Considering Bi-Vocational Church Planting: A Reflection on Trends and Tensions

A Surprising Call

Recently I was contacted by a recruiter about a lead pastor role for a new church start coming to the Denver metro area. I was a bit surprised, as I think that’s the first time I’d ever been contacted by a recruiter about a job—and being that it was for a church role made it all the more odd. I come from a tradition that has a much different process.

Nonetheless, as someone with experience in new church starts and ongoing interest in church trends—especially in the Denver metro—I had a conversation with the recruiter. I’m not sure anything will come from it, as I am fully qualified for the role—except I’m not of that church denomination/affiliation, nor do I particularly feel called to join them. Not that there’s anything wrong with them, I just am content where I am right now.

Financial Questions and Fundraising Realities

Even still, it was a good learning opportunity, and I was glad to review the proposal if only to again learn more about new church trends in Denver. Something I certainly paid attention to was the starting salary. It was… not terrible, but certainly not great. And, as is not uncommon in some church contexts, there was language suggesting the pastor could fundraise to increase their own salary.

I’m certainly not opposed to fundraising—especially as I’m doing it now in a professional role for a Christian non-profit, Green Room Leaders. But also, to me there’s something odd about essentially having to fundraise for myself and for my church. Like, I’d be asking some people to give to support the sustainability of the church, and others to give to support my own financial sustainability—knowing that each, in some ways, affects the other. It all just seems kind of messy and complicated.

Three Reasons for Bi-Vocational Ministry

Recently, I had a conversation with Dr. Kristen Bentley, a professor, author, and researcher who wrote a book about bi-vocational pastoral ministry. In her book, she found there were three primary reasons pastors and churches chose to pursue that model:

“I began to see kind of three narratives... One, a sign of the times or a sign of decline... Two, some see it as the cutting edge of the future… Three, others just say, ‘we’ve always done our ministry that way.’”

Looking at the new church proposal and thinking about Bentley’s work, I couldn’t help but focus on her point about that second reason—churches looking to be cutting edge or future-oriented.

“There’s a whole bunch of people who see [bivocational ministry] more as the cutting edge of the future… they want to start a new church or transform and be more connected with the community.”

This seems like a much better fit for new church starts than a traditional fundraising approach.

1. Community Engagement Comes Naturally

New church pastors need to meet people and engage in the community. Sure, one can do that with fundraising, but those efforts will likely focus around engaging with people already connected to a church and already on board with the mission. A new church is looking to reach new, unchurched people in the community. Working a business or side-job is a much better way to do that.

2. Healthy Boundaries for Pastors

New church planting can easily become all-consuming. A pastor having a job outside of the church helps them set necessary boundaries.

“There is kind of... less time. So opportunity opens up for other people to do things that maybe a full-time pastor would have done.”

It also reinforces that the church doesn’t revolve around the pastor’s availability.

3. Shared Ownership and Responsibility

A new church pastor must recognize that the success or failure of the new church isn’t all on them. A co-vocational model naturally requires the people to carry some of the load.

“It reduces the tendency of a congregation to think of their pastor as their employed hired hand... [and renews] that sense that the congregation’s ministry isn’t all about what the pastor does.”

This can lead to healthier expectations and stronger lay leadership.

4. A Shift from Scarcity to Abundance

Bentley’s research also points to a deeper spiritual and organizational shift that can emerge from bi-vocational models: the move from scarcity to abundance.

“Whenever you look at what you have, rather than worry about what you don’t have… you begin using the gifts you have.”

Instead of longing for more money, more staff, or more programs, congregations begin to rediscover the gifts they already have—gifts in their people, their community, their location, and their mission. For new churches, this mindset is not just empowering; it’s essential.

Final Thoughts

While language varies around what this kind of new church model is called (I’ve heard the term “co-vocational” used), I do think this kind of thinking represents an important and practical consideration for new church starts—especially as we think about the financial realities of the future. Lower average attendance compared to historical norms, new attendees who haven’t been discipled in giving, and the broader socio-economic trends all make co-vocational or bi-vocational ministry a model worth exploring more seriously.

As we rethink what it means to plant and sustain churches, especially in places like Denver, models like this don’t just make sense — they open the door to mission, resilience, and a renewed vision for what the church can be.