Friend!! I resonated with every single one. Of course, I’m not a pastor but I am called to missions/ministry in the midst of my everyday life as a homeschool mom. Our family is called to a life outside of the “system.” So pray for us, that our family would find those few who will pray with us when we forget how to, to find others to do life with on this wilderness road. Thank you so much for writing this. Incredibly encouraging.
So glad that this touched your heart. I was almost nervous to post this because I didn't want people to take it the wrong way. I am learning to be more confident in what I share on here, trusting that it will find the right people. My wife and I are actually setting out on the homeschooling journey ourselves pretty soon. Personally, I grew up going to a wonderful private Christian school, and I've also seen some great kids come out of the public school system. But for our particular family, we feel strongly like homeschooling will be the right fit. I'm hoping that as time goes on, maybe I can teach some Bible and philosophy classes for my son haha, but I'm very grateful that my wife is going to be making this one of her main missions. It's a very high calling.
I like how you point out that being a tentmaker isn't second class. I wish I could get more of my students to realize that fact. Many churches need bivocational pastors. The Church needs tentmaker individuals. It all works together for the kingdom!
Thanks man. Yeah I didn’t even realize the ways I was not valuing part-time tentmaking ministers as much as I should have back when I was full time. If I I could go back in time knowing what I know now…
Hey brother, I appreciate your long dusty road the loneliness in the garden of prayer, the carrying of your cross. It all seems to me sound a lot like the beatitudes.
As a “full time” missionary and pastor I have often missed the days when I ministered in the church while working a full time secular job. The job helped me relate to non Christians and protected me from becoming too religious for my own good and the good of others. No I must make a conscious effort to listen to the secular world. Bi-vocational ministers are the cream of the crop if you ask me!
Oh man! I resonate so much with this. I just feel like it’s too late to do anything about it. I mean, I’m 60 now! I spent so much of my life doing the ministry job thing… pastor, teacher, evangelization director (now)… my heart is in spiritual formation and discipleship. Maybe at retirement.
Gary, I'm only one year behind you. I was never paid staff for a church but served a lot in the lay ministry as they say. Past two years have been very different in my walk with God... I'm sure your mentorship is and will be invaluable to those God puts in your life.
This really resonates with me. I’m not a pastor or anything, just a mom. But holy smokes. I appreciate this so much and I’m sure I’ll be returning to this post. Thank you.
My wife and I would both agree, there's no such thing as "just" a mom! All Christian parents are shepherds in the home. You're doing spiritual formation, theology, and discipleship of little souls 24/7! An incredible ministry role!
This post moved me to tears; I will be sending it to my husband as soon as I finish typing this comment. We are in the trenches with you, toiling along as called on a road that doesn't have benefits, leaves us financially vulnerable, and has brought us deeper into faith than we could have imagined. It's been two decades of this work. We've raised four children to adulthood and have six still at home, and there are certainly days when I sigh deeply and ask the Lord why His will for us doesn't include all the things that a staff pastor's family might enjoy. And yet, I know we are in total obedience. Even as my husband labors unseen, even as we look to God for provision, even as we step into the places that don't seem to fit the rubrics put forth by the modern idea of "ministry"... He is here. And therefore, so shall we be.
Now I'm the one getting misty-eyed over here. Thank you for sharing your journey as well. It's very encouraging to see how many people are resonating with this!
Wow! what a great article. thank you for writing that and showing its ok to be vulnerable. My life is in transition and this is a great read to know that God is with me and this is part of his plan. Keep up the good work for our crowns are in heaven. Det 31:6
Thank you for this. I’m a writer and have felt these things. For all the time I have spent I have a small readership. My platform is not big enough for a publisher and even self publishing doesn’t seem cost effective. But I still feel the call to offer what I have to my “country church” though 300 reads is not that small…Substack has been a gift in many ways.
Thank you for your good heart you put into these posts.
