The Lausanne Global Conversation is on the World Wide Open Network
Author: Willy Kotiuga
Date: 08.06.2010
Category: Workplace Ministry
Editor’s Note: This Cape Town 2010 Advance Paper has been written by Willy Kotiuga as an overview of the topic to be discussed at the Multiplex session on “Preparing Your Marketplace for a Faith Journey.” Responses to this paper through the Lausanne Global Conversation will be fed back to the author and others to help shape their final presentations at the Congress.
Abstract
One of the largest ‘unactivated’ peoples’ groups that spans across all nations and continents is the workplace where most of the world’s populations is actively engaged in earning income to support their families. Within all segments of the workplace are believers who have a personal relationship with God. Some are extremely effective in using their workplace to invite others to join them on their journey while for others work is a place where faith shapes their behavior but not much more. The fields are ripe unto harvest and in the workplace there are many harvesters but only a small percentage are fully engaged in proclaiming hope to a world looking for hope.
While there is little disagreement on the theology of being salt and light where we are planted, the reality of our current situation is that we have fallen short in our passion to live out our responsibility to declare Jesus Christ as Savior. In this paper we explore where we are today, highlight the many positive developments in workplace ministry and look at the barriers to getting where God would like us to be so that there is sustainable development in properly equipping the believers in the workplace to do what God has called them to do.
1 The Context (Biblical Basis)
We are called to go into the entire world and that includes the world that God has placed us in. Wherever our sphere of influence extends we are to be the salt and light for this world to see. This call does not make a distinction between professional Christian workers in churches or Christian agencies and those who have ordinary occupations. Even Jesus lived out His vocation as carpenter until it was time to live out the last ten percent of His life focused on announcing the Kingdom to the masses full-time.
There are numerous examples of Biblical heroes that model how faith was an integral part of how they conducted business in the workplace. The one common element in all the stories is that their faith journey and professional journey were one and the same, with faith and work mutually interdependent. There was no differentiation between work and spirituality as they lived out their faith twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week (24/7).
Joseph’s faith not only sustained him through four separate careers (family business, household management, prison administration, public service) but was also a key element in his rise to the top in each position he held. Paul used his skills as a tentmaker not only to support his missionary endeavor but also as a means to reach an audience who did not have the luxury of engaging in public discussion on faith-related matters. Daniel rose to the highest ranks because of his God-given wisdom and his unswerving commitment to God’s principles, despite personal risk to his life. All aspects of their work were offerings of excellence unto God.
2 Our Current Situation
The Biblical examples have been the inspiration in the founding of many organizations with a diverse reach into communities around the world. Paul’s tentmaking skills inspired a generation of tentmakers who used their professional skills as an entry point to cultures that would have normally been closed to ‘formal’ missionary work. The Business as Mission (BAM) movement has taken this one step further in encouraging and equipping entrepreneurs to set up legitimate self-sustaining businesses around the world. These businesses provide living examples of God working through individuals determined to live out the Gospel using their God-given skills.
Throughout the world, men and women of faith have brought the church into their workplace in various creative ways. There are workplace Bible Studies that are taking place in small businesses to large corporations. These studies are not only a source of encouragement to those who attend, but also a reminder that living out the faith is a 24/7 responsibility that extends beyond the boundaries of the local congregations. Many of these Bible Studies have opened up the door for workers in search of God to find Him as they discover the relevance of faith to daily living.
Profession-based Christian fellowships or societies bring people within professional disciplines together to be a source of mutual encouragement and to explore how they can use their professional expertise effectively in building God’s Kingdom here on earth.
However, living the faith and professional living are not always aligned. We live in a secular - sacred paradigm that separates the Church from what happens in the workplace. In this paradigm, faith is expressed primarily within the confines of the church building or in church sanctioned and organized functions. But the same faith does not necessarily extend to the workplace where individuals spend forty hours a week rubbing shoulders with people who live in worlds that are not familiar with the Gospel.
There are many ‘workers’ in the workplace that are not living to their full potential in declaring the Good News. Living the faith goes beyond being good examples at work. The call to making disciples implores us to live the faith by deliberately inviting others to join us on our faith journey. The disconnect between theology and praxis has left so many people with an ‘incomplete’ calling. We work because we are designed and instructed by God to obey His original mandate as well as to declare the Good News.
3 Serious Questions
What happened that we have become so ineffective in reaching the billions of people working alongside those who have a personal living relationship with God? Within increasingly multi-ethnic work environments in the Western World, penetrating the workplace represents an unprecedented opportunity to enter into the lives of people from all the nations of the world.
We are taught in the church to go into the entire world, and yet the church has been feeble in equipping believers with tools and understanding of how God views the workplace. How we view work has influenced how we act at work. Do we see work as a necessary evil or an incredible opportunity? If it is a necessary evil, then anything related to work becomes less than holy.
Our faith and the teaching that we receive at church do shape our behavior and values. But unfortunately, in an increasingly pluralistic society, being ‘nice’ is not enough. Do we know the hearts of our co-workers? Do we see our co-workers the way Jesus sees them? Does our passion at church extend to our responsibility at work to invite others to join us on a faith journey? Does our commitment to gathering in our congregations extend to a practical love for our colleagues and customers when we scatter as the people of God? Much of the strategic significance of the workplace flows out of the reality that we are constantly surrounded with colleagues, competitors, clients and customers. Daily, most of us are in close dialogue with unbelievers.
