It's not really this... trust me.
[Update: Here are 10 ways that can help you quickly identify yourself as a TentBlogger!]
I’ve been asked this a few times already and with good reason since it’s somewhat of a new word that I created when I began looking at what had transpired in terms of my career in blogging.
Like many definitions this one has a history related to it, one that is both rich, exciting, and very encouraging for future workers (or bloggers) in this field! The original term is from “Tentmaking” (turned Tentblogging) and being a Tentmaker (or Tentblogger).
So we’ll first start at the beginning by defining what a Tentmaker was and what the act of Tentmaking meant historically.
Not really this either. Trust me.
The Definition of a Tentmaker, Tentmaking
In general, this is an accepted definition:
Tentmaking, in general, refers to the activities of any Christian who, while functioning as a minister, receives little or no pay for his or her church work, and supports him or herself by additional, unrelated work.
A Tentmaker, then, supports themselves by working a part-time or full-time job in the marketplace with their skills and education instead of receiving complete financial support from the local church.
Leatherworking FTW!
The term comes from the fact that the Apostle Paul supports himself by making tents while living and doing ministry (preaching and teaching) in Corinth (Acts 18:3, 20:33-34):
And he went to see them, and because he was of the same trade he stayed with them and worked, for they were tentmakers by trade.
I coveted no one’s silver or gold or apparel. You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my necessities and to those who were with me.
We also see Paul, in Thessalonica, share the fact that he sought to never be a burden on the ministries and churches that he ministered to. He would move into an area and support himself if he needed to. He did not expect the churches that he founded and started to necessarily support him financially (2 Thessalonias 3:8-12):
… nor did we eat anyone’s bread without paying for it, but with toil and labor we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you.
It was not because we do not have that right, but to give you in ourselves an example to imitate. For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat.
For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies. Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living.
What is the guiding principle for Paul? It’s this: He would support himself if he needed to rather than appealing to other Christians and the local ministries to support himself. In fact, he never, in any of his writings, appealed to them for himself but he appealed to the churches to support other Christians and ministries! How amazingly unselfish!
Finally, we see that Paul is not the only Biblical character that could be classified as a Tentmaker: Abraham was a Herdsman and raised cattle, Joseph was a highly respected Government Official, Joshua was a War General, Nehemiah was a Cupbearer to a King, Esther was a social and political leader for her people, and Luke was a Doctor and Physician.
And what about Jesus? He was a Carpenter (Mark 6:3)!
Do You Have to be a Christian to Be a Tentmaker?
Nice tent...
The answer to this question is NO!
I feel comfortable using the verbiage “Tentmaking” and “Tentmaker” in contexts that are outside the missiological and/or evangelical strategy of finance and support, although it is used historically in the context of the Bible.
I think it can be used and effectively applied to anyone who earns an income outside of their primary job within and without the church context. In fact, I’ve heard the term used quite liberally for those who may “moonlight” (or “daylight”) and do freelancing gigs and jobs outside their “normal” 9-5.
Now I imagine that a few will push back at this somewhat open definition but I believe it is of small import and not worth necessarily arguing to death. I think we can move healthily forward with little tension since we’re just talking about blogs here!
Some make their entire living by being Tentmakers by trade, supporting themselves (and families) by doing work that could be completely contrary and no where near related to what they do full time. It’s a fun prospect and I’ve been a Tentmaker nearly my entire life, in both the context of religion and without.
What if I Don’t Make Tents?
Serious leather craft.
That’s fine! I’ve heard it argued (weakly) that you have to actually make physical tents (like the ones pictured in this post) to be considered a Tentmaker. I categorically reject this idea and history (and our definition) would prove otherwise.
In fact, I’ve done some additional research into the original language that was used for “Tentmaking” and this is what I’ve discovered – the Greek word oftentimes and more commonly is understood as “leather worker,” which could mean not only one who crafted, repaired, and sold tents but also one that made sandals, shoes, and other such leather objects common to the marketplace at the time.
What does this mean? It means that the word has a much broader range of meaning than just tents; it means that you could be a blogger!
And this makes sense, again, according to the examples cited above (Abraham, Joseph, Joshua, Nehemiah, Jesus, etc.), although they didn’t have the awesomeness that is the Internet.
Be proud. Say it: I'm a Blogger!
