Malyon Workplace

Prayer and your workplace – 10 studies from Andrew Laird

Andrew - Profile Picture (ARN)Wondering how you can pray effectively for your workplace??? Andrew Laird from City Bible Forum (Melbourne) has prepared an excellent set of 10 studies that you can download here.

Contents
1. The goal of prayer: Hallowed be your name
2. Prayer: Speaking to our Father
3. Prayer: Enabled by the Son
4. Prayer: Empowered by the Spirit
5. Prayer: Why Bother
6. Prayer: Why pray with others
7. Prayer: For workplace friendships
8. Prayer: For your workplace living witness
9. Prayer: For the salvation of your colleagues
10. Prayer: For the flourishing of your workplace

An ‘aha’moment! – a reflection from Sam Jackson

sam jackson.jpegSomething very simple had a profound impact on me recently. I had finished preaching about work ? about making good work ? about working as if you were working for Jesus (Colossians 3:23,24). And I asked everyone to stand and to face the place that they would be at that same time (10:57am) tomorrow. Literally 360 degrees ? all parts of our city ? were ?faced.? But it wasn?t that sight that impacted me most of all?

It was the realisation that these 250 people would encounter literally thousands of people in the next six days ? people who would NEVER set foot in a church building. People who have little to no understanding of Jesus and His gospel. People who don?t own bibles. People who don?t pray?or do pray, but to no one in particular. People in desperate situations. People without hope. Literally thousands of people. People who I hoped would come one of these Sundays?.wait a minute! [Read more…] about An ‘aha’moment! – a reflection from Sam Jackson

Exilic Discipleship – David Kim

David KimThis is a very helpful article from David Kim of Redeemer Presbyterian entitled Exilic Discipleship. ?

As Kim indicates at the conclusion of the article, he has drawn on the work of people like John Stott (‘double identity’), James Hunter )’faithful presence’) and Tim Keller (‘centre church’) who have all ‘…?championed [an] … outward orientation to defining the mission of the church.’

Kim asserts that, “The exilic perspective can provide important clarity to how we can mentor and shape disciples of Christ in our city context.” ?

The Elijah Syndrome – connecting Sunday with Monday

Imagine this…the perfect Sunday sam jackson.jpegservice.? Music was hot, worship leader was Holy Spirit inspired, sermon was on point, there were tears as lives were touched and transformed, and some even came to faith for the first time!? This might not be the typical Sunday experience, but perhaps the Sunday we long for and pray for.? I know I sure do!?

But here?s the danger ? if all we aim for is that kind of experience on Sunday, I don?t think we?re achieving the full mission of God, and we might even be selling our people short of the fullness of life that Jesus talked about. [Read more…] about The Elijah Syndrome – connecting Sunday with Monday

Contrasting a kingdom mindset with a church mindset

Joseph Mattera outlnes the difference between having a kingdom vs. a church mindset in this article.? Here’s his key points in table form.

To think about:

  1. Imagine the statements below on a 1-10 continuum – where do you think your church would fit?? Do you tend towards a kingdom or a church mindset?
  2. What might need to change in your particular faith community to shift towards a more kingdom mindset?
  3. Who could you engage in a helpful discussion about the ideas that Joseph Mattera has outlined?

[Read more…] about Contrasting a kingdom mindset with a church mindset

How to Discourage Artists in the Church

A helpful article in thinking about our attitudes towards those called to the vocation of the? arts.? While the focus of the article is on the place of the arts in the church gathered, there are implications for how we view the arts in the wider context of the church scattered.

Two very helpful quotes are included:

In my experience the Christian painter or poet, sculptor or dancer, is regularly regarded as something of a curiosity, to be tolerated, humoured even, maybe even allowed to put on a show once in a while. But the idea that they are, or could be, anything more than that?that they have a vocation to re-imagine and re-express the beauty of God, to lift our sights and change our vision of reality?is often not even considered. [N.T. Wright]

Whether through paint or sound, metaphor or movement, we are given the inestimable gift of participating in the re-creative work of the Triune God, anticipating that final and unimaginable re-creation of all matter, space, and time, the fulfillment of all things visible and invisible. [W. David O. Taylor]