A resource for digital tentmakers
Earn your living.
Serve your calling.
Keep the gospel free.
Paul the Apostle made tents. Not as a hobby - as a strategy. He worked with his hands so that no one he preached to would ever owe him anything. This site is for people who want to do the same thing in the digital age.
"We were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone's food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you."
2 Thessalonians 3:7-8
What is this?
Tentmaking for the digital age
A digital tentmaker is someone who supports themselves financially through digital or remote work - software, writing, design, consulting, teaching - so that their ministry, service, or community work does not depend on donations or institutional support.
This is not about getting rich. It is about building a life with enough margin that you can give generously, serve freely, and go wherever the work takes you.
You do not have to be a missionary. You do not have to be a Christian. Anyone who wants to serve others without the strings of financial dependency will find something useful here.
Work with your hands
Your skill is your tent. Build it well.
Serve without obligation
Give freely because you owe no one your livelihood.
Go where you are needed
Location independence opens doors that salary never could.
The curriculum
13 topics, one direction
- 01
The History of Tentmaking
Paul was not a pastor with a salary. He was a leatherworker who paid his own way. Learn where this ancient practice comes from and why it still matters.
- 02
The Gospel Is Free to You
When your income does not depend on the people you serve, something changes. You can give without obligation, teach without strings, and love without leverage.
- 03
Baselining
How much do you actually need to live? Baselining is the discipline of calculating your true minimum - and discovering that freedom costs less than you think.
- 04
Creating Margin in Life
Margin is the space between your load and your limit. Without it, there is no room to serve, to rest, or to respond when someone needs you.
- 05
High Leverage Income
Some work pays more per hour than others. Learning which skills earn the most for the least time frees you to spend the rest on what matters.
- 06
You Are a Business
Whether you freelance, consult, or build products, shifting from employee mindset to owner mindset changes how you price, position, and plan your work.
- 07
Geographic Arbitrage
Earn in a strong currency. Live where costs are lower. This is not a loophole - it is a strategy that missionaries and global workers have practiced for generations.
- 08
Remote and Async Work
The shift to distributed teams has made tentmaking more viable than ever. Learn how to find, evaluate, and thrive in remote work arrangements.
- 09
Location Independence
What does it take to build a life that is not anchored to one city or country? Practical steps for untethering your income from your geography.
- 10
Digital Nomading: A 15-Year Retrospective
The digital nomad movement is now old enough to evaluate honestly. What worked, what did not, and what lessons apply to those serving in ministry contexts.
- 11
Careers for the Digital Tentmaker
From software development to copywriting to consulting - a guide to the roles most compatible with tentmaking, with honest assessments of each.
- 12
Not Just for Christians
The tentmaking model is for anyone who wants to serve and love others - teachers, community builders, activists, and anyone whose work is bigger than a paycheck.
- 13
Bringing Others Along
The most powerful thing a tentmaker can do is not earn well alone - it is show others how. Mentoring, discipleship, and the multiplication of sustainable service.
Stay in the loop
New articles, resources, and tools for digital tentmakers. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.