Of course, Katie. I'm so glad it resonates with you. I'm very much in the same boat as you right now. It seems like people on here are interested in what I have to say right now, but I know that that's may not last. The algorithm could change, my margin could change. Things could literally change overnight. I've had to learn not to put my self-worth into the outcome, but rest in knowing who I am and what I've been called to do. And then just continuously walking open-handed saying Jesus, where do you want me to use this gift that you've given me? Who do you want me to share it with? It helps me to remember that it's not my job to save the world. God is already doing the saving, and He is just calling each of us to play a role in what He is doing. He is the Carpenter, we are just the hammer and the nails in His hands.
It’s easy to forget it’s not our job to save the world. True on Substack changing…It feels saturated right now. Godspeed with your work. I hope the Lord eases up on you, maybe puts you back on staff or in a church.
We will see what he does. For now I’m content with Substack and my small discipleship school I run. I love my students. They are growing in the way of Jesus. :)
I served Christ most of my life without a Clergy-type title or underwriting. We had a house church operating as much as the early church did. Many came and many were reborn out of sex, drugs, and rock music. I was an asset dean at a big university with numerous opportunities to serve God.
The word was spread about how God was moving powerfully, and I was called to do discipleship at a big church. The Holy Spirit was also there, so meeting face to face with groups was powerful and life-changing.
I retired and established a Counseling Clinic. One of my Clergy friends asked, "Do you still believe in Jesus since leaving the church?"
I did not leave the fellowship of the saints; I left a nice salary!
Wow, first, THANK you for your years of dedicated service to the Kingdom!
2nd... It's insane to me that your clergy friend asked you that... the same way my own friend asked me "when are you gonna start doing real ministry again?"
It just shows how poisoned the well of thought is - we equate following Jesus / serving the Kingdom with clergy work alone... which is a BIG problem, because only like 2% of Christians are clergy! What are we discipling them into if we leaders believe the only true way to follow Jesus or do ministry is to be on staff?
Aaron, the lack of understanding the biblical approach to ministry is amazing the early church had no such ideas like we are presenting now. No clergy laity split. All had gifts
I identify with this so much in my current season of life. But, since stepping out of pastoral ministry Jesus has taught me what it means to truly follow Him and that’s worth the loss of a “title” and the comfort of a position.
Thanks for sharing your journey! Having someone who understands what I’m going through is very comforting!
Thanks for sharing brother. Don't get me wrong, I love and appreciate the office of the local church pastor. I love all the current pastors at the church I attend.
But I am learning Jesus needed to break me of the feeling that the only way I could live into my calling was through that office.
He gave me a season of re-learning what it meant to be a Christian outside of church staff. I spent my 20s on staff. My 30s have been re-learning how to walk so I could run in obedience.
Yep I totally understand and agree. Church ministry is obviously valuable. I just know that my journey, at least right now, is different. it’s important that we recognize when and if God might be calling us in a different direction than normal church ministry and be obedient in that.
“In fact, it has made it lonelier, scarier, and, at times, absurdly difficult. But it’s also led me to some of the most profound lessons of my life.”
Yea bro — my wife and I lived on the road with the Lord for nearly 3.5 years. He got and sustained a Jeep Grand Cherokee for us, led us around the country during covid, gave us our first son while living in that Jeep, and miraculously got us housing in the literal 11th hour of that pregnancy just like He told us He would.
We found fellowship with some folks on the road, a few congregants too, but most everyone in leadership at every church we visited either simply misunderstood how God actually works, or they were outright against our existence and made sure we weren’t able to stick around.
Continuing to pray for a community of folks who are all there because the Lord is actually their all&all.
Aaron, I genuinely needed to hear this, and every word was like another shaft of light for my heart. I appreciate you sharing the riches of your experience and hope I can be a blessing to others in the way that you have proven to be to me. I would love to meet you on the path and walk together with Jesus.
Friend!! I resonated with every single one. Of course, I’m not a pastor but I am called to missions/ministry in the midst of my everyday life as a homeschool mom. Our family is called to a life outside of the “system.” So pray for us, that our family would find those few who will pray with us when we forget how to, to find others to do life with on this wilderness road. Thank you so much for writing this. Incredibly encouraging.
