Money is tight. Is it a good thing to serve part-time in a church while I’m in seminary?
Earning money is not a good enough reason to take a church, especially if it’s at the expense of your education. What are the benefits and challenges for you in working at a specific congregation? Churches typically expect always-on-call employees, and you may find that you are doing catch-up church work when you actually need to be studying. Of course, many seminaries require that their students work in a ministry setting, but they usually set these up with supervision, follow-up, mentoring, and defined job responsibilities. In this type of situation, working at a church will also contribute to your education, so you will want to consider that. However, there are many other money-making options you could consider – secular jobs with defined hours, and no after-work demands. These tend not to be all-absorbing; they often pay better than church while still allowing time for study. Don’t automatically take a church position without considering all your options. You will be in full-time p