“Surely you remember, brothers, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you.” – 1 Thessalonians 2:9
Increasingly pastors find themselves having to work part-time in a secular profession. They have to do so either for financial reasons or by choice. They are known as “tent-making pastors” or "bi-vocational" pastors. Robin Tedder is one such pastor.
Robin is owner/operator of the landscaping service Tedder Enterprises, LLC. One of his clients where he mows the grass is New Elim Baptist Church in Macon, Georgia. In addition to keeping the grounds, Robin serves the church as pastor on a bi-vocational basis. An advantage to being a bi-vocational pastor, said Robin, is that members of the congregation tend to be more involved in the overall ministry of the church. “As a bi-vocational pastor, people understand you have a job and they have to undertake more ministry,” he said.
Ministry is not just for the full-time pastor. Today in prayer, thank the Lord for tent-maker pastors and seek to be more involved in ministering to others.
“The man who has had the greatest impact on my life as a Christian and mentor was my father, who was a bi-vocational pastor. When he passed away a few years ago, the words he used to define his ministry were carved on his gravestone: ‘I work to live, but I live to preach.’” - Seaborn Dell
God’s Word: “For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone's food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you.” – 2 Thessalonians 3:7-8
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