, despite the surrounding storm.
In advancement of the Gospel of Christ
For the Kingdom of God.

- PNC

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