A BIBLICAL FRAMEWORK FOR THINKING ABOUT WORK AND THE WORLD BUSINESS AS MISSION
Jun 23, 2015
A BIBLICAL FRAMEWORK FOR THINKING ABOUT WORK AND THE WORLD
BUSINESS AS MISSION
My Purpose
To support your discovery of the glory of the high calling of business
To reinforce the truth that business is a tremendous venue in which to honor God
To challenge you to intentional Great Commission impact through your business and career
Our Agenda
The GoalThe Principle of
VocationThe Principle of
IntentionalityThe Principle of
RelationshipThe Principle of
Operational Excellence
The Principle of Seamless Integration
Secularist View Biblical
View
The Goal
Business Needs No Justification
Secularist View Biblical View
Inherently CorruptExploitativeNecessary EvilPost-fallPart of Satan’s World
SystemMoney is the Root of EvilMammon and God are
AntitheticalExists (at best) to Support
Ministry
Integral to God’s Creation Design
Inherent in Pre-Fall Human Nature
Fully Honorable ActivityA High and Holy CallingWork is WorshipMorally GoodSignificant Part of God’s
Kingdom Purpose
Contrasting Approaches
BREAKOUT:
Where does this c
ome from?
Because of the Loss of the Biblical Perspective…
Business is viewed as inherently evil
Business people are viewed as suspect and greedy
Profit is viewed as anti-social Christian leaders fail to learn
about business Pastors are unable to equip
business people to serve Christ in that context
World outreach is sadly mono-dimensional
The church is losing the affection of the business people within her ranks
Good
Bad
Keeping It Whole
Business
Family
Church
Friendships
The Reign of Jesus
The Great Great Commission
SOCIETY
FAM
ILY
GO
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THE BODY OF CHRIST
And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”--Matthew 28:18-20 (ESV)
When I Run…
SEEING BUSINESS AS A HIGH AND HOLY CALLING FROM GOD
The Principle of Vocation
My Business: Christian or Kingdom?
“Yes,” says the Christian business leader, “I am deeply committed to the Great Commission. In fact, I am working hard to get more time
away from my business so I can do more Great Commission work.” As admirable as
this may seem, it falls far short of what God has in mind. God is not so much interested in you taking time off work to do “ministry” as
He is in teaching you how to use the time you are at work to serve Him and His purposes--
which is true ministry. It is not only connecting my “non-working” life to the
Great Commission that pleases God; it is also connecting my business to His plan as well.
Calling: An authoritative invitation with purpose
Sacred-secular dichotomy?
Called and uncalled?
Degrees of calling—low to high?
Business is…
Good
•A “very good” part of creation
•Genesis 1:26-31
•A part of life that is “sanctified” and “under the call”
•Ephesians 4:1
•An equally perfect part of the will of God
•Romans 12:1-2
Consider…
“There is truly no division between sacred and secular except what we have created. And that is why the division of the legitimate roles and functions of human life into the sacred and secular does incalculable damage to the cause of Christ. Holy people must stop going into 'church' work as their natural course of action and take up holy orders in farming, industry, law, education, banking, and journalism with the same zeal previously given to evangelism or to pastoral and missionary work.”
--Dallas Willard, The Spirit of the Disciplines
Consider further…
“Vocation- One's calling. Work is a call of God upon an individual's life. It becomes the sphere through which, not merely in which, a Christian serves Christ and His Kingdom. It is the occupation--the principle business of one's life--through which one occupies territory or a sphere of influence (Luke 19:13) for Jesus Christ.”
--Dallas Willard, The Divine Conspiracy
What Was Their Calling?
Person God Used Ministry Other
Adam X
Noah X
Abraham X
Joseph X
Moses X
Joshua X
David X
Solomon X
Daniel X
Nehemiah X
Luke X
Jesus X X
Application
Stinking ThinkingFeeling “Less Than”Launch out with Joyful
Abandon Entrepreneur CEO 2IC Employee
NOTE: Until you are clear on this, the rest doesn’t really matter!
DELIBERATELY CONNECTING BUSINESS TO WHAT GOD IS DOING IN THE WORLD
The Principle of Intentionality
What in the World is God up to?
SOCIETY
FAM
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THE BODY OF CHRIST
“These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also…”--Acts 17:1-7 (ESV)
God is a Purposeful God
Everything in creation was made for a purpose (Psalm 19: 1)
Man was made for a purpose (WMC/SC #1)Business was made for a purposeMy business was made for a purpose
The Problem of Misunderstanding God’s Purpose
• Saving Souls• Getting People to HeavenRestricte
d View
• Individual Salvation• Holistic Redemption: Body,
Soul, Spirit, Creation, Society• “To the praise of His glorious
grace…” (Ephesians 1:6 ESV)
Biblical View
What Is God’s Unchangeable Purpose?
Genesis 1: 27-28
Genesis 12: 2-3
Matthew 28: 18-20
Revelation 7: 9
What is God’s Purpose in the World?
To glorify Himself by filling the earth with people who
know and honor Him
What is My Purpose?
To glorify God by working with Him to fill the earth
with people who know and honor Him
HIS PURPOSE!
So?
How does MY business, my career, my job connect to what
God is doing in the world around me?
Moving from the General to the Specific
Unreached
Geography
Roles I Fulfill
Immediate Spheres of My
Life
God’s Purpos
e
To Action!