Teaching, training and tools are necessary but not sufficient to bring in the harvest that is waiting. Our understanding and our hearts have to be enlarged to see the ‘secular’ as something that God desires to make holy. Each one of us has a responsibility to make that happen––not through our strength, but through the power of the Holy Spirit. We cannot do it alone, but we can in partnership with God. A healthy understanding of how to work with God in partnership in the workplace will go a long way into bringing the Church to the workplace.
4 Where Do We Want to Be
In a sacred work environment, there is a vibrant relevant proclamation of faith in the workplace empowered by a move of the Holy Spirit, all supported by the empowering, dynamic, invigorating prayers of the local church. The workplace is one of the few environments where believers have access to an audience forty hours a week. The workplace is ideal for embodying the Gospel, living a life that reflects grace and truth. There are very few evangelistic outreaches where this is possible.
Rethinking how we do church has become a ‘catch phrase,’ but most efforts have been directed towards the improvement and refinement of existing programs without touching the fundamental issues that would open doors towards seeing God move in powerful ways. There are incredible stories of how God has been moving in churches that have been willing to rethink how they live out the Good News.
Directing this rethinking toward equipping people to live and proclaim their faith at work would help us to move from just being present at work to living out our faith at work. Properly equipped with a holistic God-view of the workplace, workers will become highly motivated harvesters. Fully engaging the world will happen only when workers are fully engaged in the workplace.
However, fully to engage workers in the workplace will require a change in the prevailing church mindset to accept workers in the workplace as Christ’s full-time servants. The distinction, along with the ensuing inherent biases, between full-time paid Christian workers and the laity must disappear with respect to the notion of being called into the ministry.
The greatest potential for growth for the church in the next generation comes from the people who hunger for meaningful relationships in the workplace. Our workers are in fields that are ripe for harvest, but they have not yet learned how to engage effectively.
5 How Do We Get There
Unfortunately, there is no universal recipe to get where we would like to be ideally. But there are some key steps we can take today to move closer to what God intended for us. For years the church and the secular have been kept in separate spheres. Each has its own prevailing culture that separates the workplace from church.
People don’t respond until they are moved to respond. In church we hear about the Good News and how God wants to bring hope to the world, but when we get into the world on Monday there is no invitation to co-workers to discover God’s grace, forgiveness and hope. There is a lack of passion for the spiritual welfare of our co-workers. As this goes on week after week, it soon becomes ‘normal’ to disassociate church from work. The gap between theology and praxis grows, creating a paradigm where church becomes increasing irrelevant to the workplace and the workplace becomes irrelevant to the church.
The Sunday and workweek dynamics that exist today are worlds apart even though they should not be. Workers and pastors for the most part live in different paradigms. Many pastors have spent the majority of their careers in professional ministry and don’t fully understand work dynamics. And workers have not attempted to educate pastors on how they spend the week in the workplace. As a result, each stays in his/her own respective worlds, meeting only at church functions. Workers have a responsibility to take their pastors on a tour of their workplace and pastors need to become more proactive in understanding the heart and context of the work culture of their parishioners. The Gospel is not just about theology but also about sharing living examples of what works and what does not.
Lunchtime Bible Studies at work, early Morning Prayer with fellow believers and corridor discussions are part of the solution. Workplace conferences and some of the books and studies on work are helpful tools and can assist in getting started. However, the problem is that many people do not, in general, integrate work with ministry. We don’t have many shining examples of Christian workers who are able to integrate seamlessly their expressive faith on Sunday with work during the week. Many people’s faith tends to be compartmentalized. Very few workplace believers make significant contributions that get noticed or celebrated at church on Sundays.
The church has to become alive at the workplace by making the workplace sacred. Work has to be seen as an integral and essential part of the mission field at our doorstep. Two things need to happen if the church - work divide is to be bridged effectively: we need to rethink globally the role of the church in supporting our workplace emissaries, and to rethink the role of work in motivating emissaries. Without deliberate rethinking and concrete actions, we will continue to perpetuate the current paradigm of workers doing very little to bring in the harvest that awaits our attention.
The Business as Mission (BAM) movement has demonstrated how we need to be much more intentional about penetrating the workplace. Its focus on the practical aspect in equipping entrepreneurs to succeed needs to become part of the culture of the church. One common characteristic of BAMers is that they are extremely passionate about their mission and willing to put everything at risk to achieve their objectives.
Work needs to be seen as an opportunity for mission, a place where we can bring God’s gift of love to people with whom we would not normally have contact. To transform the current secular paradigm of ‘working for a living’ into ‘breathing God’s life into work,’ church needs to become more than just worship and teaching.
6 What Do We Need to Do Now
We don’t need elaborate plans and strategies––we just need to start. But to help us get started, we do need to develop simple models that work and to build on current experience. We already have a number of good motivational books, studies and examples—and enough guilt about not doing enough—to get a good start. What we don’t have is enough critical mass to build and create momentum to make the process sustainable.
Bridging the current secular - sacred divide starts with bringing the church to the workplace. Greater involvement of the laity in developing strategies such as is happening at Cape Town 2010 is a good start. Although pastors rub shoulders with the laity in a church context, the discussions are primarily focused on church business and not workplace mission. Many pastors don’t have the background or knowledge to engage in practical mission-based discourse on reaching the workplace. Educating the laity on how to bring workplace issues to the church mission agenda is key, but must be done in parallel with helping the clergy to see the mission possibilities in the workplace. Everything that we do is a gift to God, whether it is preaching, teaching, designing, cooking, cleaning, creating spreadsheets or operating a machine. And everything we do should reflect excellence that is a worthy offering acceptable to God.