Digital Tentmaking and Tentblogging
As a result, I’ve extrapolated the definition, cultural understanding, and nuance of being a Tentmaker and added another manifestation of this role and title by adding “Digital” to it:
A Digital Tentmaker is someone who makes an income through online and electronic mediums that is outside their normal full time profession.
Makes sense, right?
Finally, a TentBlogger is a type of specific Digital Tentmaker:
A TentBlogger is someone who makes an income and living through blogging which is outside their normal full time profession.
Whew. We’re finally there!
Are You a TentBlogger?!
Anywhere, anytime...
Yes. Most likely you are (or almost there)! Here’s how you would know:
If you’ve earned some money (even a small amount) via your blog, both directly (advertising) or indirectly (new business prospects, contracts, etc.), then you are a TentBlogger!
[You can also review these 10 ways as well!]
Pretty neat, right? I stumbled upon this idea many years ago as I started blogging and earning a small income through my blogs.
I actually started getting new contracts for design and development work first and then it grew to advertising and other such things.
I thought to myself:
Yikes! I’m earning a little extra via my blog to pay for diapers. This is great! It’s like I’m a Digital Tentmaker or something… a ‘Tent Blogger’…!
And that’s how the idea was born. Heck, it only took 4 or 5 years after that to actually register the domain TentBlogger.com and do something with it!
So, are you a TentBlogger? What do you think of this idea?
I’m more of a professional booger I guess, haha — great post, John!
wow. you read that post fast!
must be the r2d2 thing…. 
John, I need to meet Christopher, because as a Protocol consultant, I’m kind of a C3PO. Together we might save the galaxy some day.
haha!
Either that or the Red Bull I just drank …
there you go.
I love this concept! Thanks so much for sharing this great explanation and article with great perspective and clarity.
sure thing ryan! i suppose you can tell i’ve thought about it.
Definitely! Really enjoying reading your other posts as well and loved your challenge to close the gap with video. I’ve been thinking about doing that for a while but haven’t gotten the guts to yet! You’ve kicked me in the rear towards that direction, now!
great! glad you’re a part of this growing community ryan!
I gotta say it sounds awesome.
hah. i think so.
John,
That is a great term and perfect timing for me to read your piece. It is brilliant! Thank you so much for this!
@tomschulte
sure thing tom! love what you got going over on your blog.
I would say though that it’s a “bit” too colorful. For example, on each blog post the reader is somewhat assaulted by up to 7 different colors!
http://cl.ly/e5cb1d45c14970b22374
that can be hard on the eyes! simplifying your design might be a good thing to look into:
http://tentblogger.com/good-blogs-are-heavy-great-blogs-are-light/
Just my 2 cents.
Great post, you have done well with “my” theme.
hah!
I love it – and yes, I am a tentblogger!
Tentbloggers 4 Life
I’m not a tentblogger…yet. About two years ago I wrote a post for my blog along the same lines as your post. But I never ended up posting it because I felt God calling me to give up design for the time being. You see, I was graduating from seminary and God wanted me to focus on learning how to be a pastor. Because (also about a year ago) I was called to pastor a small church in a small town. So for the last year, I didn’t design websites and I didn’t even read any design blogs. But now that year is up, and God is opening doors for me to to ease back into this field. So I’m going to post that entry soon, and try to brush up on all the changes that have happened in the design world over the last year.
sweet! you’re in transition, which is a good place to be. praying for great things for you!
Thanks, I’m pretty excited about it all. Web design and development will be my tentmaking work while I continue to pastor the church I’ve been called to. There are a lot of opportunities for the church to make an impact on our community, so I can’t wait to see what God does in the coming years.
sweet. keep us posted! and make sure you get a gravatar:
http://gravatar.com
Great post John! This is a very detailed explanation. I like the biblical-historical reference with a modern day perspective. There is a good balance of theory and practice on this blog.
Am I A Tentblogger? I haven’t earned a dime because of blogging. Almost there….dreaming BIG
I’m learning to focus my content in one of the areas that I’m most passionate: Good demonstrated in the earth.
you haven’t made any connections that would provide other sources of revenue (consulting, contracting, etc)?
who have you done some consulting work for?
me? i’ve done consulting for a lot of orgs. it’s how i pay the bills.
like?
shooting email.
Unfortunately, No. I’ve offered, made several presentations, nothing.
ah. not yet…! praying for you bro!
