Here are a couple of quotes about what’s currently happening in the marketplace. I hope they encourage you.
Today, a spiritual revival is sweeping across Corporate America as people of all stripes are mixing mysticism into their management, importing into office corridors the lessons usually dolled out in churches, temples, and mosques. Gone is the old taboo against talking about God at work. –BusinessWeek Magazine, November 1999
Ten years ago we could identity only 25 national or international workplace ministries; today we can identify more than 900. –Mike McLoughlin, YWAM Marketplace Mission
If you have other quotes about ministry in the workplace that encourage you, please post them in the comments.
(And hope for the Church) There’s lot’s of highfalutin words gettin’ sayed out thar. Lemme break it down fer ya.
Colossians 3:23-25; 23(a) And whatever you do, (Whatever job you have, stay there and flourish. Grow where you’re planted.)…23(b) do it heartily, (Work hard, no time to slack off; if you do you’re done for.)…23(c) as to the Lord and not to men, (Work at the most mundane and least glamorous jobs as though Jesus were your boss.) 24(a) knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; (He’ll see to it that you get paid well.)….24(b) for you serve the Lord Christ. (Wait a minute! ….That’s the preacher’s job.)
I am so excited that the business world is getting invaded by the Kingdom! (But I’m also glad the ‘Kingdom’ is getting invaded be the business world.) This may seem disrespectful, but what I mean is that there are a lot of non-value added activities going on in the Church. In business, if you dilly-dally, congratulate yourself, loose touch with your market, stop investing in the pioneers, loose your lean edge, or hire too many ‘chiefs’, you’re done for….finished. You must stay focused on a goal or you will cease to exist. The church has much to learn; thank God these paths are merging.
When I was young, I was with a group of about 20 guys on a college campus; saved, lived, and discipled together. Then 18 of them chucked their college degrees and went into the “full time” ministry. Wait – this doesn’t seem sustainable – someone has to make some money. I know that at times Paul and even Jesus taught that those who WORK HARD at the Christian ministry, teaching, travelling, and risking their lives, deserve some pay. Let’s just apply some common sense to the system.
I’m actually in the process of leaving “full-time” ministry, on good terms, and entering the business world so I can make a larger impact. The guys that are full-time/getting paid think I’m insane…it’s great!
The irony is that I am planting a church in the process and will end up ministering to more people than when I was getting paid (well I might add), and the offerings/tithes can then go toward reaching people instead of toward my pocket.
Isn’t it interesting that the more effective a person gets at ministry, the more time they spend inside the four walls of the church?
Scott in Las Vegas
http://www.cells-twelves.blogspot.com/
A couple of interesting articles in this month Portfolio magazine. The mag is a “business intelligence” magazine. The 1st article is “God Wants You To Be Rich”. It features senior pastors of mega churches and how they use branding to market themselves. IE Joel Osteen’s church 45,000 weekly attendance. Annual budget $72.6M. The other article I read had to do with social entrepenuership. It spoke of a move afoot among business people to use their talents and business’ to impact society. It is interesting that as God speaks to the church in this area, He seems to be speaking to the world also. One article is about the church and money is being poured into a few ministries. The other article shows “WORLDLY” business reinvesting back into helping the less fortunate. Can’t wait for Labor Day! Our H2H national conference is always on LABOR day weekend.