All the best training and all the best tools will gather dust on our shelves unless there is a renewed passion that can come only through prayer and the moving of God’s Spirit. The pulpit is a powerful instrument but only if it is relevant. Regurgitating old clichés without understanding work dynamics will only widen the secular – sacred divide.
Now is the time to put aside the old paradigms and start the process of transforming the workplace into holy ground where God is invited to move through each of our lives. Starting is great, but without sustainability as an integral part of the design, mission in the workplace will become a fad and not a growing reality. We need to ask God to raise up champions to drive the process. We need these champions to work with believers of all vocations and callings to build a community of practice to promote excellence and to keep the momentum going.
We have tools such as the Internet and Skype that can facilitate the exchange of knowledge through virtual communities that can have real impacts. Through technology, not only can we share but also experience the move of God in real time. We need to set the wheels in motion that will take us to places that we would have thought impossible.
7 What Does a Sacred Work Environment Look Like? – Joseph Model
Discussing what is and what should be will create awareness and motivate people into action. But unless we know where we are going we are at best growing in the dark. We all expect our endeavors to produce people who begin a faith journey and enter into a growing relationship with God. But going from where we are today to where we want to be does not normally happen overnight. We don’t have a magic formula or instruction manuals that guarantee perfect results, but we do have a collection of examples of what is possible. God has blessed me with a sacred workplace where I serve Him as a professional consulting engineer. I call it the ‘Joseph Model’ in honor of Joseph who transformed each of his work environments under adverse conditions.
The path to faith is a journey that reaches its critical state when searching gives way to commitment and ongoing transformation through a daily walk with God in an environment that has been reclaimed for God. However, in the process of planting the seed, there are many variables outside of our control, impeding growth to maturity. After years of trying to invite co-workers to join me on a faith journey, I realized that without an enabling environment, words and personal examples were not enough. To overcome some of the impediments to reaching the commitment phase, I started the discipling process from the moment that someone came into my sphere of influence. While I have the privilege of being a director of the company I work for, I also have the responsibility to use everything in my power to create an environment that is highly conducive to excellence in the product we provide and in helping people attain their highest potential.
I lead a highly skilled group of professional engineers with active projects in over 20 countries. Our primary output is high level consulting reports for governments, international funding agencies and senior electricity company executives. The values driving our work environment include accountability, responsibility, excellence, teamwork, discussions in a learning environment, risk-taking, forgiveness, support and celebration. While all these are highly desirable from a professional perspective, they also are critical in terms of helping people embark on a healthy faith journey long before any commitment to the Lord is made. These have become not only drivers to attaining professional excellence, but also an integral part of making good disciples.
Accountability reminds people that in all areas of life we are accountable to a higher authority. Responsibility reinforces the principle to work through difficulties in meeting our obligations and commitments. The value of excellence motivates people to do better than they have done in the past and better than others are used to doing. A learning environment stimulates discussion and encourages exploration beyond current knowledge to explore and discover more about life. Encouraging staff to take risks helps them learn to step out of their comfort zone into new territory while forgiveness is offered to those who make mistakes or whose risks have not turned out to be as successful as their initial optimism indicated. Support enables people to go in confidence to the next level of understanding and knowledge with celebration for successes. There is no secular – sacred divide in promoting these values.
This is a holy environment since all of the above values are fundamental to walking in faith. Such an environment is not only an environment for professional excellence but also for coworkers to be discipled long before they make a commitment to faith. Each of the values highlights an aspect of faith, and is practiced in the workplace on a daily basis, giving co-workers a taste of walking in faith, which is what the Good News is all about. Therefore when they meet Jesus, crossing the bridge into a life of faith will mean entering a lifestyle that is already somewhat familiar, because prior to their conversion they will have gone already through an intensive discipleship training course that will now help them grow rapidly in their relationship to God.
This is the sacred environment in which I live at my workplace. For others who are not in managerial positions, the holy ground may be limited to one’s shared workspace, desk or workbench. For some, a sacred workplace is the lunchtime Bible study once a week. For others, it could be coffee breaks and/or lunchtimes filled with discussions (not monologues) about matters in life. Ultimately what transforms the secular to sacred is the presence of God––and when God is present, changes take place. We are all called to be change agents. If Joseph could do it as a slave and as a prisoner, there is no reason why we cannot transform that which is within our sphere of influence into holy ground.
8 Road Map For the Future
The future is full of possibilities for reaching the billions who actively gain their living in the workplace. Where the road will take us depends on breaking the secular – sacred divide. Cape Town 2010 will bring laity in direct contact with church leaders. We can script a program, but what we need more than a script is an enlarged vision with effective leadership. And that will only come through prayer.
All movements need leadership. Leadership in the workplace is needed as much as leadership in mission agencies and churches. Many workplace people are leaders but many are not. The few who speak out or write get some attention, particularly if they are CEO’s or some luminary. We need to energize, train and equip laymen and women to lead for the Gospel in every corner of the workplace. How do we train leaders to be catalysts in their context—and to mobilize others? Many believers in the workplace truly want to reach out and have an impact. As in so many other contexts, they need leadership. Almost everyone thinks of leadership in the secular context and the church/organizational context. People read all the management books and leadership books on leading better in their work or ‘ministry.’ But what does it take to lead in the context of the workplace in order to make an impact for the gospel? Surely it is more than organizing a noon Bible study or a special speaker. What does that leader look like whether on the assembly line or at the head of a corporation? What do they need in order to develop their faith leadership skills at their workplace—not merely to be a better manager in their job?
