Bivocational Ministry as the Congregation’s Curriculum
Ambiguities and uncertainties about defining bivocational ministry are an opportunity for theological reflection and religious education. This article begins by acknowledging a context of anxiety about congregational vitality in North American mainline denominations and utilizes Boyung Lee’s communa...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-01-01
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| Series: | Religions |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/12/1/56 |
| _version_ | 1797411321333940224 |
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| author | Darryl W. Stephens |
| author_facet | Darryl W. Stephens |
| author_sort | Darryl W. Stephens |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Ambiguities and uncertainties about defining bivocational ministry are an opportunity for theological reflection and religious education. This article begins by acknowledging a context of anxiety about congregational vitality in North American mainline denominations and utilizes Boyung Lee’s communal approach to religious education to facilitate imagining new ways of being church for white-majority congregations, which seem to have difficulty coming to terms with bivocational ministry. The central sections of this article proceed descriptively, exploring the breadth of definitions of bivocational ministry and related terms, organized around several loci: vocation and ministry; jobs and finances; and commitment. Constructively, this article conceives of intentional bivocational ministry as the congregation’s curriculum, a practice of the entire faith community. This article concludes with a call for religious educators to assist in this endeavor. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T04:43:23Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-dbc8dc36358b4d2fa9e536305369fd9e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2077-1444 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T04:43:23Z |
| publishDate | 2021-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Religions |
| spelling | doaj.art-dbc8dc36358b4d2fa9e536305369fd9e2023-12-03T13:18:27ZengMDPI AGReligions2077-14442021-01-011215610.3390/rel12010056Bivocational Ministry as the Congregation’s CurriculumDarryl W. Stephens0Lancaster Theological Seminary, 555 West James Street, Lancaster, PA 17603, USAAmbiguities and uncertainties about defining bivocational ministry are an opportunity for theological reflection and religious education. This article begins by acknowledging a context of anxiety about congregational vitality in North American mainline denominations and utilizes Boyung Lee’s communal approach to religious education to facilitate imagining new ways of being church for white-majority congregations, which seem to have difficulty coming to terms with bivocational ministry. The central sections of this article proceed descriptively, exploring the breadth of definitions of bivocational ministry and related terms, organized around several loci: vocation and ministry; jobs and finances; and commitment. Constructively, this article conceives of intentional bivocational ministry as the congregation’s curriculum, a practice of the entire faith community. This article concludes with a call for religious educators to assist in this endeavor.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/12/1/56bivocationalpastoral ministrypractical theologyreligious educationcongregational vitalitymultivocational ministry |
| spellingShingle | Darryl W. Stephens Bivocational Ministry as the Congregation’s Curriculum Religions bivocational pastoral ministry practical theology religious education congregational vitality multivocational ministry |
| title | Bivocational Ministry as the Congregation’s Curriculum |
| title_full | Bivocational Ministry as the Congregation’s Curriculum |
| title_fullStr | Bivocational Ministry as the Congregation’s Curriculum |
| title_full_unstemmed | Bivocational Ministry as the Congregation’s Curriculum |
| title_short | Bivocational Ministry as the Congregation’s Curriculum |
| title_sort | bivocational ministry as the congregation s curriculum |
| topic | bivocational pastoral ministry practical theology religious education congregational vitality multivocational ministry |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/12/1/56 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT darrylwstephens bivocationalministryasthecongregationscurriculum |