“After these things he (Paul) left Athens and went to Corinth. And he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, having recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. He came to them, and because he was of the same trade, he stayed with them and they were working, for by trade they were tent-makers. And he was reasoning in the synagogue every Sabbath and trying to persuade Jews and Greeks.” Acts 18:1-4
These days most think of clergy as a paid profession. Preachers teach that the Levites had no business inheritance and were set aside to be wholly devoted to the Lord. (Deut.10:8-9) Catholic priests and nuns with vows of poverty and chastity lead neighborhood parishes. There are full-time denominational and megachurch pastors. But 59% of America’s churches
have 100 members or less and 94% are under 500 members. (Hartford Institute for Religion Research) So MOST clergy are bi-vocational. They shepherd their flocks and have other jobs to meet their family’s needs. I’ve been on both sides of this equation, and both present challenges. There is a struggle with work-life balance. We are torn between the demanding commitments of the day-job and leadership responsibilities. On the other side, it’s easy to lose touch and empathy with parishioners’ experience if you’ve never worked in a secular job. The other day one of our members, who happens to work with me proclaimed, “your Jesus never goes off!” What a glorious thing to hear! (wish it were 100% true, lol!) Se eing me be the same in a secular setting said what we teach in church is real and not just conjecture or for show. Tent-making is NOT a second-class ministerial status. We are ALL to be preachers of the Gospel in our spheres of influence! Perhaps more pastors might consider this example, if even for a short time. Sure, sometimes I long to devote all my time to leading and caring for the flock. Then I recall that my leader, Jesus the Carpenter, was a small business owner! |
WEDNESDAY’S WORD – COMMODITY – 8/23/2023
“I wish Americans thought more like Europeans when it comes to money and work. We think work is the most valued commodity. Really the most valued commodity is time.” – Bryan