At Cape Town 2010, may God open our eyes and break down the barriers we have created so that we may all prepare the workplace for an incredible faith journey.
© The Lausanne Movement 2010
Keywords: marketplace, people group, equipping, Bible studies, accountability, occupations, disconnection, multicultural, love, dialogue, training, Joseph, journey, culture gap, relevance, transformation, integration, intentional, passionate, leadership
Views: 70445
Comments: 121
Recommendations: 13
Conversation Post Comment
Madagascar
La dichotomie instauree par nombre de chretiens a defini lemonde du travail comme un mionde seculier. Le travail est non seulement un don de Dieu mais cest un ministere, un sacerdoce a part entiere pour chaque chretien . Nos leaders chretiens doivent encourager chaque chretien a grandir selon le modele de Luc 2:52 afin qu ils puissent developer un miistere holistique puissant dans leur milieu de travail.
09.09.2010
Canada
@ Harimaka_Alain_R:
Cher Alain
Merci pour vos commentaires. Vous avez tellement raison en notant que le travail est un ministère. Notre travail nous donne accès à des gens que nous n’aurions jamais recontrer. Nous avons le privilège de montrer la lumiere de la gloire de Dieu qui est dans nos vies.
Willy
03.10.2010
Australia
Thank you for your article. The Joseph model is very interesting as it introduces the concept of discipling through business mentoring all staff. This will prepare them to be more receptive to the Gospel when it is shared with them.
Also, it is very important to train and disciple the Christians in the work place. The Great Commission is for all Christians and not only for Pastors and full time Christian workers.
The only way to break the sacred/secular divide is through unceasing prayer, listening to the Lord’s guidance and being obedient to His directions.
The "workplace" is God’s missionfield and we are His servants.....
13.09.2010
Canada
@ danda:
thank you for your contribution. You are so right that we have to train the workforce in the workplace. Church is a good place to start but we have to get out of the four walls of the sanctuary and get to where Jesus would be, where the people are.
Willy
03.10.2010
United States
As a 21st century “tentmaker” I am glad this conversation will be a part of Cape Town. From creative access nations as well as corporate boardrooms, the marketplace venue represents a way to relive the experience of the book of Acts – the anonymous, ordinary, working men and women, slave and free, who lived their lives totally in Gospel rhythms and changed their world.
A few thoughts on this paper:
Perhaps the succinct words of another tentmaker may help to provide some initial perspective to integrate profession in its sense of declaration of faith and dedication to work, “Whatever you do in word or deed, do it as unto the Lord…”
Downloadable Attachments
19.09.2010
Canada
@ RagamuffinRese:
Thank you for your helpful comments and thoughts. As a tentmaker myself, I have always considered my profession as ministry even though comments made often implied that my choice of career was not the highest calling. In my ccontribution to the onversation on Confessions of Workplace Christian I describe my thoughts.
We all have to be deliberate in reminding ourselves that we are on the same team with complementary (not mutually exclusive) skills and gifts to contribute. We look forward to healthy discussions in Lausanne and the setting up of a Community of Practice where we can share our journey and experiences in an ongoing dialogue to live our faith wherever God has placed us.
Willy
03.10.2010
United States
Dear Willy,
I was moved by your vision of the sacred workplace and the efforts you have undertaken in your own setting to establish work values that reflect characteristics of disciples. As a pastor, I need to repent of the false secular-sacred divide that comes out in attitudes as well as prayers and illustrations that underrepresent the holy ground of the workplace.
You offered helpful suggestions of how to break down the secular-sacred divide in the minds of church leaders/pastors. In my own life, the most significant conversion of my behavior and speech comes through an increasingly greater vision of the scope of Christ’s reign (it’s everywhere), the supreme power of God (He can do anything), and the intensity of God’s love (He is sacrificially calling the world to himself and overlooks no one).
May our corporate study of Ephesians be a catalyst of the Spirit and our willingness to enact the reign, the power, and the love of God in the world.
Sara Singleton
19.09.2010
Canada
@ Sara_S:
Dear Sara
One of the big challenges today is to become increasingly dependent on God in a world that becoming increasingly dependent on technology and techniques. We have a tendency to develop wonderful plans but plans that often don’t include a pivotal role for the Holy Spirit.
Willy
03.10.2010
Malaysia
I teach mainly kingdom market place servants. Read "Great Commission Companies" by Rundle and Steffen. Indeed we are a priesthood of all believers.
02.10.2010
Russia
Great article. It’s honest, heart-felt and true, but also very well thought-through.
We often tend to think of missions as going to another country, but the majority of Christians (and I mean, the MAJORITY) are on a mission field already. It is common sense that not everybody will go to foreign missions, but everybody is called to live out his/her faith n the workplace. I think the church forgets this too often. If we were better workers and better missionaries where we are, we would see more of the fruit of the harvest inside church. But perhaps it is also that our mundane work seems so unenlightened, so unspiritual that we long to exchange it for the "more spiritual" task of "reaching the nations for Christ". Both are important, and, in my personal opinion, "workplace missions" need to be emphasized by the church more. So, following the author: "Yes" to 24/7 missions where we are now, "No" to the concept of "work as a necessary evil" - although how easy it is to slide back to our stereotypical understanding of "secular" work! (And, by the way, Willy, great observation on the uniqueness of work as a 40-hour-a-week access to an audience.)