Thanks John!
“A TentBlogger is someone who makes an income and living through blogging which is outside their normal full time profession.”
I do not make an income or living blogging outside my normal work. That means my normal work supports my blogging. So, I am backwards.
this is what is currently the reality, correct? is this something you want to change?
Great post Jon. I am in the same boat as Trevor Taylor. My blog is not my main source of income, but I can see how it could start to draw income over time. Will it become my primary source? It has lead to some inquiries about possible web design and blog setup. Right now blogging is just something that I enjoy doing, and everything else is gravy….
sweet! welcome, and glad you’ve joined us here!
I would like to be considered a TentBlogger. Doing work for the Church for no pay and for all intents and purposes trying to get to a point where I can get self sufficient trough my blogging on SynapticLight. One day, I hope to make it pay for itself and maybe contribute to tuition fees for my kids.
that would be great! you must earn a little, correct?
I would love to earn a little extra through blogging, as we all would… I have no idea HOW!
hah. you’re in the right place. we’re going to talk about that.
Love it, dude!
And yes, I’m a tentblogger. I’ve picked up a little bit from advertising and from affiliate book sales. AdSense was slow to start, and I’ve backed off from that a bit. But now I have a couple of slots that I’ve sold directly. But my big thing is the (part-time) work that I’ve picked up as Social Media Editor for a Christian blog network, and writing at a couple of other sites.
It hasn’t been a landslide of income, but it seems to steadily pick up over time. But I’ve made (a lot) more this year than my previous three years combined. Praying that it continues that trend!
sweet! can’t wait to hear that story continue moving forward. !
That’s me! I’m a Tentblogger. Count me in!
you are, truly. let’s get that interview underway!
I am certainly a Digital Tentmaker.
My wife and I (and kids) are missionaries in Italy. We have been here 10-months, now, and although we receive a small amount of support from members of our “sending” church, our goal is to become fully self sufficient through our new business: DYECASTING (www.dyecasting.com).
DYECASTING is an audio and internet services … uh … agency? (It’s a young endeavor
) It’s basically a culmination of my 15+ years of multimedia experience. At the same time, my wife’s blogging is beginning to grow and may blossom into TentBlogging.
The short of it is this: Be completely self sufficient via Digital Tentmaking & TentBlogging, so any donations we receive can be poured directly into our mission work here in Italy.
that’s awesome! can i interview you sometime?
That would be awesome!
sweet. let’s put something down soon.
Just email me a date and time (I’m +6 hours from the Eastern time zone).
ericdye@gmail.com or eric@dyecasting.com
k. noted.
Hah! Great post…I knew your intention with the term from the get-go since I have heard it used extensively in the realm of missiology. I like your twist and application.
I’m not yet a tentblogger. I don’t anticipate I will ever be a full-fledged tentblogger, but I would like to see some level of income and expanded ministry opportunities develop because of my blogging. My next step is to get a domain name, self-host and purchase the Standard Theme!
BTW…it was great to meet you at Catalyst today (actually yesterday, since I just got home a few minutes ago and it’s 4:30 a.m.) Thanks for the inquiry while we talked…means a lot for you to ask. Keep up the great blogging!
that was awesome. thanks for stopping me. i’m in my own “world” when i’m at catalyst and i was up there for just a breather…
great to meet you!
Good job on coining the “digital” part of the term. I’ve considered myself a tentmaker for years. I’ve been blessed to earn money from advertising on my blog and have gotten several consulting gigs from pastors that read my blog. It’s a great world we live in.
Great seeing you (even briefly) at Catalyst.
that’s great! yup, you’re definitely a tentblogger.
good to see you as well greg. hope all is well!
Count me in, TentBlogger in the house right here.
SWEET!!!!!!
John,
Thanks for all you do. I’ve learned a lot from your posts. I would like to be a tentblogger, especially since I’ve been unemployed a while.
One thing I still don’t see – how exactly are you earning money from your blog? Who is paying you for your blog?
Thanks,
Michele
michele,
i’m going to release a post soon about that since it’s not very obvious how i make money, right?
i blog a lot elsewhere… stay tuned, and glad you’re with us here!
I want to start blogging too and what do you think, which blog platform is good for beginner?
we’ve got a post about blog platforms. have you seen it?
