What are the challenges of the Bi-vocational Ministry? (Part 1)

By Nelson Semanu BOANDOH-KORKOR & Elizabeth BOANDOH-KORKOR

The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them, because he knoweth not how to go to the city. (Ecclesiates 10: 15 AKJV)

Bi-vocational ministry offers significant benefits, but it also comes with challenges to navigate. In this article, we will examine some of the most common obstacles faced by pastors who also engage in business and discuss strategies to overcome them.

It can be exciting and prestigious to function as a pastor in business, but there are challenges to deal with. The battle for equal attention for other things like family, marriage, financial pressure, temptation to compromise standards at the workplace, etc. can become very difficult to deal with.

1. Proper time management

Let’s face it, it can be very daunting to manage time efficiently as a pastor in business. The inability to manage the demands of ministry and professional work can be so evident as you can see such pastors deficient in one area or the other. Even as a full-time minister, it is never easy; so you can imagine someone who works as a professional and a minster at the same time.

Honestly, time management is one of the biggest challenges facing pastors in business today. Many are unable to plan their time well and schedule activities based on business and ministry demands. As a result, they are always under pressure and may end up failing in one and doing very well in the other.

The good news is that there are countless resources offline and online today for bi-vocational ministers to take advantage of. Having said that, it is also important for such pastors to actually seek counselling on how to do this.

Remember that the ability to manage time properly is key to success in anything. Managing time effectively is crucial for bi-vocational ministers joggling both professional and ministry responsibilities.

A key strategy is creating a daily task list that outlines what you aim to accomplish in both areas. Never start your day without this list! It should include both career and ministry tasks, prioritised on importance and urgency. Tackle tasks one at a time, avoiding the temptation to multitask or do everything simultaneously.

This approach allows you to focus on specific goals, ensuring that both your professional and ministerial duties receive adequate attention. It also helps to prevent being overwhelmed and burned out as you systematically work through your tasks, maximising productivity and achieving a healthy work-life balance.

2. The stress of financial demands

One of the major challenges of professional ministers is the financial demands from members and other people. The fact that you are into business makes people think you always have money, and many would not forgive you if they ask for money and you tell them you don’t have it at the moment. As a result, you always find church members and even colleague pastors always making financial demands.

In the end, you may end up always giving to everybody, while abandoning yourself and your immediate family. The real pain even comes when you are in difficulty and there is no one to assist because everyone thinks you should be able to take care of yourself. We have true life stories of several professional ministers who were disappointed by those they supported; and were forgotten when they were having challenges.

On the contrary, this may not happen to those in full-time ministry as people already have the impression or know that they do not earn much. Reasons like this that make some pastors who run other businesses alongside ministry secretive about such engagements.

While there may be nothing wrong with assisting people who have financial challenges as a pastor in business, you must put proper financial management practices in place to ensure that you have a certain budget for helping such people while making provision for savings and investment to take care of yourself and your family in rainy days. It is not guaranteed that the people you are helping today will help you tomorrow.

3. Low self-esteem or stigmatisation

For I speak to you Gentiles; inasmuch as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry~Romans 13:11 NKJV

It is a common practice for those in full-time ministry to look down on people who work as professionals in organisations and still function as ministers in their churches and even outside the four walls of their churches.

There are people who make it look like until you leave everything you are doing in the marketplace and take on full-time ministry, God will not be happy with you. This is s stigma every pastor in business must fight against. You are as powerful and equal to, if not more than, a full-time pastor.

This is a big lie that the devil has peddled for years, obviously because he knows the impact bi-vocational ministers can make when they understand and take on their ministry full-time.  There have been several stories of people who were coerced into full-time ministry by their senior pastors only for them to regret later because the timing was wrong and God had not blessed their decision.

4. Unbalanced family life

A false balance is abomination to the Lord: but a just weight is his delight (Proverbs 11:1 AKJV).

What’s the point of building a successful business if it costs you your marriage and children? Is your health or family life worth sacrificing for the sake of being the most successful minister in town? The answer is a resounding no! God desires for us to live balanced lives. Sacrificing essential relationships and well-being for the pursuit of success is a dangerous path. True fulfillment comes from nurturing meaningful connections, maintaining good health, and finding harmony in all aspects of life.

Don’t let ambition blind you to the true value of family, health and spiritual well-being. Remember, success is meaningless if it comes at the expense of what truly matters. Pastors in business also face the challenge of not giving much attention to their families. It is an open secret that many pastors have lost their marriages and families as a result of the rigorous demands of business and ministry.

This is because of the tedious demand for business and ministry. Those who are unable to rise to the occasion may end up in divorce or with wayward children. This is a big challenge many pastors face today. The wisdom is to put in structures and systems that allow you to succeed in managing the demands of business, ministry and family.

One does not need rocket science to do this. All you need to do is to apportion time to each of them. You do not have to lose your marriage because of the demands of business. Neither should you lose your family because of the rigorous demands of ministry life. You can succeed in both and it is a choice.

For further study on this subject, kindly get a copy of our book: Pastors In Business: Thriving As A Bivocational Minister; Strategic Keys To Success.

Nelson Semanu Boandoh-Korkor is a distinguished figure, acclaimed as an Author, Publishing Consultant, Christian Business Coach, and a fervent Financial Evangelist. Nelson is a forex trader, cryptocurrency investor and metaverse enthusiast.
Elizabeth Boandoh-Korkor (CA) is an accomplished Chartered Accountant with extensive experience as a Financial Management Consultant, spanning close to two decades in both the not-for-profit and banking sectors. You can reach out to them on 233549762233 or [email protected]

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