There is also a very valid point that pastors usually do not understand the work dynamics and live in a paradigm that is different from that of the workers, and that workers do not usually attempt to educate pastors on what their work environment is.
I very much liked the examples from your work practice, where you start a discipling process from the moment people get hired into your business; you teach standards of excellence, and then, after conversion, as you direct them to Christ, people are already in a somewhat familiar territory.
One final observation, from a Russian angle: I would estimate that more than 70% of pastors or church leaders in my country are first-generation Christians, so they have had significant exposure to work before they came to full-time ministry, and some (in smaller churches) are still working part-time in a secular job. But it seems to me that for some reason they have a tendency to forget what secular work is. It’s hard to hypothesize about the exact reason, but perhaps it is the "holy"/"profane" dichotomy, in regards to work vs. ministry. We still have a long way to go before we change this current situation. So, thank you again for addressing this topic.
Great article. It’s honest, heart-felt and true, but also very well thought-through.
We often tend to think of missions as going to another country, but the majority of Christians (and I mean, the MAJORITY) are on a mission field already. It is common sense that not everybody will go to foreign missions, but everybody is called to live out his/her faith n the workplace. I think the church forgets this too often. If we were better workers and better missionaries where we are, we would see more of the fruit of the harvest inside church.
But perhaps it is also that our mundane work seems so unenlightened, so unspiritual that we long to exchange it for the "more spiritual" task of "reaching the nations for Christ". Both are important, and, in my personal opinion, "workplace missions" need to be emphasized by the church more. So, following the author: "Yes" to 24/7 missions where we are now, "No" to the concept of "work as a necessary evil" - although how easy it is to slide back to our stereotypical understanding of "secular" work! (And, by the way, Willy, great observation on the uniqueness of work as a 40-hour-a-week access to an audience.)
There is also a very valid point that pastors usually do not understand the work dynamics and live in a paradigm that is different from that of the workers, and that workers do not usually attempt to educate pastors on what their work environment is. I very much liked the examples from your work practice, where you start a discipling process from the moment people get hired into your business; you teach standards of excellence, and then, after conversion, as you direct them to Christ, people are already in a somewhat familiar territory.
One final observation, from a Russian angle: I would estimate that more than 70% of pastors or church leaders in my country are first-generation Christians, so they have had significant exposure to work before they came to full-time ministry, and some (in smaller churches) are still working part-time in a secular job. But it seems to me that for some reason they have a tendency to forget what secular work is. It’s hard to hypothesize about the exact reason, but perhaps it is the "holy"/"profane" dichotomy, in regards to work vs. ministry. We still have a long way to go before we change this current situation. So, thank you again for addressing this topic.
25.09.2010
Canada
@ Ilya_Kolmagorov:
Ilya
Thank you for sharing. The lessons from Russia are important lessons for us to learn.
We have to be deliberate in ensuring that we see that when God walks with us the secular is exposed to the sacred. The world does not disappear when we walk into a ’sacred’ environment. The secular does not have to consume our lives if we walk in God’s sacred space.
Willy
30.09.2010
United States
I have really enjoyed reading both this advance paper and others comments. I don’t have much to say as I am in agreement with both.
The only thing that I may add is that these concepts can be expanded outside the workplace. As I have heard Jill Briscoe say "Your greatest missions field is between your own two feet." I am fortunate enough right now to be a stay-at-home mom. I have seen it as an opportunity that allows me more flexibly with my time to invest in the lives around me, yet "it is my workplace." Along with raising my children to love Jesus (as a mom); it has allowed me to start a ministry to bring hope in police life (as I’m married to a police officer); help start a MOPS group in my church (as I’m a mom); love my neighbors (both physical and relational); take large amounts of time to study God’s word (as a disciple); and as Willy’s paper suggest "being salt and light where we are planted" (as a missionary). My desire now is to help others see this as a possibility in their lives and I look forward to passing on this paper to help spur on those ideas.
27.09.2010
Canada
@ CatherineD:
What a wonderful lesson on doing something with what you have and where you are. God does not ask us to do the impossible but rather He asks us to allow Him to do amazing things with what is within our realm of possibility.
30.09.2010
United Kingdom
Thank you for an insightful paper. I found the examples of Joseph and Paul very helpful in providing a biblical basis for the idea that we are all in ministry in the place God has put us, be that work, at home or in ’Christian’ work (Catherine, I found your comments really encouarging). I would be interested in hearing of other cases studies which use the business discipling idea in other fields of work e.g. healthcare, education, skilled labour, and how it might function at different levels of seniority.
29.09.2010
Canada
@ Rachael_Hosier:
Rachael
One of the problems in addressing the issue of being light in the workplace is that there is no such thing as a typical workplace. It would be great to hear examples of how people of various professions are blessing and changing their work environment.
I had a student summer job that was not very exciting. My job was to type out labels for envelopes for books to be sent to new parents. When I started praying for each parent and child who would receive the book, this became an exciting opportunity to ask God to give the new parents wisdom in bringing up their new addition. That was forty years ago and although I don’t know who received those prayers, I know that God was faithful in respond to my requests. Prayer took a boring job and turned it into an exciting time of hope.
That is one of my stories. Does anyone have other stories to tell?
30.09.2010
Canada
What a great paper! I really enjoyed your perspective that we have enough theory, and just need to get started!
In Inter-Varsity in Canada, we are trying to respond to a trend for graduating students to feel unprepared to fully engage in mission in their workplaces. It’s a felt need among students for more preperation.
