Career Change For Pastors - Stories Of Expanded Ministry

I have often seen career change for pastors viewed negatively, with a underlying suspicion that it involves pastors leaving ministry.

Yet what I have experienced and many others have discovered is that a pastor's career change often leads to expanded ministry.

You see, what is often interpreted as leaving the ministry is in actuality a pastor pursuing ministry opportunities outside a parish assignment or local church pastorate.

Often the career change is in finding employment opportunities to supplement their ministry of pastoring a local church, referred to as becoming bi-vocational.

Thus, by becoming a bi-vocational pastor, this ministry career strategy enables the pastor to stay in a low paying pastoral assignment.

Many pastors changing careers have experienced more ministry opportunities than their local church assignment provided.

What I have discovered is that for some, changing their career as a pastor involves following a totally new career path, even into secular employment, that becomes very much a purposeful ministry career.

Would you share how God has expanded your ministry through a career change?

Of course you will be careful not to disparage anyone and refrain from airing your gripes or complaints.

If God used negative church situations to expand your ministry to a new career, praise God.

What I mean is that you can praise God by reframing any negative pastoral events into what became positive career change motivation, especially if God has used your new career to fulfill His ministry purposes for your life.