I am thinking about the place of faith in the workplace. YOUR workplace, and mine. What does that look like?
Yesterday served up a double punch, adding to some deep concern about how to live out our faith in real 
time in the real world. This is something I have hit on several times in my preaching the past couple of years. Yesterday morning I participated with a small group organizing an event for senior pastors and their wives. A generous donation from a local trust makes this event possible. In a special dinner for senior pastors next month, two outstanding speakers are going to explore this very theme of God at work.
One of the speakers will be David Miller who wrote God at Work: The History and Promise of the God at Work Movement. The other speaker is Katherine Leary, Director of the Center for Faith and Work at the Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City. Discussing this theme a bit with other pastors was very stimulating. One of them is currently leading his church in a series on this theme, and it sounds fascinating.
I only had to wait until noon that same day to see a living example of what it means to recognize God at work. My lunch appointment yesterday was a fascinating opportunity to hear the heartbeat of two men who are prominent in the music world and are also followers of Jesus Christ. The Conductor of the Honduran Philharmonic Orchestra was in our city to investigate buying instruments for his orchestra from KC Strings. Our own Arturo la Cruz was asked by KC Strings to help facilitate this relationship by assisting with translation. Not long ago I wrote about my “small world” connection with Honduran Maestro Jorge Mejia.
The Executive Director of our Kansas City Symphony, Frank Byrne, was gracious enough to set aside time from his busy schedule to meet with us and Maestro Mejia. It was fun to listen to these two men “talk shop.” Both are men of faith and yet very circumspect about not overstepping boundaries in their high profile positions. Both men have deep convictions about God’s use of music and the arts in order to communicate his truth, glory and majesty. As Frank put it to me as we walked back to the car, they are “going about the Lord’s business” as they exercise their respective responsibilities. Both influence others with their faith in ways that most people could never experience. I came away thanking God for putting men like this in such public and influential positions.
Unfortunately, some believers manage to offend others more than being a positive influence for God at work and in the world at large. I have heard many horror stories and you probably have as well. It seems that some measure success in the workplace by the number of people they invite to church, the number of people converted at work, the number of religious pamphlets they pass out or the number of “praise the Lord” type phrases they can use in a day – even when such activities may be specifically prohibited in the workplace, let alone inappropriate.
Do not misunderstand what I say. We are to allow God to lead us. He brings people across our paths to whom we are to minister. There are times and circumstances where it is not only appropriate but essential for us to offer an invitation to church or to verbally and clearly share our faith. I just believe that some people force the issue in the flesh instead of being sensitive to God’s leadership. They have a short-sighted view of scoring conversions and filling pews, instead of seeing how God can empower them to embody his truth in the excellence they bring to their work and ultimately bring transformation to bear upon our entire community.
When Christ is radiating forth from our very being, God’s beauty reaches out to those in need and affords many opportunities to do the Lord’s work in thousands of creative ways. No matter what work you do, you are God’s representative. Being God’s ambassador begins with what you are, your person, your character. From there, you represent him through the excellence of your work. It is upon this foundation that we trust God to build words and deeds that point others to him. How big is your view of God at work?
God on the Job
I am thinking about the place of faith in the workplace. YOUR workplace, and mine. What does that look like?
Yesterday served up a double punch, adding to some deep concern about how to live out our faith in real
time in the real world. This is something I have hit on several times in my preaching the past couple of years. Yesterday morning I participated with a small group organizing an event for senior pastors and their wives. A generous donation from a local trust makes this event possible. In a special dinner for senior pastors next month, two outstanding speakers are going to explore this very theme of God at work.
One of the speakers will be David Miller who wrote God at Work: The History and Promise of the God at Work Movement. The other speaker is Katherine Leary, Director of the Center for Faith and Work at the Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City. Discussing this theme a bit with other pastors was very stimulating. One of them is currently leading his church in a series on this theme, and it sounds fascinating.
I only had to wait until noon that same day to see a living example of what it means to recognize God at work. My lunch appointment yesterday was a fascinating opportunity to hear the heartbeat of two men who are prominent in the music world and are also followers of Jesus Christ. The Conductor of the Honduran Philharmonic Orchestra was in our city to investigate buying instruments for his orchestra from KC Strings. Our own Arturo la Cruz was asked by KC Strings to help facilitate this relationship by assisting with translation. Not long ago I wrote about my “small world” connection with Honduran Maestro Jorge Mejia.
The Executive Director of our Kansas City Symphony, Frank Byrne, was gracious enough to set aside time from his busy schedule to meet with us and Maestro Mejia. It was fun to listen to these two men “talk shop.” Both are men of faith and yet very circumspect about not overstepping boundaries in their high profile positions. Both men have deep convictions about God’s use of music and the arts in order to communicate his truth, glory and majesty. As Frank put it to me as we walked back to the car, they are “going about the Lord’s business” as they exercise their respective responsibilities. Both influence others with their faith in ways that most people could never experience. I came away thanking God for putting men like this in such public and influential positions.
Unfortunately, some believers manage to offend others more than being a positive influence for God at work and in the world at large. I have heard many horror stories and you probably have as well. It seems that some measure success in the workplace by the number of people they invite to church, the number of people converted at work, the number of religious pamphlets they pass out or the number of “praise the Lord” type phrases they can use in a day – even when such activities may be specifically prohibited in the workplace, let alone inappropriate.
Do not misunderstand what I say. We are to allow God to lead us. He brings people across our paths to whom we are to minister. There are times and circumstances where it is not only appropriate but essential for us to offer an invitation to church or to verbally and clearly share our faith. I just believe that some people force the issue in the flesh instead of being sensitive to God’s leadership. They have a short-sighted view of scoring conversions and filling pews, instead of seeing how God can empower them to embody his truth in the excellence they bring to their work and ultimately bring transformation to bear upon our entire community.
When Christ is radiating forth from our very being, God’s beauty reaches out to those in need and affords many opportunities to do the Lord’s work in thousands of creative ways. No matter what work you do, you are God’s representative. Being God’s ambassador begins with what you are, your person, your character. From there, you represent him through the excellence of your work. It is upon this foundation that we trust God to build words and deeds that point others to him. How big is your view of God at work?