What vocation would you choose if you were not a pastor?
That is the question I posed on social media. Both the nature and the quantity of the responses are indicative that many pastors think about this matter. We received well over 1,000 responses. A number of them are bi-vocational, so they have already chosen a second vocation.
Here are the top ten responses in order of frequency:
- Teacher. Most of the pastors specified high school or elementary teachers. A few mentioned professors in universities or seminaries.
- Coaching a sport’s team. There were a variety of choices among the various sports, but high school football was the most frequently noted.
- Law enforcement/first responder. More of the respondents chose police as their alternative vocation, but firefighter was a clear second choice.
- Small business owner/entrepreneur. Some of the pastors were very specific about the nature of this path, particularly with options in the digital world.
- Skilled laborer. These responses were really varied. They included such vocations as woodworker, plumber, electrician, and mechanic.
- Denominational worker. These respondents obviously wanted to remain in vocational ministry as their second choice.
- Chaplaincy. The most common choice was hospital chaplain followed by military chaplain.
- Broadcaster. These responses included radio broadcasting, television personalities, and play-by-play announcers for sports teams.
- Counselor/therapist. The pastors who responded with this choice often mentioned that counseling was the most fulfilling aspect of pastoral ministry.
- Medical field. Physicians and nurses were the most frequently mentioned.
Pastors offered dozens of outlier responses. Here are a few of the stranger comments. None of these were offered by more than one pastor. That is totally understandable.
- Lion trainer
- High King of Gondor
- Tollbooth attendant in Florida
- Exotic dancer
- Lion trainer
- Cranky deacon
- Hot dog vendor
- Billionaire
- Playing cowbell in a band
- Smoking pork butts and inhaling
- Trophy husband
- Dolphin trainer
- Ninja turtle
- Raiser of zebras
- Custom treehouse designer
- Disney monorail driver
Thanks, pastors. Have a great 2021.
Posted on December 28, 2020
With nearly 40 years of ministry experience, Thom Rainer has spent a lifetime committed to the growth and health of local churches across North America.
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38 Comments
My denomination has a retirement plan, so I can actually see the light at the end, so to speak. I almost don’t care what I do after retirement, as I will almost certainly get a job. All I want is a function in which I am not bearing the emotional burden of “making it work tomorrow.” I am exhausted from always planning, worrying; always having the next responsibility or “wise” decision weighing on my mind. I don’t mind working, but having to make things work and having people’s emotional hopes pinned on me is about to crush me. Crossing guard would work 8.65 years from now.
Not a wierd outlier but given Pastor’s propensity for reading, Research and personal/professional library building …surprised librarian wasn’t mentioned …i had privilege of being a 23 year veteran public library bookmobile and tech services librarian who became a PC/library automation specialist and later Chief Librarian, prior to leaving this challenging and enjoyable career around 15 yrs agk for my other passion of theology/biblical studies, preaching ministry and pastoral service.
Thank you Tom…Very interesting…I think I have done all those jobs…on a serious note…how many Pastors are co-vocational in the Southern Baptist Convention?