Still interested in that interview?
i am. yes. at some point. yes.
John, you are speaking my language man. I appreciate your steps of faith. Your recent decisions confirm my own path as well. I am a tent blogger!?!?!
Thanks for putting a voice to this journey and starting the digital conversation. I am looking forward to being a part of this community here.
Thanks for the Awesome Sauce!
SWEET! please tell and share with others!
Fascinating! Why? I was one of those early pioneers who had the rough ride of getting traditional churches to grasp “tentmaking” while supervising field “tentmakers” in Muslim nations as one of the founders of Frontiers. Eventually, a better term, “Business as Mission” or “Business for Transformation” became coin of the realm. My blogging is not for profit, but for the joy of it and a platform that helps with the book in motion, Generational Fathering.
gary,
thanks for this! i’m exciting how the methods by which we tentmake are changing but the paradigms are the same.
I am hoping to be a TentBlogger in the near future! I have a feeling your blog is going to be a lifesaver in many areas. I am planning to make the move from Blogger to WordPress by the end of the year. My hope is to start making a profit to help finance my family’s future ministry/mission work. I’m struggling with a focus though… I started out just blogging about being a new wife/homemaker, which I’m pretty passionate about. However, I’d like to incorporate more about having a mission-minded lifestyle, since that is was we as a family are striving for… IDK. I can’t figure out if my focus is too broad if I try to cover it all. I’m just a bit overwhelmed with massive amounts of information and decisions right now!
jenni,
just take it one step at a time! no need to be overwhelmed!
I was told to check this blog out and I am glad I did. I am trying to get my blog noticed a little more. I am not wanting to do this to make money just help Christians and young pastors and just pastors themselves. Thanks for the help .
matthew,
sweet! who told you to check it out? just curious!
Oh I see! I knew it was probably a Paul reference, but I didn’t know that it was a commonly used expression in the church for ministers. Cool!
nice blog bro . thaks for creating this . god bless you
sure thing maria.
John,
It is strange, I simply googled “Tentmaking” and ended up here. I am a bi-vocational pastor and I am looking for a way to free up more time for ministry while still being able to earn a living for me and my family. I am greatly interested in being able to earn money via blogging. I am over 50 and have never blogged in my life but I am certainly willing to learn. I hope you will be able to help me, because I haven’t a clue how to do this.
Thank you for this venue.
God bless you,
Don Crecelius
start writing. and blogging. do you have one yet?
John,
Great post and very important. I am on my way to becoming a Tent Blogger!
Aaron
sweet! congrats for joining the community!
Good post, John. I found my way over here from your Pressgram Kickstarter campaign, which I found out about through Daniel Espinoza’s blog.
I would consider myself a digital tentmaker in many ways, but I expand the definition beyond only an income outside of my normal full-time profession. It is also possible to use online tools to earn a primary income in a way that does not put constraints on time of work or impose limits of a specific physical location. That can free us up to meet the needs of others and to be of service whenever those needs arise.
John,
How I found my way here, is via my own research on the whole topic of “tentmaking.” I’m the son of a pastor, and even a pre-sem student myself at one time, so I’m well versed in the biblical references.
To be frank, I’m an unemployed computer guy (systems/network admin/eng) searching for full-time work. I’m 50+, with 20+ years professional experience. However, the economy is very tough. Lot’s of competition for not enough jobs. Even here in Austin, Texas. I have had way too many heart-breaking interviews to mention.
I’m literally living on a cloud of vapor. Highly flammable, and it could ignite at any moment. That is the situation some of us are in. Having little or no choice than at our ages, to go back and be supported by family members. Grateful for the assistance, but still wish to abide, to the very best of their abilities, according to 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12.
I’m just looking for answers here. I have a blog, and have blogged since 2003. I have never made any income via blogging. Never really attempted to. Now, I’m trying to turn over every stone I can think of.
You seem to have some expertise here. Any assistance you can offer, is most appreciated.
BTW, your page/WordPress is not Chrome friendly. I had to use Firefox to post this properly. Simply, the latest Chrome does not work with this site/WordPress. It seems, more and more I am loosing my confidence with Chrome/Google, and finding my way back to Firefox/Mozilla. I had been a Netscape user since its inception.
bolo,
thanks for dropping by man. starting through the advertising series might be a good place to start… many who have completed it have done quite well for themselves!