WHEREAS, The Lord Jesus Christ has called pastors to shepherd his church faithfully through the preaching of the word, prayer, discipleship, pastoral care, and leadership within the local church (Acts 20:28; 1 Timothy 4:11-12; Hebrews 13:17; 1 Peter 5:1-4); and
WHEREAS, A significant number of Southern Baptist churches are led by bivocational or volunteer pastors, who balance the demands of church ministry alongside marketplace employment and family responsibilities; and
WHEREAS, These pastors faithfully shepherd congregations, engage their communities, and advance the mission of Christ’s church often through unseen acts of service, personal sacrifice, late nights, and long days; and
WHEREAS, Scripture affirms the dignity of labor and provides examples of ministry leaders like the apostle Paul and many of Jesus’s disciples who served the church bivocationally with faithful perseverance while striving for the glory of God and for the advancement of the gospel (Acts 18:1-3; 1 Thessalonians 2:9); and
WHEREAS, The terms “bivocational,” “part-time,” “covocational,” and “volunteer” often refer only to compensation but do not adequately reflect the scope or responsibility of pastoral ministry (1 Timothy 5:18); and
WHEREAS, Many Southern Baptist churches and church plants, particularly in rural communities, small towns, and underserved areas, have been shepherded and strengthened through the faithful service of bivocational and volunteer pastors and their families; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the messengers to the Southern Baptist Convention Annual Meeting in Orlando, Florida, June 9-10, 2026, express heartfelt gratitude to Southern Baptist bivocational and volunteer pastors for their faithful and sacrificial service to Christ and his church; and be it further
RESOLVED, That we honor the commitment, perseverance, humility, and gospel faithfulness demonstrated by bivocational and volunteer pastors who labor diligently both in ministry and in the workplace (Romans 13:7); and be it further
RESOLVED, That we also express appreciation for the wives and families of bivocational and volunteer pastors who support, sacrifice, encourage, and partner in ministry; and be it further
RESOLVED, That we exhort Southern Baptist churches to pray for, support, encourage, and care well for their pastors, recognizing the spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical demands of bivocational and volunteer ministry (1 Thessalonians 2:7-8; 2 Timothy 4:6); and be it further
RESOLVED, That we urge Southern Baptist churches, associations, state conventions, and entities to support the equipping and encouragement of bivocational and volunteer pastors; and be it further
RESOLVED, That we pray the Lord of the harvest would continue to raise up and send faithful pastors to proclaim the gospel, disciple believers, and strengthen churches in every community (Matthew 9:36-38); and be it finally
RESOLVED, That we give thanks to God for the enduring ministry of Southern Baptist bivocational and volunteer pastors who have labored faithfully in churches to advance the gospel across the generations.