So glad that this touched your heart. I was almost nervous to post this because I didn't want people to take it the wrong way. I am learning to be more confident in what I share on here, trusting that it will find the right people. My wife and I are actually setting out on the homeschooling journey ourselves pretty soon. Personally, I grew up going to a wonderful private Christian school, and I've also seen some great kids come out of the public school system. But for our particular family, we feel strongly like homeschooling will be the right fit. I'm hoping that as time goes on, maybe I can teach some Bible and philosophy classes for my son haha, but I'm very grateful that my wife is going to be making this one of her main missions. It's a very high calling.
It is a very high calling, and one of the ways as women we die daily.
I mean that with all sincerity. It is one of the ways God chooses for us as women to lean more fully into His strength and capabilities.
I’ll be praying for your wife! Finding a homeschool co-op is also really helpful. We need support as moms.
On a side note: people will take you wrong. But that’s okay. Jesus was misunderstood too.
I like how you point out that being a tentmaker isn't second class. I wish I could get more of my students to realize that fact. Many churches need bivocational pastors. The Church needs tentmaker individuals. It all works together for the kingdom!
A lot of time students pursuing ministry (Bible college, seminary, etc) have a very myopic and romanticized view of what ministry actually is.
Oh I certainly did too. And my view then certainly doesn't match my reality now, or my view now.
Thanks man. Yeah I didn’t even realize the ways I was not valuing part-time tentmaking ministers as much as I should have back when I was full time. If I I could go back in time knowing what I know now…
Hey brother, I appreciate your long dusty road the loneliness in the garden of prayer, the carrying of your cross. It all seems to me sound a lot like the beatitudes.
As a “full time” missionary and pastor I have often missed the days when I ministered in the church while working a full time secular job. The job helped me relate to non Christians and protected me from becoming too religious for my own good and the good of others. No I must make a conscious effort to listen to the secular world. Bi-vocational ministers are the cream of the crop if you ask me!
Oh man! I resonate so much with this. I just feel like it’s too late to do anything about it. I mean, I’m 60 now! I spent so much of my life doing the ministry job thing… pastor, teacher, evangelization director (now)… my heart is in spiritual formation and discipleship. Maybe at retirement.
Gary, I'm only one year behind you. I was never paid staff for a church but served a lot in the lay ministry as they say. Past two years have been very different in my walk with God... I'm sure your mentorship is and will be invaluable to those God puts in your life.
This really resonates with me. I’m not a pastor or anything, just a mom. But holy smokes. I appreciate this so much and I’m sure I’ll be returning to this post. Thank you.
My wife and I would both agree, there's no such thing as "just" a mom! All Christian parents are shepherds in the home. You're doing spiritual formation, theology, and discipleship of little souls 24/7! An incredible ministry role!
This post moved me to tears; I will be sending it to my husband as soon as I finish typing this comment. We are in the trenches with you, toiling along as called on a road that doesn't have benefits, leaves us financially vulnerable, and has brought us deeper into faith than we could have imagined. It's been two decades of this work. We've raised four children to adulthood and have six still at home, and there are certainly days when I sigh deeply and ask the Lord why His will for us doesn't include all the things that a staff pastor's family might enjoy. And yet, I know we are in total obedience. Even as my husband labors unseen, even as we look to God for provision, even as we step into the places that don't seem to fit the rubrics put forth by the modern idea of "ministry"... He is here. And therefore, so shall we be.
Now I'm the one getting misty-eyed over here. Thank you for sharing your journey as well. It's very encouraging to see how many people are resonating with this!
Wow! what a great article. thank you for writing that and showing its ok to be vulnerable. My life is in transition and this is a great read to know that God is with me and this is part of his plan. Keep up the good work for our crowns are in heaven. Det 31:6
Thank you for this. I’m a writer and have felt these things. For all the time I have spent I have a small readership. My platform is not big enough for a publisher and even self publishing doesn’t seem cost effective. But I still feel the call to offer what I have to my “country church” though 300 reads is not that small…Substack has been a gift in many ways.
Thank you for your good heart you put into these posts.
