Tentmaking Tips

In the last newsletter I shared 3 lessons I learned on my tentmaking journey over the past 8.5 years.

If you haven’t read that newsletter, you can read it first here.

I started my real estate company in August of 2017 and began a tentmaking journey that continues to this day.

One of the things I see happen every year is this:

People start the year with good intentions to earn additional income … but without a plan or with a bad plan. I know because I did it myself for many years.

Last week we talked about why vague resolutions don’t change anything and how direction beats willpower when it comes to your tentmaking goals.

So let’s take the next step:

How do you move from “I want to” to “I’m doing it”?

Because intentions without implementation are just wishes.

✅ 1. Clarify Your Income Target

Tentmaking isn’t one-size-fits-all.

Ask yourself:

• Do I just need a little extra each month?
• Am I aiming for a significant part-time income?
• Or do I want to fully replace my salary?

Knowing how much you actually need changes what you pursue and how you pursue it.

Write it down. Be specific.

✅ 2. Choose the Right Strategy (Not Just the Most Popular One)

There are dozens of ways to build tentmaking income - from house hacking and real estate to online ...

The start of a new year has a way of making us reflective.

What needs to change?
What do I need to take seriously this year?
What can’t be left vague anymore?

For tentmaking pastors, those questions often land in a very specific place: income, capacity, and freedom.

Not because money is the mission - but because money affects whether you can stay in the mission long-term.

Paul Didn’t Make Resolutions. He Made Room.

When Paul talks about his tentmaking, he never frames it as a compromise.
It’s not a fallback plan.
It’s not a lack of faith.

It’s wisdom.

“You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my necessities and to those who were with me.” (Acts 20:34)

Paul didn’t set abstract goals like “trust God more” or “be more disciplined.”
He made practical decisions that created margin - financial, relational, and missional.

That’s the heart of tentmaking.

So as you think about goals this year, here’s a reframing that might help:

👉 Don’t ask, “What do I want to achieve?”
👉 Ask...

As we celebrate Thanksgiving (my wife's American so I'm allowed - sort of), I just wanted to take a moment to say a genuine thank you.

If you’re reading this, chances are you’re someone who’s stepped out - maybe in faith, maybe into new territory, maybe just one small step at a time. Whether you’re juggling ministry, a side gig, or just exploring what “tentmaking” could look like in your own life, I want you to know how much I appreciate you.

It takes courage to step out. To try something new. To provide for your family while still following your calling. You’re not just making ends meet - you’re making an impact, both in your community and beyond.

It takes courage to do something different to the norm. To step out into a new (well, it's actually old) model of combining ministry and income generation.

It takes courage to face the questions, the doubts (both yours and others), the raised eyebrows and even the disapproving silence!

It takes courage to set a big goal. Small goals are...

For many pastors, the scariest part of tentmaking isn’t choosing an income stream.
It’s telling their church and leadership team.

You might be excited about finally getting some financial breathing room… but you’re also thinking:

• “Will they think I’m less committed to the church?”
• “Will they assume I’m planning my exit?”
• “Will this damage trust with my elders, leadership team or board?”

And here’s the thing: if anyone in the church is going to hear criticism like,
“Why isn’t our pastor 100% focused on the church?”
…it’ll usually hit your leadership team first.

That’s why how you communicate your tentmaking desires (or current reality) is absolutely crucial. Done well, your leaders can become your biggest defenders and advocates. Done badly, it can create suspicion, insecurity, and unnecessary tension.

Let’s walk through three key pieces:

1. Why your leadership team must be in the loop
2. How to start the conversation in a healthy, honouring way
3. Common questions you’ll face -
...

A few years ago I met a pastor who runs a small business on the side.

He was apologetic about it. "I'd love to 100% be focusing on ministry," he said, "but we just need the extra income."

But when we talked in depth his impact in the community and the opportunities he had were gold.

This pastor thought his "secular" work was taking him away from ministry. He had no idea he was sitting on a missional goldmine.

Many see tentmaking as a necessary evil - something we do to pay the bills while we get on with "real ministry."

But what if I told you that tentmaking isn't taking you away from mission? What if it's actually amplifying your missional impact in ways traditional ministry can't touch?

Here are three hidden advantages of tentmaking that Paul understood (and why he chose this path for reasons beyond just paying the bills):

1. You Build Authentic Relationships Where Non-Christians Actually Are

Your workplace isn't an interruption to ministry. It IS ministry.

Think about it: W...

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Starting your own business should be exciting.

But for many pastors and Christian leaders, it feels overwhelming.

Even terrifying.

I get it. I've been there myself.

The truth is, most people never take that first step not because they lack the skills or the calling, but because of invisible barriers that hold them back.

Let me share the most common reasons why people hesitate to start their own business—and more importantly, how you can push through them.

1. Fear of Financial Failure

This is the big one.

The fear that you'll lose money you can't afford to lose.

That you'll jeopardize your family's security.

That you'll end up worse off than when you started.

Here's what I've learne...

My dear friend Amy knew she needed spiritual depth before entering her career. Like the Apostle Paul, she sensed God preparing her for tentmaking ministry—using secular work as a bridge for the Gospel.

During her gap year she received a powerful vision. This wasn't just spiritual revelation—it was a tentmaker's commissioning. A glimpse into why God calls ordinary Christians to extraordinary places, using their skills and careers to reach people traditional ministry cannot touch.

I'll hand over to Amy for this week's guest post

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After university, I knew I needed to dig deeper in my faith before heading into working life. So I took a year out with a global missionary organisation. During that time, I spent several months in Indonesia, the world’s largest M-majority nation and one day, I had a vision. I saw a covered woman, then her head covering tore in two… I sensed God saying, “Everyone has the right to come directly into My presence.”

That moment stayed with me. It planted a...

Picture this: You're at a church gathering, and someone asks what you do for work. You mention your business or side hustle, and immediately feel the need to justify it. "Well, I'm really called to ministry, but I just do this to pay the bills..." Sound familiar?

If you've ever felt guilty about making money while in ministry, you're not alone. It's one of the biggest barriers I see holding back tentmaking pastors and Christian leaders. But here's the thing - this guilt isn't coming from God.

Where Does This Shame Come From?

Most of this guilt stems from a misunderstanding that's been passed down through church culture for generations. Somewhere along the way, we bought into the lie that there's a hierarchy of callings - with "full-time ministry" at the top and everything else as a necessary evil.

We've created a false dichotomy between "sacred" and "secular" work. But look at the biblical tentmakers we talked about in our last newsletter. Paul didn't apologize for making tents. He...