Different Kinds of Full Time Ministry

[Ann Doupont]

Seeing the heading for this section (Full-Time Ministry) perked my interest, so I thought to look in here. I have noticed that what one person means by full-time ministry is not the same as what another person means by it.

Let me explain. I visited a church recently, and the pastor and I began emailing each other. In a recent email from him, he mentioned that he was full time in the ministry, but also a full time family man, and also has a full time secular job.

I have considered myself full-time in the ministry for some time now. I am an intercessor and an author of two books so far, and now writing my third. I don't have any other job. God is taking care of my needs through unusual ways.

I was wondering what others who post here think full-time ministry really is.

Ann

 

[handmaiden97]

am I really the frist person to answer? Shocked...I think we are full time in ministry when we are full time serving God, wether we work a secular job or not...if you wirk construction and are reachng out to the guys you work with then that is a great minitry...

Course I say this as an indidual who has served as a full time volunteer for YWAM trusting God for my provision. I have a hard time sepreating my privat life from my work....in all reality they dont seem to seperate it all runs together as I seek to Know God and follow His leading in my life.

 

[Ann Doupont]

Thanks, handmaiden, for your response. I was beginning to wonder whether anyone who have anything to say on here.

Ann

 

[Macrina]

I usually hear the phrase "full-time ministry" when people are trying to draw a distinction between those who support themselves with secular jobs and those who spend every day in employment of the church or a parachurch agency. Not the best definition, but that's how I hear it used most often. It's not meant to imply that anyone else isn't as much of a disciple or minister, it's just trying to nail down a term.

I posted a thread some time back asking people what their ministry context was, and a lot of the responses defended the idea that you don't have to be a pastor to be a minister. I totally agree with that. My understanding, though, was that "full-time ministry" referred to people who pursued paid Christian service in lieu of a secular job.

For example, I am a full-time employee of my church. I have much in common with other disciples who serve in other ways. But there are also certain things that I share only with those in similar circumstances: Social, institutional, financial, legal, and cultural concerns all take on a different tone when it's an "employee" situation in addition to a spiritual call.

For my purposes, I would count authoring Christian books as full-time ministry, because you have chosen not to pursue a secular career. I imagine we deal with some of the same issues in our different contexts because of this.

 

[vespasia]

Well if I was in a secular job I know I would be paid more BUT been there done that and this is better even though there are days I find myself looking in bewilderment at some of the things the people IN the church I work for come up with.

It is rumoured amongst the leadership that in my spare time I sleep and true days off rarely happen.

 

[Christina M]

While we are all "full-time" for the Lord, I believe full-time ministry means you do that to the exclusion of another job. The ministry IS your full-time, usually paid, job.

I have a ministry we have run since 1997, all the while I have owned my own business. I just sold the business so I can "do" the ministry "full-time".

Before this time, even if I spent 40 hrs per week on the ministry, I could not consider me in full-time ministry because I had a full-time job.

I am excited for this new stage in life!