Here in Rock Hall, we have tried to stay focused on developing as followers of Jesus as we Gathering to worship; Growing in relationships; and Going to serve.
Growing in our relationships includes growing in our relationship with Jesus. This leads us to develop his character in our lives and understand his calling on our lives. This GROWING happens as we learn more about him and put it into practice.
This is the way that our experience of God's power at work in us, it doesn't stop with us, it makes a difference in the world around us.
This series of talks from City Changers, a ministry who's purpose is to help disciples live out their calling as disciples in such a way that their community is changed. That's our desire here in Rock Hall.
Consider this from Matt 5: 13-16 in the Message paraphrase of the Bible
“Let me tell you why you are here. You’re here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You’ve lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage. “Here’s another way to put it: You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.
WORKPLACE
Work is an act of worship. Work is something that is simultaneously both deeply divine and deeply human. It is a tangible act that reveals a human-divine partnership in creation. Work, is not to be understood as a curse or consequence of the fall. Rather it was a blessing and commandment given to Adam and Eve before the fall. Work is a human activity that flows from God’s delegated mandate of stewardship over creation. ‘Arbeid Adel – Work is honourable’
Ex 20:6
Six days you shall labor and do all your work.
God gives us the creative capacity, wisdom and tools (gifts/talents) to do it. God took pleasure in the physical aspect of His creation. We too can delight in creating useful and excellent products and services. Economic activity is rooted in the creation story. Business and enterprise form the institution that creates and sustains wealth for a just society. In the same way, government is designed to create and sustain an organised society. Family is designed to create and sustain well-adjusted individuals. This is God’s ordained order.
2 Thess 3:10
For even when we were with you, we gave you this command: Anyone unwilling to work should not eat.
The Bible has much to say about ethical and fair dealing in work and business. It has instructional texts on what is pleasing to God in relationship to business relationships, employment, trading, using money, lending and so on. In business, these can be practically applied in areas such as quality control, fair wages, good working conditions, reasonable return on investments, corporate social responsibility, etc.
The biblical idea of stewardship not only encompasses the care of creation, but the responsibility of personal stewardship of both talents and wealth as well. The workplace provides an opportunity for those talented in enterprise (entrepreneurs) and others (employees) to use their particular gifts in service to others as unto to the Lord. In its capacity to provide employment, business sustains not only those who establish enterprises, but also those who are employed or benefit from the goods and/or services provided.
Business enables needs to be met and to bless others as a consequence.
Business conducted in accordance with biblical principles of stewardship offers numerous opportunities to glorify God. Employment / Impact / Outreach.
For a Christian, our vocation is to be conducted in the spirit of serving the kingdom of God. By implication, vocation (or “calling”) is something God has an input in. The question then is, “Is God calling me to a particular job, profession or type of work?” This is a significant question, because the work we do is important to God.
If work is important, it makes sense to ask what work God wants us to do.
In the Bible, God does indeed call people— or some people, at least—to a particular work, and gives all people various kinds of guidance for their work. So, we can say God does lead people to particular jobs, occupations, and types of work. God calls people to become united with himself in every aspect of their life.
The calling to follow Christ lies at the root of every other calling, be it vocational or serving in general.
Col 3:17
Whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Col 3:23
Whatever your task, put yourselves into it, as done for the Lord and not for your masters.
Work has a God-given power and potential for good in the world. Yet too often Christian business people have not been affirmed in their call to the workplace. In Doxa Deo we raise and release City Changers to understand God’s redemptive work through their endeavors in the world. We want to help change the narrative and mobilize them for action. What if more Christian people were leaders at tackling the lostness, pain and brokenness of our cities through their place of work?
God established the practice of labor as a means of fulfilling His creation mandate to steward and care for all of creation. The implication of ‘the whole church taking the whole gospel to the whole world’ includes affirming and mobilizing the business people in the Body of Christ to being a faithful and fruitful presence in their everyday life. It means releasing them as evangelists, to use their gifting to transform their own communities and nations through business, and to carry the good news to the ‘ends of the earth’ through business.
Holistic mission attempts to bring all aspects of life and godliness into an community as a whole. This includes God’s concerns for such business related issues as economic development, employment and unemployment, economic justice and the use and distribution of natural and creative resources among the human family. These are aspects of God’s redemptive work through Jesus Christ and the Church. We believe that as the gospel saturates the region, generosity is re-imagined, stronger families are formed, Sunday’s faith is connected to Monday’s work, literacy rises, the poor are empowered, commerce is re-imagined for the common good, art is more hopeful and orphans and widows are cared for.
To accomplish this, we don’t just need more pastors and more churches. We need hundreds of City Changers who understand their calling and the power of their influence. We believe that as gospel-saturated, committed Christ followers who are deployed into every sector of the marketplace, vocation becomes mission, and a City Changing movement is accelerated. As a critical mass of people in a region begin to live Gospel centered, city-positive lives in every sphere, they become better neighbors, better employees, better parents, better citizens.
Imagine, when 15% of committed Christ followers, who are Knowing God, Loving people and Impacting their world become a tipping point, living as the holy spirit leads, to create place to live filled with faith, hope and love. Actively creating more beautiful, just, and merciful places — places where God’s kingdom is evident and tangible.
The Gospel Changes everything.
An IT-company exists in India among a major unreached people with the intention to make Christ known among these people. Through the many natural opportunities that business provides, the founder can share his faith in word and deed. The company’s strategic plan reads:
Our purpose is to serve:
Our Customers with creative, innovative, reliable, top-quality solutions;
Our Employees with meaningful and challenging work, stability, good salaries, development and a pleasant work-environment;
Our other Stakeholders by providing attractive returns on their investments;
The Country by creating knowledge and wealth and contributing to local concerns;
Society by showing that success and high moral standards can co- exist;
Ultimately God and His Kingdom by being faithful and good stewards