Church in the Workplace

“While they were going out a man, who was demon-possessed and could not talk, was brought to Jesus.” Matthew 9:32

How many of us can remember that years ago, actually before my time, that it was not uncommon to have your milk delivered to your home. Doctors made house calls. And when you made a call to a company to discuss a problem, you actually spoke to a human being. Those days of personal service are gone, and if we are not careful, we will follow the same trend in how we share the gospel.

So often we are encouraged to bring people to church and of course we should.  Yet, we see no examples of where Jesus brought people into the synagogue to get them saved or healed. The miracles happened more often in the workplace because that was where Jesus could be found. Jesus had less response and found more resistance in the synagogue than in the workplace. He took the gospel to and modeled the gospel in the workplace. That is where the power of God was manifested. This is not to say we should not bring people to church, only that our priority should be to bring the Church into the workplace, not bring the workplace into the church.

Paul understood this when he said, “My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power” (1 Corinthians 2:4).

Paul understood that it wasn’t words that impacted people; it was the power of God manifested through him.  When is the last time someone saw something happen through your life that could not be explained other than God working in your life? When you begin to see this happen, you will be modeling ministry as Jesus modeled it. You will be bringing the Church to the people, not the people to the church. I want to encourage you today to pray and ask God to make you a vessel of His power, not simply a vessel of words.  Allow God to use you were you are.  Your job is your pulpit…it’s the place where His power will be released to touch others.

Chuck Pelham

Sources

Hillman, Os, Faith & Works: Do They Mix?, Alpharetta, Georgia, Aslan Group Publishing 2000

Hey Guys…some food for thought from my devotions.  Have a great day.

Proverbs 6:6, 9-11

King Solomon had plenty to say about a slacker (sluggard) or the habitually lazy person.  He makes a strong contrast between what I call the slacker with the ant, who works diligently during the summer to gather enough food for the winter (Proverbs 20:4).  He goes on to say and to describe the slacker as one who refuses to work hard during the growing season and so has nothing at harvest time.

Living here in sunny South Florida, we are an agrarian society with farming as our main industry and this is our harvest season.  I was reminded that there would be no harvest to reap if the farmers weren’t faithful at working hard when everything was out of season.  It’s because of their diligence in the out of season time…that makes the harvest what it is.  So in essence they are constantly at work in season and out of season.

I believe as the people of God we should be motivated the same way…the slacker in a physical sense does nothing for the world around them; they leave it unchanged.  The slacker in a spiritual sense is not any different; they leave the world no better than they found it, and perhaps a little worse.

When leaders become lazy and lose their diligence in doing good for God, they become spiritual slackers and worthless to the kingdom.  As I was thinking and writing this I thought that those thoughts were a little harsh until I read how Jesus put it in Matthew 5:13 “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste (its strength, its quality), how can its saltiness be restored? It is not good for anything any longer but to be thrown out and trodden underfoot by men.” (AMP)

The point being made is that there’s just NO ROOM FOR SLACKERS!  Wise leaders know their time is limited.  They know they have no way to retrieve misused or wasted time.  Jesus said in John 9:4 “I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work.”

Leaders must remain diligent in doing good and in encouraging others to do likewise.  So I encourage you today…keep doing the good work while it is day and while we have a chance to make a difference…let’s get after it!  Blessings

 

Hey Guys…I was doing my devotions earlier this morning and thought that I would pass along some of the things that I was working on.  These are things that we need to continue to rehearse and practice as God continues to develop us as good leaders.  Blessings

 

Relationships

Proverbs 27:1-21

–          When people are Esteemed, Relationships are Redeemed.

o       Leaders understand that people represent to us our most appreciable assets.

o       No resource is more valuable than PEOPLE.  Therefore, people skills represent a leader’s most important attribute.

 

–          This text presents some fundamentals on relationships.

o       It teaches that if people are esteemed, relationships are redeemed.

o       Notice these key principles from this chapter.

 

1. Don’t brag (v.1-2) Leaders know and understand how little they get from self-promotion.
2. Don’t envy (v.4) Leaders sabotage themselves if their motive is to keep up with others.
3. Be forthright (v.5-6) Leaders don’t fear confrontation, but speak the truth in love.
4. Don’t forsake your roots (v.8) Leaders understand the power of relational heritage.
5. Stay focus (v.9-10) Leaders work at maintaining relationships and meeting needs.
6. Add value (v.17) Leaders sharpen those with whom they come in conflict.
7. Don’t be moved by flattery (v.21) Leaders stay humble or you will stumble.

Hey Guys…as I was doing my devotions this morning…I thought I would share with you some of my thoughts from it.  In Galatians 6  Paul is talking about bearing and sharing burdens and taking responsibility.  Responsibility always begins at the top…therefore leaders must lead the way.  We must be ready to help restore others who’ve failed, guard against our own sin, help bear the burdens of others and at the end of the day stay humble.  This should always be our approach and attitude.  If not then we will always live in struggle because you can’t export what’s not been imported.  In other words it’s hard to live and demonstrate a life that we’re not living.  Here are a few questions that we need to be asking ourselves as leaders…

 

As leaders we need to be held accountable.  Therefore we need to invite others in our life to ask us tough questions.  Let the questions be an “alarm” to us to keep us on track.

 

1. Is my personal walk with God up to date?
2. Am I keeping my priorities straight?
3. Am I asking myself the hard questions?
4. Am I accountable to someone in authority?
5. Am I sensitive to what God is saying to the whole body of Christ?
6. Am I over-concerned with building my image?
7. Do I put more stock in “events” rather than “process”?
8. Am I a loner in my leadership and personal life?
9. Am I aware and honest about my weaknesses?
10. Is my calling constantly before me?