Paul Was a Tentmaker

Paul Was a Tentmaker: One detail about the apostle Paul that a lot of people miss is this. Paul had a job. Before and during much of his ministry he worked as a tentmaker. Acts 18:3 says “Because he was of the same trade, he stayed with them and worked; for by occupation they were tentmakers.” The Greek word used there is σκηνοποιός (skēnopoios). It literally means a maker of tents. Someone who worked with leather, canvas, and heavy fabric used for shelters and coverings. In other words, Paul worked with his hands. The man who wrote much of the New Testament was not sitting around waiting for donations. Many times he supported himself through manual labor so no one could accuse him of preaching the Gospel for money. He even pointed to this as an example. Acts 20:34–35 “You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my necessities, and to those who were with me.” Think about that. Paul preached the Gospel across the Roman world. He planted churches. He wrote letters that would become Scripture. And in between all of that… he made tents. This is a good reminder for a lot of people today. Having a job does not make your ministry less spiritual. Paul built tents. Peter was a fisherman. Jesus Himself was a carpenter. God has always used ordinary work as a platform for extraordinary things. Faithfulness where you are matters. You do not have to stand behind a pulpit to serve God. Sometimes the mission field looks like a job site, a shop, a boat, or a workbench. Paul stitched tents. And at the same time… God was using him to change the world. #MoreJoyMinistries