Be careful what you ask for

So, I've always had this dream of what it would be like to experiment with bivocational ministry. That is, working another job so that you can pay the bills while you're also doing ministry. I've been toying with this idea for sometime developing my skill as a firefighter in the case God might give me the opportunity to earn my livelihood as a career firefighter to pay for my interests in ministry.

Been experimenting with this for a little while recently to see what it might be like to have another job and try to lead a church at the same time. So far it's pretty difficult. But you get better at it as you develop more energy and find routines. The other thing that makes it difficult for me at the moment is that I've had to go to part time paid status with the church but my other incomes aren't high enough to cover the deduction.

I guess in a perfect world, your tentmaking job would pay all the bills comfortably and cover benefits as well. Right now I'm just working two other part time jobs and not bringing in enough to make ends meet. Good news is that this will probably only last for a few months.

Overall it's become a valuable experience for pushing this model of ministry. Definitely helps you understand why being paid full time by a church can sometimes be easier. But in young rural churches and church planting circles I'm not sure that would always be a possibility. So I'm super thankful for the chance to be able to try this out for a short while. Just never imagined this situation would happen so soon after I began asking God for the opportunity. Sometimes it seems like it takes God forever to answer prayers. Other times no sooner does it leave your lips...