One of the many daily devotions I receive in my in-box is one called "Prime Time With God" and is geared toward Christian men and women in the workplace. I highly reccomend it for everyone--regardless of vocation. It comes from a group called Ephesians 4 ministries who focus on helping congregations administer spiritual gifts inventories so that each member might live out their faith to the fullest.
As a Lutheran, I'm familiar with Luther's writings on vocation which I think is one of his greatest contributions to the church. However, I think we sometimes have a hard time translating it to our own lives. Perhaps we don't try too hard, perhaps we don't teach it enough. Whatever the case may be I encourage everyone to become familiar with Luther's teachings on this topic as it really speaks to how each one of us lives as little Christ's in every aspect of life and the great impact that can have on others; both temporally and spiritually.
Today's devotion from TGIF (Today God is First) really illustrates the disconnect I'm talking about and shares some interesting ways in which various congregations have tried to bestow this sense of Chrsitian Vocation upon their membership in meaningful, tangible ways. Some are pretty good. I would tie them to baptism some how as that is where our Godly vocations begin.
Enjoy!
Workplace Minister
TGIF Today God Is First Volume 2, by Os Hillman
10-28-2009
"And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him" (Col 3:17).
Over 70 percent of our time is spent in the workplace, yet our training and teaching in local churches focuses on areas where we spend much less time. The workplace is the greatest mission field of our day and represents the greatest opportunity for societal transformation, yet we do not train workplace believers how to effectively integrate their faith life into their work life. The wall between Sunday and Monday still exists and most workplace believers do not understand that all of life is spiritual, not just life on Sunday.
Our studies show an alarming 90 percent of Christians do not feel they've been adequately trained to apply biblical faith in their work life. We have focused on the fringes rather than the center where most people spend most of their time.
God is removing the wall of separation by speaking to pastors and workplace believers all over the world. A pastor recently shared how his church ordains their workplace believers for their calling to the workplace. Another pastor described their church's commitment to integrating training for their workplace believers on the theology of work. Another told how they began a workplace ministry within their church for their workplace believers, and even integrated Sunday school programs specifically geared to help workplace believers understand their calling in the workplace.
We are entering a new era in the Church when workplace believers are seen as a remnant of the Body of Christ who need to be mobilized and trained for the work of the ministry to their own mission field?the workplace. We are changing the 80/20 rule in the 9 to 5 window from 20% of the people doing ministry to 80%.
Are you one of the men and women God is raising up for this task? Pray that God will help local church leaders understand and affirm this calling, and that they will respond by training their people for their own ministry in their workplaces.
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