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Learn about the challenges and benefits of being bi-vocational in small town church planting. Discover statistics, best practices, and how to support bi-vo planters.
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Bi-Vo Planting In Small Town USA Joel Seymour Michael Houle
Joel Seymour, Lancaster, OH (pop. 40,000) • Leader of Small Town USA specialty group for Multiply Vineyard • Area Leader for SE Ohio, WV, and Western PA • First church plant age 22 in Wauseon, OH (pop. 5000) • Second church plant age 26 in Lancaster, OH (pop. 40,000) • Was Bi-Vo in the beginning of both plants
Michael Houle, Chippewa Falls, WI (pop. 13,000) • Bi-Vo for 11 years as planter and pastor of Valley Vineyard • Member of the Small Town USA specialty group for Multiply Vineyard • Serves as a coach for church planters • Part of N. Wisconsin church planting triad with 8 small town plants in the pipeline
Bi-Vo Planting In Small Town USA Joel Seymour Michael Houle
Statistics on Bi-Vocational Pastors • 70% of African-American Churches are pastored by Bi-Vo’s • 83% of all Southern Baptist Churches less than 125 Sunday attenders • 50% of all SBC pastors are Bi-Vocational (higher in places like TN & KY) • 33% - 40% of Nazarene Pastors are Bi-Vo • Dennis Bickers’ research indicates a safe, conservative percentage of pastors who are Bi-Vo is 33% Sources: Interview with Dennis Bickers, October 27, 2016; PBS Religion & Ethics Weekly “Bi-Vocational Pastors” Report http://www.pbs.org/video/2365209587/ SBCLife, Journal of the Southern Baptist Convention, December 2014. Bi-vocational, Small-Church Pastors Intentional by Diane Chandle
Why being Bi-Vo in the small town is challenging • The Current Definition of Church “Success”
Why being Bi-Vo in the small town is challenging • The Current Definition of Church “Success” • Physical Fatigue & Poor Health of the Pastor
Why being Bi-Vo in the small town is challenging • The Current Definition of Church “Success” • Physical Fatigue & Poor Health of the Pastor • Less Time For Ministry
Why being Bi-Vo in the small town is challenging • The Current Definition of Church “Success” • Physical Fatigue & Poor Health of the Pastor • Less Time For Ministry • Limited Time For Family
Why being Bi-Vo in the small town is challenging • The Current Definition of Church “Success” • Physical Fatigue & Poor Health of the Pastor • Less Time For Ministry • Limited Time For Family • Connecting With Denomination & Other Pastors
Why Encourage Small Town Planters to be Bi-Vo • Opportunity to Bless the Community • More weddings & baby dedications • You pastor your community - and someone else pays you to do it! • You’re seen as a financial contributor to the town
Why Encourage Small Town Planters to be Bi-Vo • Opportunity to Bless the Community • Opportunity to Bless the Church • It takes the pressure off of the church • Reversed tiered funding may be more beneficial • It takes more than 10 tithing families now • Congregants are blessed because their pastor is in the workforce living their life
Why Encourage Small Town Planters to be Bi-Vo • Opportunity to Bless the Community • Opportunity to Bless the Church • Opportunity to Equip the Saints • Make them aware of your limited capacity • Priesthood of all believers is emphasized by bi-vo’s • Bi-vo is then free to focus on long term & not just urgent
Best Practices For Denominations who wantTo Support Bi-Vo Planters • Train Bi-Vo Planters (prepare, train, & continue to train) • Assessment • Train them for Hard • Ongoing Training • Triads
Best Practices For Denominations who wantTo Support Bi-Vo Planters • Train Bi-Vo Planters (prepare, train, & continue to train) • Event Scheduling with Bi-Vo’s in mind • Evenings or Saturday Morning • Retreats for the Bi-Vo’s schedule • Consider paying not just their way but for missed work
Best Practices For Denominations who wantTo Support Bi-Vo Planters • Train Bi-Vo Planters (prepare, train, & continue to train) • Event Scheduling with Bi-Vo’s in mind • Affirm Bi-Vo Planters Often • Affirm them as Kingdom & Small Town Heroes • Pay attention to them • Provide a way for 4 Sundays off a year
Q & A Michael Houle michael@cfvalleyvineyard.org Joel Seymour joel@lancastervineyard.org