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It's Sacred!
Posted by
Bob Fetherlin
,
15 February 2008
·
779 views
One of the new wineskins God is using in increasingly powerful ways in 21st century mission is business. Christ-adoring business professionals are using their training, entrepreneurial skills, and spiritual gifts in missional business ventures. These are being used by God to:
1. Help the poor in Christ's name, providing desperately needed jobs in challenging economic contexts.
2. Give legitimate, helpful rationale for Christ-followers to be in places where intentional barriers have been established to keep missionaries out.
3. Provide opportunity for Christ-followers to make connections in the market place with people far from God.
Christian business people are a part of the laity . . . and over 99% of the Christian church around the world is comprised of laypeople. A mistake some clergy types like me have made is to look at business laypeople as the source of financial support for "our" ministries. They can do so much more . . . God's plan A for reaching the world is for everyone to be involved, and there is no plan B. There is a place for business people in the mission of Christ!
This comes into sharper focus when we refuse to see what's done from 9 am to 5 pm as secular, and that which we do in "ministry" on evenings and weekends as holy. No such dichotomy exists in God's book: "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it ALL for the glory of God" (1 Cor 10:31). Business is holy when done for God's glory!
There's a growing group of committed people seeking to do business as mission in collaboration with the C&MA around the world. More than just collaboration, they're a part of us. They're a part of Christ's body. And I believe they have a huge part to play in completing His mission!
1. Help the poor in Christ's name, providing desperately needed jobs in challenging economic contexts.
2. Give legitimate, helpful rationale for Christ-followers to be in places where intentional barriers have been established to keep missionaries out.
3. Provide opportunity for Christ-followers to make connections in the market place with people far from God.
Christian business people are a part of the laity . . . and over 99% of the Christian church around the world is comprised of laypeople. A mistake some clergy types like me have made is to look at business laypeople as the source of financial support for "our" ministries. They can do so much more . . . God's plan A for reaching the world is for everyone to be involved, and there is no plan B. There is a place for business people in the mission of Christ!
This comes into sharper focus when we refuse to see what's done from 9 am to 5 pm as secular, and that which we do in "ministry" on evenings and weekends as holy. No such dichotomy exists in God's book: "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it ALL for the glory of God" (1 Cor 10:31). Business is holy when done for God's glory!
There's a growing group of committed people seeking to do business as mission in collaboration with the C&MA around the world. More than just collaboration, they're a part of us. They're a part of Christ's body. And I believe they have a huge part to play in completing His mission!
