Ministry in a “Gig” Economy

My wife and I recently attended a concert presented by Jason Petty and his backup musicians at the Arts Center in Cannon County. Petty is a musician, actor, and storyteller who got his big break portraying singer Hank Williams in a show called “Lonesome Highway.” He has built on this role to build a career in which he channels the country music icon in various shows, and he has developed similar tribute programs built around other musical figures.

Petty and his ensemble did a great job, but he got to me thinking about his business model. He is an itinerant performer who has found a niche and does this work at a number of different venues in the United States and Canada. He continues to refine his offerings to reach different audiences with his product. He is leveraging his talents to do something he enjoys doing.

His business model is really an example of the “gig economy.” The gig economy can be defined as “a free market system in which temporary positions are common and organizations contract with independent workers for short-term engagements.” Gallup reports, "Twenty-nine percent of all workers in the U.S. have an alternative work arrangement as their primary job; 36% participate in the gig economy in some capacity."

Although this is usually applied to large organizations like Nissan or Amazon who hire many short-term or contingent workers, there are many highly skilled workers who find themselves building a living through the gig economy. Petty does it by performing on stage through contracts with local organizations and theater groups; others do it with computers and software from their homes.

I bring this up because this is a model that those who want to do ministry in the future should consider. There are people of my acquaintance who have put together a full-time ministry through supply and interim pastorates, consulting, writing, and coaching. Others serve a church part-time and also serve as institutional chaplains or teachers. There are as many models as there are people engaged in the ministerial “gig economy.”

This has advantages and disadvantages for the one pursuing this approach to employment. The disadvantages include little or no employee benefits, uncertainty about length of service, and a continuing need to find employment or reinvent yourself. The advantage is flexibility, diverse and fresh challenges, and the opportunity to do what you are best suited to do.

Whether you see the “gig economy” as a good thing or a bad thing, it is a reality.

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