In Christianity, the two terms generally mean the same thing. The difficulty in differentiating between the two terms comes from the fact that the term ‘bishop’ has two different meanings. Both, bishops and pastors are titles and roles held in the church. Religion is confusing enough without also having to deal with bifurcations and hierarchy as well and this is exactly where bishops and pastors come in. In the Roman Catholic Church, the bishop is an office where they are responsible for looking after a group of churches and congregations. ![]() They both refer to people that have a leadership role to guide and advice people regarding their spirituality. Churches with a bi-vocational pastor should extend grace to him and his family, support him in his work, and, as the church grows and re-examines its budget, consider bringing the pastor on full-time.Key Difference: In Christianity, the two terms generally mean the same thing. The pastoral ministry is hard work, and the bi-vocational ministry brings an extra amount of work and complexities in scheduling and prioritizing. It may not be the ideal situation, but, in some cases, it is unavoidable. There is nothing wrong with being a bi-vocational pastor. The pastor can use his second job as a platform for outreach and evangelism. As he participates in the workforce, he will meet new people, and the unchurched will have the chance to see a follower of Christ in action. The bi-vocational pastor often finds that his time spent in the community at his other job lends itself to further ministry opportunities. It is essential for the church deacons and other church members to help bear the burden borne by the bi-vocational pastor. The bi-vocational pastor faces the challenge of fulfilling his responsibilities to the church as well as to his other job. This is much the same arrangement as the bi-vocational pastor has with his church.Ī pastor must prioritize the preaching of the Word (2 Timothy 4:2), and a bi-vocational pastor must ensure his priorities remain intact, even when working a job outside of the church. Rather than be a burden to the churches where he ministered, Paul plied his trade and provided for his own needs. Paul also worked another job when in Ephesus: “You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions” (Acts 20:34). When Paul was in Corinth, “because he was a tentmaker as were, he stayed and worked with them” (Acts 18:3 cf. The apostle Paul may not have been a bi-vocational pastor, but he was a bi-vocational missionary on occasion. This passage reveals the apostolic priorities in ministry (prayer and teaching the Word), and it emphasizes the need for pastors to share the ministerial burden with others, but it contains no prohibition against being a bi-vocational pastor. We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word” (Acts 6:2–4). Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. They made a decision, calling the people together and saying, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. In Jerusalem, as the church was growing rapidly, the apostles found themselves caught up in the daily tasks involving the feeding of the needy in their congregation. ![]() Some might see an argument against becoming a bi-vocational pastor in the example of the early church. The call to the ministry is still there, and the pastor heeds the call it’s just that practical concerns, such as putting food on the table, require him to take a second job and serve the congregation as a bi-vocational pastor. The fact that his congregation is unable to provide him a living wage is what forces him to be a bi-vocational pastor. ![]() These are the bi-vocational pastors.Ī bi-vocational (“dual-occupation”) pastor is usually shepherding a church of smaller size or serving in an area with a depressed economy. Other pastors, however, find that they must take an outside job to supplement their livelihood and make ends meet. The demands of church ministry-sermon preparation, teaching, outreach, hospital visitation, counseling, administration, etc.-fill up their days and leave scarce room for anything else. For many pastors, being a pastor is their only job.
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