PrayReadMeditateFellowshipTravelRefine
My job, skills, company fulfill the following part of God’s eternal purpose…
RECOGNIZING THE PERSON TO PERSON POWER OF THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY
The Principle of Relationship
Words Have Impact
Koinonia Lifesharing,
community, fellowship, partnership
Jholdas/Joldosh Camerade, partner, the
heart bond forged in the fires of common suffering
Relationship Connection,
involvement
Where do you think that happens more…the
church or the workplace?
“Sunday” Church “Monday” Church
Focused on a building
SpectatorsRelationship LiteInstitutionalScriptedTime Limited
Focused on shared activity
ParticipationRelationship RichPurposefulSpontaneousTime Full
A Comparison
In truth, “Sunday” church should equip us for “Monday” church.
The Kingdom is All About Relationship
When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they came together, and one of them, a teacher of the Law, tried to trap him with a question. "Teacher," he asked, "which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus answered, " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the greatest and the most important commandment. The second most important commandment is like it: 'Love your neighbor as you love yourself.' The whole Law of Moses and the teachings of the prophets depend on these two commandments."
--Matthew 22: 34-40 (NIV)
The Primacy of Relationship
God is relational (Genesis 1: 27)
Christianity is relational
(1 Corinthians 1: 9)The Kingdom spreads
through relationships (John 1: 35-45)
Business offers a unique set of relationships (Acts 18: 1-3, 18)
The Web of Relationships
Vendors
Co-Workers
Employees
Customers
Make a List…
Where Are They On Their Kingdom Journey
“And when Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from kingdom of God.”
(Mark 12: 32-34 ESV)
Pre-Kingdom Embracing the Kingdom
Early Kingdom
Living
Kingdom Realization
Kingdom Manifestation
Some Challenging Questions
Should Christian business leaders fire a non-performer?
Would Christian business leaders do a RIF?
How should Christian business leaders compensate their employees?
What services should Christian business leaders make available to their employees?
How do love and business requirements fit together?
Some More Challenging Questions
How should a Christian employee treat an ungodly boss?
What measure of “overtness” should a Christian employee demonstrate in the workplace?
What happens when a Christian employee’s convictions convince him to depart from the company line?
How do you measure a Christian employee’s commitment to the job?
How Does This Fit in the Context of Relationship?
One Last Thought On Relationship
"The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, 36 and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” 37 The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. 38 Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, “What are you seeking?” And they said to him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?” 39 He said to them, “Come and you will see.” So they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour. 40 One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. 41 He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ). 42 He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas” (which means Peter). 43 The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” 44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” 46 Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” 47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!” 48 Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” 49 Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” 50 Jesus answered him, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” 51 And he said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”“
--John 1:35-51 ESV
WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES IT MAKE HOW YOU RUN YOUR BUSINESS?
The Principle of Operational Excellence
Operational
THE WAY IN WHICH WE RUN OUR BUSINESS MATTERS
The Principle of Excellence
“Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the
glory of God.”
1 Corinthians 10: 31
The Heart of the Matter
If work is worship the how can we offer anything less than our best
to God?
Who Cares About Excellence?
It matters to my employees and co-workers
It matters to my customers
It matters to my shareholders
It matters to those whom I impact for the Kingdom
It matters to God
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and sin which clings so closely and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith…”--Hebrews 12:1 (ESV)
Where Does Excellence Show?
Area AnalysisFinancial Performance
Human Resource Management
Ethics and Leadership
Accounting Systems and Controls
Information Technology
Sales and Customer Service
Work Processes and Quality
Community & Global Impact
How to Run an Excellent Company
PrayMeditate on
ScriptureRead voraciouslyLearn constantlyInteract with othersAct courageouslyPursue perfection…
relentlesslyDepend always
upon the Holy Spirit
Table Talk
Would someone characterize my business as excellent?
Is my pursuit of excellence related to my worship of God?
What areas of my business fail to reflect God’s glory?
SEEING ALL OF LIFE AS UNDER THE UNIFYING LORDSHIP OF CHRIST
The Principle of Seamless Integration
Understanding the Problem: Dis-integration
Jesus
Work
Family
Finances
Social Life
Politics
God is Re-Integrating the World in Christ
Business
Family
Church
Friendships
The Reign of Jesus
A Definition…
Integrity:
• Adherence to moral and ethical principles; soundness of moral character; honesty• The state of being whole, entire or undiminished• A sound, perfect or unimpaired condition
Integrated:
• Combining or coordinating separate elements so as to provide a harmonious, interrelated whole• Having, including, or serving members of different racial, religious, and ethnic groups as equals
This is what God is doing…
In usIn the Body of ChristIn the nationsIn creationIn the Kingdom
The Phases of Integration in BAM
INTEGRATED, HOLISTIC KINGDOM THINKING
DISINTEGRATED, DUALISTIC THINKING
Anti-Evangelists
Separators Invaders Overlayer
s
Seamless Integratio
n
Incompleteness Completeness
LegalismAsceticismSuper SpiritualityRelics, PlacesPhilosophy of MenCastes: Clergy vs.
Laity
God is in ChristChrist is in YouYou are Complete in
Him
The Principle of Completeness
Colossians 2: 6-23
TYING IT TOGETHER
Conclusion
Our Agenda
The GoalThe Principle of
VocationThe Principle of
IntentionalityThe Principle of
RelationshipThe Principle of
Operational Excellence
The Principle of Seamless Integration