Your Work—Outside the Church—Every Day—Counts

Why is it that one of the most common questions I hear—asked by “regular people” to “those in full-time-paid ministry” is “does my work matter to God?”  The subtext is usually something like:

·       Am I called by God to my world-outside-the-church in the same way pastors are?

·       If so, of what possible redeeming God-sanctioned value is what I do as a busboy/banker/actress/writer/venture capitalist/barista/volunteer/fill-in-the-blank?

·       Isn’t “work” supposed to be a “curse” per Genesis?

·       And on and on.

 Churches, in general, for many years, have done a terrible job preaching and teaching a robust, Biblical theology of faith and work…and a subpar job of affirming what most church members and attenders spend 95% of their time doing every week all year long for a good portion of their lives.

 Strange.  Since so much of Scripture records stories of people in outside-of-church work—while simultaneously making it clear that

·       God is a worker—The Creator of the universe.

·       God gave humans the job of stewarding the Creation with the charge of continuing to co-create with Him. [The “curse” is toil/weeds but the curse is NOT work.] In Genesis, work is good.

·       God’s call includes church-work AND non-church work.

·       God enables and gifts humans to accomplish what they accomplish.

·       God grants favor and influence to his people in “secular” contexts.

 Just a few examples:

 Joseph—sold into slavery by his own angry, jealous brothers finds first a job as household steward/administrator for a key Egyptian official and then, after a stint in prison, becomes second in command of Egypt.  Let me say that again, God’s person [a former slave and prisoner] becomes nearly as powerful as the king of a pagan country.  Not only that, but Joseph is so good at this job that he enacts a complicated strategy to save the Egyptian people from starvation and, ultimately, some of the surrounding peoples including his own family—those same brothers of his.

 Daniel—taken into captivity from Jerusalem to Babylon likely as a teenager.  He was from nobility and probably had expectations of what his life would look like.  That is, until he becomes a prisoner of war (POW).  He, even as a POW, earns the respect of those over him, eventually becoming a key adviser to the king and one of the top administrators in the nation.  Again, the story of God’s person becoming strategically powerful in a place not only pagan but also THE place where he was taken into exile working for THE conquering king. Daniel ultimately has huge influence with more than one king.

 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—Daniel’s friends also become leaders in this same context. 

 Bezalel—if we know his name at all, it’s only in reference to carrying a significant responsibility in building the Tabernacle.  However, by the time we meet him in Exodus, he has clearly developed his gifts and honed his craft—in Egypt—long before.  He is a skilled craftsman in gold, silver, bronze, stone, wood.  God has bestowed on him gifts of wisdom, knowledge, and craftsmanship.  Bezalel has used these talents and abilities in Egypt and for the Israelites.  For seemingly “secular” purposes and clearly “sacred” ones too.  There is nothing that says that what he’d done before in plying his craft or honing his skill has little value. In fact, his faithfulness to develop these skills means that he is uniquely positioned to do what is needed for the Tabernacle.

 Priscilla, her husband, Aquila, and their friend and co-worker, Paul are all tentmakers by profession.  Yes, they establish and lead churches, teach and correct, offer hospitality, use their gifts for the strengthening of the early church but they also have jobs outside of the church setting—practical ones—literally sewing tents as shelter for customers.  They contribute in meaningful ways in every place they find themselves. They earn a living so as not to rely on donations.  They are bi-vocational.  Nothing disparaging is said of their tentmaking business.

 And, let’s not forget that Jesus and his father, Joseph, were carpenters.  For the better part of the 30 years before embarking on His public ministry, Jesus apprenticed and then practiced the trade of carpentry. It is likely the way that His family supported themselves.

 I could go on.  Suffice it to say, what you do every day for avocation or vocation matters to God—inside and outside the church.  His gifts go with you wherever you go.  You co-create with God every day.  You contribute to creating culture and civilization.  Your work furthers (or should) the flourishing of your community. You matter.  What you do matters.

 ·       Where can your position be one of wise counsel to another in leadership?

·       How can you use your gifts of administration to carry out complex strategies that improve something?

·       Where are you honing a particular skill or craft so that you are excellent at what you do?

·       How can your work support your other endeavors and other ministry efforts?

·       Supporting yourself/your family is important, how can you value this aspect of your employment?

 For more on this, explore GodGiftsYou.com.

Shirley Giles Davis, author of the God. Gifts. You.: Your Unique Calling and Design workbook, is a consultant, coach, facilitator who has worked with faith-based organizations, nonprofit agencies, and a wide diversity of leaders for over 30 years.  She has been EquipConnectServe Ministry Director at a 1,200 member church since 1999.  Contact Shirley.

 Photo © Shirley Giles Davis, all rights reserved.