If you’re a pastor, you’re probably busy – in fact very busy. After all, you have to keep your congregation fed and your church looking spic and span all the time.
While there are several ways you can make money as a pastor, side hustles for pastors are probably not at the top of your list. However, with a little creativity and planning, it’s possible to make money outside of your ministerial duties without breaking the bank or turning your congregation against you. After all, there is no free money for pastors.
Related:
Best Side Hustles For Dads That Bring In Extra Cash
How To Get Your First Remote Job: A Step-by-step Guide
How To Test Products For Free And Keep Them (Get Free Cash Too)
Why side hustles for pastors matter
For those of you who do not know, a side gig is an additional part-time job that operates outside of your main career. For pastors, this can be anything from running your own business to taking on extra duties at church.
Pastors and money have always been huge topics for debate with many claiming that you cannot serve God and money, but pastors also have bills to pay and families to feed.
I grew up as a church girl and I remember seeing many pastors struggling with even the basic needs. Some people even held the notion that pastors should not be paid a salary as if their salaries simply dropped from heaven. Knowing what I know now, no pastor ever needs to struggle when there are so many other jobs that they can do on the side.
While some business ideas for pastors may be frowned upon, others can actually be a blessing. And we’re not just talking about the money: having a second source of income will allow you to take care of and provide for your family comfortably even as you take care of God’s people.
Many pastors find themselves overworked and underpaid because they are expected to give so much else besides their main vocation as well. But how can you make ends meet without compromising on what God has called you to do?
Best side hustles for pastors
Here are some great business ideas for pastors who want to add other streams of income while also staying faithful to their calling. I will only concentrate on side hustles that are worth it for a minister because you do not want to tarnish your good name as a minister.
Run a side hustle of public speaking
Many pastors are good speakers by nature, after all, they are paid to speak. Why not make use of this gift that you already possess to make an extra income?
There are so many places where you can offer your speaking services including other churches, organizations, schools, and special events like retreats, weddings, and other ceremonies.
It is okay to let people know that you charge a fee for speaking so that they don’t assume you are doing it for charity since pastors are known to offer a lot of free services.
You may even advertise your speaking services on your website or on social media in addition to letting your friends and family know when you are available to offer the service. If you’re a pastor who loves to speak in front of crowds, you have an incredible platform for sharing the gospel message and other topics with others.
Start a podcast
Many pastors are podcast hosts and speakers—and they can share their expertise with the world while making some extra money on the side through podcasting.
If you are not interested in starting something completely new, repurpose your sermons and turn them into a podcast.
Using your own voice to teach others about faith and what it means to live out that faith can be incredibly rewarding. Plus, it requires less overhead costs like office space, staff, etc, like other businesses. By starting a podcast or speaking engagements yourself, you can bring in extra income without having to work more hours.
Run a blog
Starting a blog, like this one, is a great way to share your message with the world and make some money on the side. Many pastors have a knack for writing and speaking, which is a skill that can get you started in your second gig.
Did you know you could turn your sermons into blog posts and have a fresh new article for your blog every week? Your parishioners will be excited to go over your sermons again on your blog.
There are many ways to monetize your blog, for example, with advertising, sponsored posts, and affiliate marketing. With a blog, you can also sell your own products and services like books, sermons, and speaking.
You could also sell your blog content on other platforms like Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing or through services like Skillshare.
Teach online courses
Many pastors are capable of teaching online courses, especially those to do with their faith. This is a great way to supplement your income stream.
There are many online course platforms where you can upload and sell your courses be they on faith matters or otherwise. Your church members will be happy because they get access to the same high-quality content they’ve come to expect from you while you earn money at the same time.
Start an e-commerce store selling goods
If you have a knack for sales and a bit of entrepreneurial spirit, e-commerce is an excellent side hustle for pastors. With the right merchandise, you could sell the perfect gifts for Christmas or Easter to your church members.
To make this work, you’ll need to identify the demographic that comes to your church on a regular basis. You can also do some research into what people are buying during these times of the year at other religious organizations and online retailers. That way you can create something that they want but may not already be able to get their hands on.
E-commerce sites like Etsy provide a great opportunity for creators and sellers to establish their own businesses without having overhead costs or dealing with inventory problems.
Shopify is another platform that you can use to create your own e-commerce website. You can build an e-commerce site for anything from clothing, to wholesale products, to even handmade crafts and homemade recipes.
Write and publish a book
One of the best side hustles for pastors is writing and publishing books. You will be able to write about your experiences as a minister in ways that are not easily accessible through preaching.
You could even turn your sermons into published books and sell them to others.
If you’re looking for a stable source of income, consider getting into the publishing game. Many Christian publishers offer authors the chance to earn royalties by selling books on their websites.
If you are not a writer by trade, consider asking friends, family members, and community members to co-author a book with you.
Coach upcoming ministers
If you have been pastoring and doing ministry for a while, imagine the many people who would be interested in learning from you. There are so many young pastors who are just starting out and have no idea where to begin.
You can charge a fee and start coaching a number of new pastors guiding them on what to do and what to avoid in order to succeed in ministry.
In fact, this is a side hustle that you can comfortably do in retirement when you have gained an experience of a lifetime and you have all the time you need to guide those who are looking up to you.
Write and sell music
If you are one of those pastors who are into music, make use of your gift to make extra money.
This is a great side job for worship leaders. Create great worship songs and sell them to the world. Upload your music online and get paid by the number of views on platforms like Youtube.
You could also perform for a fee in other churches or events.
Grow a side business with an affiliate program
Affiliate marketing is one of the simplest ways to make money on the side. It can be a great way to generate passive income quickly, and it doesn’t require any startup costs.
There are many affiliate programs available online that allow you to market products or services in exchange for commissions. This is typically at the referral level and then there may be bonuses if certain promotion milestones are hit.
All these types of programs also give you some additional promotion opportunities as well through email newsletters, websites, and blogs.
Get paid to train and teach professional development workshops
If you’ve been in the ministry for a while and are looking for a way to supplement your income, consider teaching workshops. Many professional organizations offer the opportunity to teach their professionals about the latest trends or techniques.
You can also find online platforms that will let you train on topics related to Christianity, faith, and religion.
Another great idea is to get paid to train new pastors who are just starting out in ministry. If you’re interested in being a mentor, check with local seminaries or larger evangelical churches for such opportunities.
Sell your services as an independent contractor
A pastor looking for a side hustle might want to consider becoming an independent contractor. This allows you to set your own hours and keep any profits you make as well as avoid having to deal with employers’ rules like health care and retirement benefits.
Plus, it’s usually easier to find work as an independent contractor than it is to find traditional full-time employment.
You can offer services like counseling, coaching, officiating at weddings and funerals, etc, as an independent contractor.
Offer services as a freelancer
Working as a freelancer can be a great way to monetize the skills you already have. Many people these days have extra skills on top of their main job.
If you have any skills that can be monetized, then offer these skills on a freelance basis to whoever may be interested in them. It could be freelance writing, graphic design, proofreading, or any other skill. And the great thing is that many of these skills can be learned easily.
To make your side business a success, you have to think about what people will want to purchase from you. What things do they need that you can provide? Then go ahead and sign up on freelancer websites Like Upwork and Fiverr to offer the services.
Final thoughts on side hustles for pastors
Having an extra job as a pastor or tent making as is commonly known is as old as the days of Apostle Paul who was a renowned tent maker. It is okay to consider various side hustles for pastors as long as they are not taking you from the main business of feeding and taking care of your flock.
I have given you some ideas for adding your income streams without taking you away from the ministry. Try them and see what works best for you.