Two quick suggestions I wanted to make:
1) I wonder if a helpful place to start would be to begin practicing growing in love and appreciation for our co-workers. It seems that the more we really see and know the people around and begin to really love them, the more we would be motivated and compelled to bring the message of the gospel.
2) There is an excellent book by IVP called I Once Was Lost (Everts and Schaupp) that outlines five thresholds that all people seem to pass through on their journey toward belief. It really helps clarify what part of the journey people are on and what might be the most helpful interaction to have with them in that stage.
Finally, I thought your comments about values that shape culture in the workplace were excellent. It seems especially strategic toward this end to take advantage of any opportunity we have to create environments and shape culture that are conducive to seeking and reflect the goodness of the Kingdom.
30.09.2010
Canada
@ Dana_Sproule:
Dana
Thank you for your suggestions.
I agree that we are not doing a good job in preparing those who are entering the workplace to be change agents. The issue is whether we become hostage to our work environment or whether we becomes agents of changing our workplace environments to be a place where hostages to sin can become free.
Praying for all the people we work with changes us and opens our eyes to seeing how God would like to use us to bless those that spend the 40 hours a week with us.
It is actually easier to shape the workplace environment than we think. In my professional work I have had the privilege of being an agent of change in successfully restructuring an organisation of 23,000 in a highly unionized environment and another organisation of 55,000. So much can be done with so few. And even more can be done with God working in, through and with us.
While my heart’s desire is that as many as possible discover the joys of a vibrant faith journey, we have a responsibility to contribute to the welfare of the organizations that pay our salaries. Creating an environment that strives for excellence is possible even under difficult situations. When we come with the Light, everything takes on a different perspective.
We must never consider our workplace as a target for ’winning’ souls but rather as place to help people discover the love that God has for them by allowing God to work through us. God gives people the freedom to choose, so must we. Our responsibility is use our gifts and abilities to create an environment where people discover the freedom they have with God.
Willy
30.09.2010
Romania
Thanks for the article. I am pleased that the topic of engaging the workplace and breaking down the barrier between so-called professional ministers and laity is being addressed. I really like the focus statement: equipping people to live and proclaim their faith at work would help us to move from just being present at work to living out our faith at work.
My questions for the authors would be: how does God make the “secular holy” (pg. 3)? Can you spell out what “a holistic God-view of the workplace” is (pg. 3)? Does part 7 not contradict the preceding call to not just be “nice” on page 3? Do values (in part 7) translate to holiness; if so, how are they distinct from secular values or those of other faiths? That is, what makes them distinctly Christian? Finally, does the last paragraph in part 7 not assume and support a sacred-secular divide?
I would also just comment on some of the themes in the article. The article seems to address a minority world society. How can this important topic address the realities of the majority world?
Does a “holistic” view of the workplace go beyond objectifying it or means to holding an audience to, for example, understanding it as gift?
I also wonder if the basic problem is one of motivation (pg. 4) rather than self-perception. I think the theme of “witness”, absent from this article, is potent for living faith in the workplace, but that means that workers understand themselves to be witnesses.
07.09.2010
South Africa
A church I belonged to in Cape Town was exploring what it meant to be Christ Church gathered and Christ Church scattered. The idea was that as a church we were gathered together on Sunday for services & scattered throughout the marketplace, homes, schools and universities from Monday to Saturday.
When I left they were just beginning to form "Connect groups" around different interests and professional groupings to empower those in the workplace. A person was also taken onto staff as a Life Coach to provide his services to key people in "Christ Church scattered" and to run weekend workshops for those wanting to re-evaluate their life/work ambitions in light of their calling/vocation in the workplace.
01.09.2010
United States
Thank you for your insight on this critical area that is core to advancing the Kingdom of God, churches rethinking how they live out the Good News! I would agree that it rests a lot on integrating work and ministry for the church to become alive in that workplace to ’breath God’s life into work.’ We do need to energize, train and equip men and women to lead for the Gospel in every corner of the workplace resulting in people and place transformation.
Here’s how a friend of mine, who is missional in the workplace responded to our current situation and need for change:
"When we were a rural nation with cities being started and built, it made good sense to do things in the way they are now being done. But now that our churches saturate the urban landscape, and now that people are concentrated in cities, a local, geographical operating model such as I’ve described is largely inappropriate and at odds with the Great Commission. In more formative days, city populations exploded into cities and caused real growth in urban churches."
Sam
27.08.2010
Brazil
Obrigada irmão Sergio por acrescentar a nossa conversa esses aspectos precisos. Concordo. E quero aprender ouvindo experiências e compartilhando também, e espero que aprendendo possa ensinar para todos quantos em minha região (interior do nordeste do Brasil) gostariam de estar nesse congresso e não podem.
Sirvo como missionária há 12 anos em uma denominação com 73 anos de existência no Brasil, com foco no semi-árido nordestino, que "respira" missão integral, perfura poços, possibilita criação de cabras, presta serviços na área da saúde e educação, entre outros. Os líderes sertanejos são pastores, mas também atuam como agentes comunitários, e lutam pelos direitos da população. Os profissionais testemunham do evangelho e servem a todos sem distinção por serem cristãos. Mas essa concepção não é entendida, e nem aceita pela maioria evangélica da região. Acham que somos "católicos mansos" (como nos chamam), quando não marxistas ou comunistas, simplesmente porque falamos em políticas públicas e não somos legalistas.
