Choosing and Thriving in the Right Second Job
Not all second jobs are created equal. The wrong secular job will drain what little energy you have left for ministry. The right one can actually support your calling. This page is about finding the right fit and learning to see your day job as part of your mission.
The Second Job Is Not a Necessary Evil
It is tempting to think of your secular job as the thing that gets in the way of “real” ministry. But that is not how Scripture sees it. Paul made tents and considered it part of his mission. He used his tentmaking to model self-support, to build relationships with people who would never walk into a synagogue, and to fund his church planting.
Randy Singer, a lawyer and bi-vocational pastor in Virginia Beach, puts it this way: “I am no less a minister of the gospel when I am at my law firm than when I am at the church.” Your workplace is a mission field. The people you work with every day are people Christ died for.
Source: Bob Smietana, Lifeway Research
What to Look for in a Second Job
When you are evaluating secular work, here are the factors that matter most for bi-vocational pastors:
Energy, Not Just Hours
A job that is 40 hours a week but leaves you emotionally drained is worse than a job that is 30 hours a week but leaves you with something left to give. Look for work that does not consume your entire soul. Chris DeBlaay, a corporate wellness professional and church planter in Michigan, learned this the hard way. He initially took a draining client-facing role and had to switch to a less taxing job to protect his pastoral energy.
Flexibility
Pastoral emergencies do not wait for your day job’s permission. A funeral, a hospital visit, a church crisis. You need an employer who understands that you have responsibilities outside the office, or at least one who is willing to work with you when those responsibilities arise.
Alignment With Your Gifts
You have skills and experience that go beyond preaching. Teaching, counseling, organizing, writing, managing people, working with your hands. Look for secular work that uses those gifts rather than work that fights against them. Jim Black, a painter and associate pastor in Minnesota, learned painting from his father and has used it to support himself and fund church restart efforts for years.
Income That Actually Covers Your Needs
This sounds obvious, but it is worth saying. If your second job does not pay enough to support your family, you will be tempted to take on extra work, extra shifts, or a third job. That is a recipe for disaster. Be realistic about what you need and find work that provides it.
Integrating Faith and Work
The best bi-vocational pastors do not see a sharp line between their “ministry time” and their “work time.” They pray during the workday. They look for opportunities to serve their coworkers. They model integrity, kindness, and excellence in everything they do.
Jim Black describes it as “praying the paint strokes.” He uses his time painting houses as a space for prayer and reflection. Randy Singer sees his law firm as an extension of his pastoral calling. The work itself becomes a form of worship.
When the Second Job Is Not Working
Sometimes the job that seemed right at first turns out to be wrong. The hours creep up. The stress increases. The employer changes. You start dreading Monday morning.
When that happens, it is okay to make a change. You are not locked into your current job forever. Pray about it. Talk to your spouse. Talk to your church leadership. If the job is destroying your health, your family, or your ministry, it is time to look for something else.
Finn Kuruvilla, an investment officer and church planter in Boston, offers this advice: “If you cut away the extras, there is time.” Simplify your life. Cut the TV, the social media, the unnecessary commitments. Make space for the things that matter.
The Bigger Picture
Being bi-vocational is not a compromise. It is a strategic, sustainable model for church leadership in an era when fewer and fewer churches can afford full-time pastoral staff. It keeps you connected to the real world. It gives you credibility with the people in your community who would never walk into a church building. It forces you to share leadership and develop lay people.
You are not a second-class pastor. You are a missionary who happens to have a day job.