Co-Vocational Canada

You may be a layperson or clergy, rural or urban, or in a small or large church, but we share this in common: we love and serve a local church and work in one or more other settings, too. This unique calling provides amazing opportunities and unique challenges. We get it. Thanks to a generous grant, we have a host of subsidized and customized resources available to help you thrive.

We provide:

• Certification in Co-Vocational ministry
• Counselling for you and your family.
• Peer coaching
• Sacred Side Hustle gatherings
• Online training and resources

You can access these resources by attending a Sacred Side Hustle event (in person or online) and joining our community of practitioners.

Co-vocational congregations are churches with one or more co-vocational ministers, including their senior pastor or lead pastor. By necessity or choice, you are practicing or considering a different model, one not dependent on full-time pastors. Perhaps the New Testament teachings on the priesthood of all believers and the call to churches to be the Body are reshaping your thinking. Maybe you are interested in non-traditional models of local churches. Or maybe you are trying to solve the problem of an empty pulpit. We get it. Thanks to a generous grant, we have a host of subsidized and customized resources available to help your church thrive. 

We provide:

• Congregational discernment tools
• Church board training
• Online resources for small groups

We believe that God is doing something new in Canadian churches. In response, Briercrest, like many institutions and denominations, is humbly and actively seeking to learn how to prepare better and support co-vocational ministers and churches. We acknowledge that this will take new mindsets and approaches and invite you to join us in a journey of co-discovery and renewed focus.

We provide:

• Access to co-vocational research
• Cross-denominational learning opportunities
• Resources to help you support your co-vocational churches

• Complimentary Peer Coaching for you or your team

• Complimentary Counselling for you or a family member

• Complimentary Resources for you and your congregation

Thanks to a generous grant, all members who attend the Sacred Side Hustle Event and engage with their cohort for six months will be a part of the Co-Vocational Canada community. Co-Vocational Community members will be eligible to receive many benefits and resources.

Join the Co-Vocational Canada Community! 

Click this link to apply now! You must be in a part-time paid position of leadership in a church in Canada (supervising others, whether paid or volunteers), and one or more part-time paid positions elsewhere. If you are eligible, please submit the following documents to ireyes@briercrest.ca

• Complete the Application Form (Apply Now! on each event page)

• A Character Reference Letter

• A letter of support from your Board Chair or denominational leader (Template Available)

• A letter of intention describing why you want to join the Co-Vocational Canada community

Find out what Co-Vocational Ministry includes and where it originates from! Get your digital download here.

Is this option a good idea for your church? Here are some suggestions we have if you are considering the switch! Get your digital download here.

Let's unpack some assumptions that people may have about your ministry and look into the truth behind these myths! Get your digital download here.

We always talk about a desire and plan to thrive, but what does thriving actually look like in Co-Vocational Ministry? Get your ditigal download here.

Considering stepping into Co-Vocational Ministry? Here are some ways your congregation could benefit from your decision. Get your digital dowload here.

It's important to make sure everyone is on the same page throughout this journey, and outlining expectations upfront makes all the difference in the long run! Get your digital download here.

Here from Briercrest Seminary's Margaret Clarke from the Journal of Psychology and Theology! Get your digital download here.

Here are some books and articles we recommend as you journey through Co-Vocational Ministry. Get your digital download here.

• We offer discounts for Active Co-vocational pastors. Please contact us to learn more. 

Great Preaching Starts With Reading The Bible Pastorally. Discover Homiletical Hermeneutics with this course from the Paul E. Magnus Centre for Leadership Studies. Learn more about the course here! 

A Thriving Board Is Easier Than You Think. Discover board governance with this course from the Paul E. Magnus Centre for Leadership Studies. Learn more about the course here!