In this article, Kara Martin explores some myths and truths about faith and work:
“This time tomorrow – when we are in that place that God wants us to be in our employment or our community or our home or our work we’re dispersed but we are still the church.
We’re the church when we gather; we’re the church when we’re dispersed … it gives us a rhythm – we gather and disperse, we gather and disperse.
The people of God come together to praise God and to reflect on God, to hear God’s word and disperse to be part of what God is doing in the world and to meet God in that place. To hear God’s word in their work, and in their family and in their community and the issues of their context …
And then perhaps to gather that and bring it back to the gathered church and say, “Look what I have discovered about God. This in my place is how God is speaking and prompting and leading.” (Revd Dr Roger Walton)
Helpful article from the people at TGC about how to honour Monday to Friday on Sunday!
1. Preach about work from the pulpit.
2. Pray publicly for practitioners.
3. Sing songs that celebrate work.
4. Share testimonies about faith and work.
5. Commission congregants in their vocations.
Hard work?
Recently, I?listened?to a talk?given to a group?of Generation?Y people. The?speaker was a?young man in his?late 20?s and the?title was ?living a balanced life?. Looking at the?speaker, dressed in shorts and a T-shirt, and at?the audience, I assumed somewhat arrogantly,?that this would be an argument for a laid-back?lifestyle, involving a minimum of work and effort?and a maximum of relaxing on the beach and?partying. Wrong! It turned out to be a very wise?and helpful biblical exposition about the virtue of?hard work and its value in the sight of God. [Read more…] about Work and Life: Balance, Juggle, Chaos or More?
Source:?http://www.tear.org.au/learn/target/equipping-ordinary-people-for-kingdom-work
Duncan Brown is passionate about seeing the Church realize its empowering potential. Now a Queensland farmer, his passion has extended in many directions: as a journalist with leading newspapers, a senior pastor of a vibrant church, director of Scripture Union Queensland overseeing enormous growth, social entrepreneur, and a church consultant.?
Tim Johnson spoke with Duncan (a former mentor of his), to find out how the Church has limited discipleship, and how it might equip and mobilize Kingdom-oriented Christians.
TJ: Jesus teaches a way of life that emphasizes love, compassion and non-violence. A radical social alternative that places him, and those who follow, at odds with established culture. Jesus ushers in a new social paradigm ? the Kingdom of God ? which values service, sacrifice?and generosity.?
Sometimes it feels like churches have prioritized gatherings and programs at the expense of equipping people to follow this path. What do you think?
[Read more…] about Equipping Ordinary People for Kingdom Work
This page provides links to the presentations given by Neil Hudson during his visit to Queensland in April 2016. ?
Welcome to the 2016 Transforming Work Conference information page.?
Date: Saturday June 18, 8.30am-4.00pm
Venue: Malyon College, 53 Prospect Road, Gaythorne, 4051
Program: For a full copy of the conference brochure, click?here
Poster: Download the conference poster here
Speakers: For a list of speaker biographies, click here.
Registration: To register for the conference, click here
[Read more…] about 2016 Transforming Work Conference: One caller, many callings
This article really challenged me to think through what I say about work as I speak to groups and individuals about a biblical view of work.
The author, Mike Leite, suggests that much or the current writing about work and faith is overly positive.? “What happened to acknowledging the fact that sometimes work is just plain hard?” he asks.
He concludes with the following statement:
“While I understand the motive in helping those in our churches find fulfilment in their work (we do spend a huge chunk of our time working!), for many this is hard to find. If you do enjoy your job and find great fulfilment in it, praise God! Thankfulness should be the response. However, finding fulfilment in our work is not the biblical imperative?being faithful is. In this regard, our daily work does matter, for we are called to be faithful to Christ in all things, which includes our job.”
The whole article is well worth reading for anyone wanting to speak pastorally into the reality of daily work for many people.
Murray Wright (February, 2016)
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