Thoughts on Secular Work & Ministry

Thoughts on Work (2025 Version)

For those who are excited to study the Bible, evangelize, preach, disciple, etc having a job, especially a job on another’s schedule where you have to be at work 40 hours (or whatever number of hours) can seem like a major hindrance. Yet everything we do in serving the Lord should be to promote righteousness. You can’t do that without being an example of righteousness yourself. Very often, getting a job (or being a private contractor) is necessary to do that.

Sometimes making money is necessary to give to others in need and/or to free up more money to be given to others in need. It is more blessed to give than to receive. Even those who receive money for full-time service are supposed to be pouring out their lives to the Lord in that. It is certainly better to have less time for spiritual activities and ministry work than to neglect to do a righteous duty in order to do them. Quality is also better than quantity. Those who have very limited time to devote to study, evangelism, preaching, discipleship, etc without compromising righteousness should trust the Lord that He’ll honor the time they do have for these things.

Working to support oneself while doing ministry is not necessarily a demotion. It can rather be a greater responsibility and way in which more trust is placed upon us. Even though the following is said at the end of time regarding delegation of authority in Christ’s millennial reign, note the principle in it. This happens on earth too.

Matthew 25:21: “His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.” Whether more responsibility is a promotion or us one only coming up where they were lagging behind, having to get a job is not a demotion and not a shame.

There is greater power to one’s witness when they are preaching the right Gospel and they are also ministry is supported financially by their own labor.

1 Corinthians 9:15-19: “But I have used none of these things: neither have I written these things, that it should be so done unto me: for it were better for me to die, than that any man should make my glorying void. For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel! For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me. What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel. For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.”

Getting a regular job is also an opportunity to demonstrate faithfulness with another person’s business and in life overall. This paves the way for the ability to handle more responsibility and to obtain greater spiritual wisdom.

Luke 16:10-12: “He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man’s, who shall give you that which is your own?”

It is important to learn how to listen, take directions, and follow another person. That is especially so with those inferior to you in age, understanding, maturity, etc. Those in leadership need to listen to others and bear with others to a great degree. Working for another person gives experience and preparation for this. It also provides a great opportunity to better discern good traits to work on obtaining and bad traits to avoid. Many who lack leadership skills have a lack when it comes to experience under human leadership. It is not uncommon for people who have been in the military to be easier to work with compared to the rest of the population. They’ve already had training in working with others that they wouldn’t have chosen to work with if it were up to them and in listening to people they didn’t necessarily find it easy to listen to. Also, having to answer to someone else and hear their critique is a key way to learn about ourselves better so we can discern our weaknesses and know how we need to improve and be better overall.

There is an especially great need to be a faithful example to others in the case of those who are, or who are hoping to, proclaim Biblical truth to people. For the most part, people do have to work jobs themselves unless they are sinning and/or starving. Modern pastors often fail miserably here. They cringe at the thought of having to work a job “in the real world.” Yet doing so also helps one be a strong rebuke against the entitlement mentality sweeping the world.

It is not only necessary to work to support oneself and their family, it is also important to do this to support the needy. Special situations also sometimes warrant extra work and extra giving which might not always need to be the norm. Consider the closing verses of Acts chapter 11.

Faithfully serving the Lord necessitates being faithful with money and making the best of financial resources. Sometimes it is necessary to make money working for another- especially for those who have proven already that they are not good entrepreneurs. Their time is better used by working for someone else. Though these might have limited or no say about their work schedule, God can still provide the time and opportunity for one’s spiritual life and spiritual responsibilities.

There are also different seasons in life- and often the season one is in is not the season others around them are in. There are spiritual lessons to be apprehended in relation to the contrast. If one needs to work an outside job now, but didn’t have to before, there are spiritual lessons to learn in relation to being flexible, in not becoming attached to any earthly circumstance, and in not comparing ourselves to others.

Don’t fear nor despise secular work- whether that is full-time or part-time work. No one is ever beyond needing to hear these things nor beyond needing to prepare for adjustments in relation to these things.

Philippians 2:5-9: “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name”