Maker and Saver
I spent 10 years working full-time in ministry. I can’t even begin to count the blessings from that season of life. I helped build up local church communities, traveled the world, made lifelong friends, spoke to tens of thousands of people, and saw lives change. Again and again and again. Every day, I got to focus on something bigger than myself. I got to serve.
I don’t regret a single second of it. I still do it as often as I can. However, my transition out of full-time ministry was inevitable for one simple reason - my particular situation wasn’t sustainable. I was flying about 120,000 miles a year. I was leaving the house at 5am, visiting multiple cities, and getting back at midnight four days later on a regular basis. I lived on fast food in airports and took showers in sinks more times than I care to remember. But none of those are what made it unsustainable.
See, it was ministry - not business. Now, it’s not impossible to weave together both worlds in an honorable way - in fact, I think I did a decent job of being true to the demands of both during my career. Still, at the end of the day, I have a family, bills to be paid this month, and goals for the months and years ahead. The ministry became my business, and I never wanted it to be that way.
For one, I don’t want to be thinking about money and my financial security when considering what to share with an audience. Also, my financial goals never seemed possible on a ministry salary. You have to make more than you need in order to save, and very few people in ministry talk about how much they need to make. In fact, anyone in my line of work who was doing well financially was shamed for it. They were accused of being corrupt or of using the Gospel for their own financial gain. Sometimes, that was true. But too often, it was someone simply crushing their tasks, providing value to events, providing for their family without ‘going corporate’, and being called out for it.
As I look back on my time in ministry, I can only recall a handful of times someone talked to me about making money. It wasn’t discussed. I decided that I wanted to live a certain way - to be prosperous and generous. I didn’t need my successes to be celebrated, but I wasn’t interested in them being shamed.
I’m not pointing fingers - I don’t know if anyone is to blame. Event hosts want the lowest price possible; budgets are tight and I get it. However, the attitude is often that ministry work should be a volunteer position, so you should be thankful for what you get - and don’t ask for more.
On the other hand, the ‘talent’ can increase their prices at will, with no warning. Sometimes speakers and artists want to do less and make more. I’ve been guilty of that. We chose a job that we can only do 6-8 days per month, and sometimes we let that burden fall on the people paying our ‘day rate’. Still, most of us didn’t take a vow of poverty.
So, for me, the solution was clear. I needed my version of St Pauls ‘tent making’. Paul made tents to support himself and support the ministry that he gave so selflessly to the people. He was not merely a tent maker by day and preacher by night. He shared the Gospel in everything he did, with no need to distinguish between the two.
When I work with people to help them buy or sell a home, I still strive to be Christ to them. When I speak to crowds about Jesus, I still do it as a ministry and not as a ‘side-hustle’.
I haven’t quit ministry or gone corporate. I’ve decided that my ministry to the Church shouldn’t be my full-time income. I’ve decided that my financial goals matter and pursuing them is not inherently immoral. Most importantly, I’ve realized that my ministry to the Church is a calling I feel very strongly, and that I “need to do what I need to do” to continue that important work - a.k.a. make it sustainable.
So, I co-founded Good Stewards alongside Tom with that in mind. We have goals for making, saving, and giving - and we know what it’s like to have goals that no one is willing to talk to you about. Each day, we’re creating a space where others can explore and learn to achieve their financial and charitable goals along with us.
If you’re reading this, thanks for being here. Let’s grow together.