8 Characteristics of the New Bivocational Pastor

7. Marketplace pastors will serve in a wide range of churches of varying sizes. By definition, the churches will be large enough to compensate a pastor full-time, even though they choose not to do so. The range of church size by worship attendance will be 300 to 3,000. The greatest concentration of these pastors will be in churches with worship attendance ranging from 1,000 to 1,999.

8. Marketplace pastors will get their ministry and theological training online. Bible colleges and seminaries will do well to begin to prepare for this new and growing vocation.

I see the marketplace pastor trend as a very healthy movement in American congregations. We will soon see many attorneys, physicians, and key businesspersons who will continue in their marketplace jobs while serving in a church, as well.

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This article was originally published at ChurchAnswers.com and is reposted here by permission.

Thom Rainer
Thom Rainerhttp://ThomRainer.com

Thom S. Rainer serves as president and CEO of Church Answers and executive director of Revitalize Network. He served for 12 years as dean at Southern Seminary and for 13 years as the president and CEO of LifeWay Christian Resources. Also a respected researcher and former pastor, he has written more than 25 books, including many best sellers, such as I Am a Church Member. Rainer and his wife, Nellie Jo, have three grown sons, several grandchildren and live in Nashville, Tennessee.

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