Thanks for dropping by?the Malyon Workplace website. ?Malyon Workplace is an inititaive of Malyon College, the theological training arm of Queensland Baptists.
At Malyon, we are passionate about developing Christians of influence wherever they happen to be. While the College has a primary focus on training women and men for paid Christian service, we also recognise that the majority of Jesus’ followers are ‘full time Christian workers’ in a myriad of other contexts; on the frontlines representing Jesus and bringing kingdom values to bear.
One of these frontlines, the workplace. is a critical space for Christian influence. And yet, as Mark Greene (Executive Director of the London Institute of Contemporary Christianity) points out, the, ?? 98% of Christians who are not in church-paid work ? on the whole, are not equipped or envisioned for mission except in the 2-10 hours they might spend in church related activities every week.?
In other words, Christians are generally ill-prepared for effective ministry where they spend the other 110 waking hours of their week ? in their homes, in their neighbourhoods, in the community, in their workplaces and the many other frontlines where God has placed them.
In Thank God It?s Monday, Greene puts the challenge firmly in the context of the workplace:
‘There are very few places where a non-Christian could and should see the difference that Christ makes in a life so clearly as working with someone thirty, forty, sixty hours a week.
We are called on to look for common ground with non-Christians when, in the workplace, we already share it.
We are being exhorted to build bridges when, in the workplace, the bridges are built and have been crossed.
We are exhorted to go and develop relationships with people, but, in the workplace, the relationships already exist.
We are encouraged to go out and fish in pools and puddles when we are already sitting on a lake full of fish.? [Emphasis added]
?So, at Malyon,?we are interested in thinking through questions such as:
- What might it mean to be a Christian of influence at a building worksite, on a hospital ward or in a Woolie?s warehouse?
- ?What difference should it make to be a Christian teacher, tradesman or dental technician? Or perhaps a nurse, a nanny or a novelist?
- Is God even interested in what we do from day-to-day in so called ?secular? workplaces, Monday to Friday, 9-5? Or is God most interested in what we do in those ?sacred? times when we are with our Christian family; when we are serving him at our local church?
- What does it mean to be ?salt? and ?light? in the workplace? How might the world be squeezing us into its own mould in an office, a school classroom, or?a building site?
- And, what is God?s view of work anyway? Is ?secular? work a distraction from real ministry? Is it a necessary evil? Is it just God?s way of making sure the full-time Christian workers can get paid? Is it just a way of funding well-earned holidays or (hopefully) early retirement? Or is work actually worship??
You are welcome to?join us?as we pursue answers to these challenging and important questions via the Malyon Workplace?project. We think it will be an exciting journey!
If you have any questions, suggestions or just want to let use know you are interested, please use the electronic form in the ‘Contact Us’ section or send an email to info@malyonworkplace,org.au
Oh … and don’t forget to complete our online Worker Survey using the link on the home page.
Murray Wright
Malyon Workplace?Director