Meeting the needs of Alabama’s bivocational churches is an issue state Baptist leaders believe is important to the denomination’s work.
Jim Swedenburg, associate in LeaderCare and church administration with the State Board of Missions (SBOM), said a task force will be examining the needs of bivocational churches in the next few months to determine how they can be helped.
The importance of bivocational pastors and churches can’t be ignored. Swedenburg said more than half of Alabama’s churches – 52 percent- are bivocational.
Because of that, he said more than half of the state’s Baptist ministries would be lost if bivocational churches ceased existence.
Vital ministry
“Alabama is absolutely dependent on bivocational pastors and churches,” he said.
Swedenburg said he anticipates the task force’s work will be completed in “less than a year, probably less than six months.”
The task force was formed under the directive of Rick Lance, executive director of the SBOM. Swedenburg said surveys are being prepared that will be mailed to directors of missions at associations throughout the state, inquiring about bivocational churches in their communities.
“We’re trying to find out what needs we’re not meeting,” said Swedenburg.
He said there are many resources geared toward larger churches, but adds need of smaller churches are different. “We’re on the cutting edge of that (developing resources),” he said.
Along with special ministry programs that are being developed for smaller churches, he said an annual retreat for bivocational pastors is held each February.
He said two other task forces are looking at the needs of smaller churches and those located in rural areas.
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