The Other Full Time Ministers

So often, all we see is the salaried, credentialed person that is either a senior pastor or a staff member. It is the same tendency that focuses our primary attention on the churchs in our larger cities, and the larger churches themselves. These churches, with full time positions, get the most inquiries and the majority of our interest. However, there is another world of ministers out there that doesn't fall into this catagory. They are the tent-makers that make ministry happen in small communities throughout Alaska. The churches that employ these ministers have small or no budgets. But, the commitment level for these men and women is just as high or higher as their larger siblings.

I received this report from one such minister that we don't hear about very often, Patrick D. You will find him at the Little Tutka Bible Fellowship. Patrick writes, "I want to say I apologize for not being more diligent in sending in reports. With working full time (*secular work), preaching, doing youth group, marriage counseling, and having an endless stream of people in and about our home, it seems I never quite attend to such matters."

Ministers such as this could be our un-sung heros of the faith. They work long hours providing a living for their families, all-the-while, they are doing the work of the ministry - full time.

*My Addition