Of course, Katie. I'm so glad it resonates with you. I'm very much in the same boat as you right now. It seems like people on here are interested in what I have to say right now, but I know that that's may not last. The algorithm could change, my margin could change. Things could literally change overnight. I've had to learn not to put my self-worth into the outcome, but rest in knowing who I am and what I've been called to do. And then just continuously walking open-handed saying Jesus, where do you want me to use this gift that you've given me? Who do you want me to share it with? It helps me to remember that it's not my job to save the world. God is already doing the saving, and He is just calling each of us to play a role in what He is doing. He is the Carpenter, we are just the hammer and the nails in His hands.
It’s easy to forget it’s not our job to save the world. True on Substack changing…It feels saturated right now. Godspeed with your work. I hope the Lord eases up on you, maybe puts you back on staff or in a church.
We will see what he does. For now I’m content with Substack and my small discipleship school I run. I love my students. They are growing in the way of Jesus. :)
That sounds very rewarding.
I served Christ most of my life without a Clergy-type title or underwriting. We had a house church operating as much as the early church did. Many came and many were reborn out of sex, drugs, and rock music. I was an asset dean at a big university with numerous opportunities to serve God.
The word was spread about how God was moving powerfully, and I was called to do discipleship at a big church. The Holy Spirit was also there, so meeting face to face with groups was powerful and life-changing.
I retired and established a Counseling Clinic. One of my Clergy friends asked, "Do you still believe in Jesus since leaving the church?"
I did not leave the fellowship of the saints; I left a nice salary!
Wow, first, THANK you for your years of dedicated service to the Kingdom!
2nd... It's insane to me that your clergy friend asked you that... the same way my own friend asked me "when are you gonna start doing real ministry again?"
It just shows how poisoned the well of thought is - we equate following Jesus / serving the Kingdom with clergy work alone... which is a BIG problem, because only like 2% of Christians are clergy! What are we discipling them into if we leaders believe the only true way to follow Jesus or do ministry is to be on staff?
Aaron, the lack of understanding the biblical approach to ministry is amazing the early church had no such ideas like we are presenting now. No clergy laity split. All had gifts
Yes. In my school of discipleship, I am currently trying to empower some of my young people to use their gifting. Please pray the Spirit leads us!
Praise God and allow the Holy Spirit to do it. My Discipeship training is global. Yours can be as well.
I identify with this so much in my current season of life. But, since stepping out of pastoral ministry Jesus has taught me what it means to truly follow Him and that’s worth the loss of a “title” and the comfort of a position.
Thanks for sharing your journey! Having someone who understands what I’m going through is very comforting!
Thanks for sharing brother. Don't get me wrong, I love and appreciate the office of the local church pastor. I love all the current pastors at the church I attend.
But I am learning Jesus needed to break me of the feeling that the only way I could live into my calling was through that office.
He gave me a season of re-learning what it meant to be a Christian outside of church staff. I spent my 20s on staff. My 30s have been re-learning how to walk so I could run in obedience.
Sounds like we are on a similar path!
Yep I totally understand and agree. Church ministry is obviously valuable. I just know that my journey, at least right now, is different. it’s important that we recognize when and if God might be calling us in a different direction than normal church ministry and be obedient in that.
This was wonderful, thank you Aaaron.
Loved this so much ⚡️⚡️⚡️
“In fact, it has made it lonelier, scarier, and, at times, absurdly difficult. But it’s also led me to some of the most profound lessons of my life.”
Yea bro — my wife and I lived on the road with the Lord for nearly 3.5 years. He got and sustained a Jeep Grand Cherokee for us, led us around the country during covid, gave us our first son while living in that Jeep, and miraculously got us housing in the literal 11th hour of that pregnancy just like He told us He would.
We found fellowship with some folks on the road, a few congregants too, but most everyone in leadership at every church we visited either simply misunderstood how God actually works, or they were outright against our existence and made sure we weren’t able to stick around.
Continuing to pray for a community of folks who are all there because the Lord is actually their all&all.
So. Many. Women. Minister this way. Exhausted. Unseen. Faithful.
Aaron, I genuinely needed to hear this, and every word was like another shaft of light for my heart. I appreciate you sharing the riches of your experience and hope I can be a blessing to others in the way that you have proven to be to me. I would love to meet you on the path and walk together with Jesus.