Tri-Vocational

When I began in ministry, I was convinced that I was going to be a full-time settled pastor of churches for the entire duration of my career. For various reasons (some of which I discuss in my book The Unintentional Interim), that ended up lasting about 15 years. I left pastoral ministry to work at the United Church of Christ National Ministries.

At that point, I had left the door open to return to pastoring, but internal circumstances were such that I didn’t expect that to happen for a long time. And then, about 5 1/2 years into that position, I started a part-time ministry at a church in addition to my national role.

If you had told me in 2004 that I would eventually take a wider church position, I would have been amazed enough. If you then added that I would take on a pastoral position and effectively become bi-vocational, I somehow would have marveled even more.

But then, if you would have told me that I would eventually write a book, let alone eight books (soon to be nine), my amazement would have breached the boundaries of what I thought was possible.

It took me a while to consider the notion that I have an author career. In the beginning stages, I saw it more as an extension of my pastoral position; a pleasant add-on or a very serious hobby. But sometime in between Prayer in Motion and The Doctor and the Apostle, I finally began to see it as something more. I am very much writing for its own sake–it has become like breathing to me. But given that presses keep agreeing to publish me, and readers keep purchasing my books, I’ve come to see it as more than I did at first.

And so, I consider myself tri-vocational.

There is my National Ministries position, which is what pays the bills. It’s not just that, of course. I am a resource for the denomination, and I am privileged to give counsel in rooms where I wouldn’t be able to if I didn’t have this role.

There is my pastoral position, which does bring extra income. But more importantly, I get to once again shepherd a faith community: leading worship, visiting, and generally being present for a small church that deserves to have a pastor.

And then there is my author role, which helps me scratch the itch of my chosen craft. I make about enough money to buy myself a nice dinner at best, and a coffee and donut from Dunkin at minimum. But I love it, and I can’t stop doing it, and it very much is a vocation to me.

There isn’t often conflict between these three. I’m at the National Ministries most of the week and at the church on Sundays, and I fit in writing where I can. But they’re all important to me, and I’m thankful that I get to do them all.