Bem, atuamos também no preparo teológico de líderes no sertão da Paraíba, em três seminários interdenominacionais. Fizemos parcerias com um outro seminário e com alguns pastores que desejam assim como nós, ter mais líderes no interior do nordeste do Brasil preparados teologicamente, pois a realidade é que a maioria é leiga. No contato com esses líderes em sala de aula, ensinamos a missão integral da igreja, e aos poucos temos percebido a assimilação desses líderes em sua prática ministerial.
Em minha cidade, temos feito intercâmbios dos alunos do seminário com as igrejas locais, e os próprios alunos mobilizam essas igrejas para missão integral, com palestras, peças teatrais e músicas, atingindo jovens, adultos e crianças . Estamos no processo de uma experiência de parceria entre uma igreja local, um seminário teológico interdenominacional e uma comunidade de contexto social precário (violência, prostituição, drogas e probreza extrema). Esperamos aprender a ouvir essa comunidade, e juntos com ela mudarmos sua realidade, certamente a nossa. Para isso, estamos de forma intensiva ensinando a igreja local parceira sobre missão integral, nas escolas bíblicas dominicais, nos cultos de oração, de celebração, nos pequenos grupos nos lares, através das músicas e nas conversas informais. Oramos pedindo a Deus que nos ajude a perseverar nesse propósito, e que muitos outros nos bairros de nossa cidade, e em outros municípios tomem essa iniciativa.
23.08.2010
Brazil
Conversar sobre esse assunto num alcance tão amplo de público é importantíssimo para o avanço do evangelho no mundo. Mudanças concretas na atuação da igreja ocidental podem surgir a partir de nossas colocações e discussões.
Concordo plenamente com o MarkGreene em todo seu texto. Precisamos focalizar na teologia, fornecendo a cosmovisão bíblica para a prática do evangelho. Porque parece que a cosmovisão cultural dicotômica tem superado os ensinos bíblicos. Essa consciência maravilhosamente exposta aqui, nas conversas sobre esse assunto, o qual estou acompanhando, não pode ser de alguns, não pode continuar em pequenos grupos, ela deve ser de toda a igreja. Se todos cristãos evangélicos pensarem, que todo lugar pode ser uma igreja e toda hora pode ser hora de culto, se todos pensarem que, se não houver culto na vida não haverá vida no culto, se todos pensarem que adoração é um estilo de vida, então acredito que a expansão do evangelho será fantástica!
O discurso nos púlpitos, no discipulado, nos seminários, em toda comunidade eclesiástica deve ser voltado totalmente para a prática do evangelho de Cristo que é integral. Em I Coríntios 10: 23-33, temos uma aula resumida de contextualização e de como deve ser nossa atuação na vida para salvação de muitos. Em Efésios 1, especificamente os versos 9 ao 12, Paulo nos diz que a vontade de Deus, de acordo com o seu bom propósito estabelecido em Cristo, é de fazer convergir em Cristo todas as coisas, celestiais ou terrenas... e que nós devemos ser para o louvor da sua glória. Quem é, é em todo lugar, em qualquer circunstância! Então, somos para o louvor da sua glória. Voltando ao texto de coríntios, seja o que for que façamos, façamos tudo para glória de Deus. O que fazemos deve ser pelo que somos em Deus. E porque somos de Deus devemos refletir o que Ele é, o Seu caráter.
Assuntos básicos da teologia precisam ser revistos: A doutrina da criação (nossa responsabilidade com o ambiente, com a vida social e com Deus), a doutrina da humanidade (nossa integralidade, a imagem de Deus no homem), do pecado (sua extensão), da salvação (a extensão da redenção), da igreja (o que é igreja; desmistificar a questão dos prédios, do “lugar certo ou errado”). Enfim, como costumamos dizer em minha região (nordeste do Brasil) precisamos do “feijão com arroz”, comida básica para o brasileiro.
Que o senhor nos ajude nessa mobilização, e use-nos como quiser onde estivermos, com nossas habilidades, e estilos pessoais.
20.08.2010
Brazil
@ Gleydice_Bernardes:
Irmã Glayce,
Desejo acrescentar as contribuições já apresentadas apenas mais três aspectos: (1) Quase sempre que ouço ou leio sobre ação missionária, ampliação de alcance e contextualização missionários, encontro uma polarização entre ação social e evangelização, e também me deparo com muitos projetos missionários que desassociam “as duas asas do mesmo avião” (J.Stott) e desejam “decolar”. A integralidade da missão precisa ser praticada e fazer-nos vivenciá-las juntas, como irmãs siamesas. (2) É urgente o retorno para o exame das Escrituras para dela construirmos nossas estratégias ou apresentarmos a rejeição de enlatados missionários, cristalizados por resultados, sem a adequada base bíblico-missiológica. Acredito que muitos dos desvios doutrinários que presenciamos nas igrejas de hoje, e também nas ações missionárias, são o resultado de missão sem teologia sadia, sem embasamento bíblico sólido. A Palavra de Deus deve ser vista como o nosso ponto de concórdia e não de discórdia! Tendo a bíblia como plataforma, seria de muita utilidade sugerir e tornar conhecidas muita e muitas idéias e estratégias para diversos contextos, isto além de compartilhar experiências serviriam como degraus para não tentar reinventar a roda (3) Por fim, tenho muito dificuldade em apenas identificar problemas e dizer o que deve ser feito, sem proporcionar alguma ajuda em como deve ser feito. Seria o mesmo que diagnosticar o mal de um doente, comunicá-lo da enfermidade e dizer para ele como sua saúde deve ser. Assim, líderes locais, regionais e de longo e largo alcance devem, em certa medida, buscar e oferecer propostas de ação e não simplesmente estabelecer metas desejáveis, principalmente quando se planeja para outros executarem.
