Four Challenges for the Co-Vocational Leader

Written by Blayne Banting, DMin, PhD

Time

Of all the aspects of our lives and ministries, the most precious is time. Even though we all are given the same amount, it never seems like enough. This does seem like a cultural issue to some degree as there are other places outside the Western Commercialized Complex where the pace of life and appreciation of time is somewhat ore relaxed. But for most of us, especially CoVo leaders, there is always something left undone at the end of the day. In some ways, it is a matter of math: one day, more than one employer equals less time to each focus. So, setting priorities and boundaries are necessary skills for the CoVo leader as is learning how to inhabit time rather than simply spending it.

Money

A lot of ministry leadership is underfunded, and that is not confined simply to CoVo leaders. And there are some who are relatively financially secure who have more than one employer, but that is often not the case. The financial realities of most leading covocationally mean that concerns over their capacity to provide for their families may contribute to them serving under a cloud of uncertainty and personal insufficiency. Often feeling the need either to defend or apologize for their choice of vocational diversity because of their lack of financial stability can weigh heavily on the psyche of CoVo leaders.

Support

Leadership can be a lonely place. Leaders crave support and appreciation, just like everyone else. Sometimes lack of appreciation for the particular pressures of covocationality and the hectic schedules required of CoVo leaders can conspire to leave these leaders particularly vulnerable to a sense of isolation. Congregants may wonder out loud why their pastor doesn’t have as much time for them as they expect, and the other employers may begrudge time and mental energy spent elsewhere. There is hope, however, as everyone from university professors to gig economy entrepreneurs are realizing this growing trend within our contemporary cultural context.

Respect

Despite the movement toward covocationality in the broader culture, there still remains a certain stigma regarding those who are covocational. The lingering sense of “moonlighting” and being “part-time” as less than ideal still infects many (and sometimes even the covocational leaders themselves). This attitude may be evidenced by some within the congregations or by ministry peers even when the CoVo leader may have more experience and educational qualifications. Many denominations, without necessarily meaning any slight, neglect to share the platform with covocational leaders (and that is only partly due to scheduling their meetings when it is difficult for CoVo leaders to attend, given their other responsibilities). This also may be seen in the way educational institutions develop and deliver their curriculum in ways that effectively exclude those with diverse vocational responsibilities.

There are hopeful signs that some of these abiding challenges may be mitigated as we grow into this next season of learning what it means to be the church in our world. Until then, those of you in the CoVo trenches, “be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labour is not in vain” (1 Cor 15:58 ESV).

Blayne Banting is Associate Professor of Preaching and Christian Ministry at Briercrest College and Seminary. He teaches in the areas of homiletics, church leadership, and spiritual formation, with a particular interest in creativity and humour in preaching. Born and raised in Saskatchewan, Blayne has served as both pastor and professor across Canada. He is the author of several books on preaching, including Taking Up Preaching: The Spheres of the Preaching Life (Wipf & Stock, 2023). Blayne is married to Peggy, and together they have four adult children and six grandchildren.