Oro a Deus para este congresso em Cape Town desperte a natureza missionária de todos os santos e não fomente, crie nem estimule a existência de uma classe missionária, membros especiais, em uma comunidade onde todos foram vocacionados para a missão (João 20.21).
20.08.2010
Brazil
I liked to read this Paper. Is’s great! I believe we should emphasize more in friendship evangelism, day-by-day at marketplace, because it is an open door in all parts of the world: wherever the evangelism isn’t accepted and wherever (like in Brazil) many people do not trust in the Gospel due to many denominational divisions and evil testimony by some evangelical leaders. We also need to increasingly empower our members to give testimony with wisdom, not forcing God’s time.
12.08.2010
Singapore
Willy, thank you so much for sharing your much needed perspectives, but most of all, thank you for having the courage to live out this tremendous calling that God has placed on your life. It is incredibly inspiring!
I’m praying for the day when Christians from the marketplace hear from the pulpit, not once but multiple times, that their calling to the workplace is just as sacred and important to God as those of the people in ’full time church ministry’. There are so many workplace Christians I know who don’t think much of their God-given roles in their work place and it really distresses me when they see themselves as lower in the ’spiritual hierarchy’, compared to ’full time Christian workers’. I think pastors can do a lot more in empowering their flock to live out their marketplace callings, both in terms of preaching on relevant topics that are both Biblical and practical, as well as just casting vision about the holy calling that God has in their lives as workplace ministers.
Thanks for also highlighting a missing piece of the jigsaw for me in this subject. I really agree that there needs to be a mutual exchange of learning between pastors and the laity. I think many times, pastors aren’t savvy to the challenges faced in workplace ministry because of a lack of ’corporate’ experience, and as a result may not feel confident about preaching on the subject. But if there was such an intentional exchange, who knows what God could do through this kind of openness?
09.08.2010
United States
We posted the following quote from your advance paper on facebook and requested input. Please see the quote and the responses below:
"How do we train leaders to be catalysts in their context—and to mobilize others? Many believers in the workplace truly want to reach out and have an impact. As in so many other contexts, they need leadership."
Lorena Alvarez When we realize that we WORDHIP GOD in everything we do, that we can be pastors, teachers, evangelists within the Marketplace.. and that we can work so the Kingdom of God will take over in the Marketplace... Our SECULAR job will become the MINISTRY he has given us!!
Marcos Antonio Ferreira The discipleship need to be on the Cristian DNA. We need to teach then to start to share Christ until we have that as a daily practice responsibility.
David B. Doty I presume in you mean governmental, social and marketplace leaders. We must begin by addressing each arena for leadership in Biblically-based theology, i.e., a sound justification for leading in these (and other) areas.
07.08.2010
United States
Excellent article, and I agree that the workplace is an excellent mission field. I particularly like the point you make about pastors often not having (recent) secular work experience, and I will make sure my pastors get to tour my work.
What I don’t see in the article, and maybe this article isn’t the place for it, is how to deal with the increasing hostility that corporations are showing to Christianity in the name of "inclusion". At my company, "inclusion" means that I am not free to outwardly express my faith, since Christianity, by its very nature, is exclusionary by nature. I cannot put something about a prayer meeting on the company bulletin board, where it would share space with Gay Rights Day. Because of this hostility, we basically need to go "underground", and we certainly have to be incredibly careful in talking about the Gospel with those who are not believers.
I would love to hear creative and Christ-honoring ways that people are dealing with this increasing hostility in the secular workplace. I know that my brothers and sisters in countries where there is real hostility can teach me a lot there, since I am somewhat spoiled to not having had a lot of hostility to my faith here in the USA. How are you dealing with that hostility in the workplace, while growing disciples and bringing the Gospel to your non-believing workmates?
07.08.2010
United States
It is good th challenge us to consider how we view our work in the context of our faith. It totally changes our attitude and purpose when viewed through faith opportunties but too many have forgotten this - thus the reason we Christians in the West look no different than secular people. We need more discussion on the "inherent biases between paid Christian workers and the lait" - how to help people see that all are called into ministry. Also - helping us communicate to our churches how to make the workplace sacred.
Thank you for a challening article.
Mary Ann Smith
22.07.2010
China
Thank you for this healthy call towards living our whole lives for God’s glory. If evangelical churches could recover a more robust understanding of vocation then perhaps as God’s people we could learn to see our work--as well as every other aspect of our lives--as ministry.
The challenge of working as believers in limited or closed access countries forces this issue home. In these circumstances, the limited role for churches insociety forces the believer to take very serious his or her professional life and the witness it presents. Perhaps the struggles of churches in parts of the developing world can serve to remind complacent western evangelicals of the need to take Christ with us throughout the week--and not just spend time with Him on Sunday mornings.
One final observation: coming from a field perspective I do think it is time to move past the infatuation and hopefulness with which most current literature views the BAM project. Too many BAM initiatives end up as either businesses with naieve and unfulfilled "ministry" claims, or as so-called ministries that simply do not work as businesses. Perhaps discussions at Capetown will provide a chance to inject some realism into the current frenzy. BAM has much to offer, but until we see the value of Godly businesses in and of themselves, we will continue to squander resources on unrealistic plans and miss the real value that these initiatives have to offer.
20.07.2010
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