“…religion [is] not the clerical, ecclesiastical ritual act performed in the church, but the appropriation a Gospel into the life.”
—OWEN CHADWICK.
What’s more important: ministry or work?
I think asking this question reflects a deficient understanding of both “ministry” and “work.” Christians should resist compartmentalising their callings by a non-Biblical sacred/secular dualism. We need a serious engagement and rediscovery of the Christian doctrine of vocation, one which steers a course between the twin errors of divorcing faith from work and idolising work. The primary vocation of a Christian is to follow Jesus – to “seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness…” (Matt. 6:33) – which is a calling that embraces the whole of our lives. Hence, it is not a matter of ‘faith and work’ but a ‘faith that works’ – in whatever place and position God has us according to His gifts and providence – because Christianity is totalising for the life of a believer.
So here’s a challenge and encouragement to my Christian brothers and sisters: if you aren’t integrous in your place of work by being faithful to the task you have been employed to do, what makes you think your colleagues will care, much lest trust, anything you might have to say to them about your Christian beliefs and the centrality of Jesus in answering life’s greatest questions?
I am convinced that the primary reason we go to work isn’t to tell people about Jesus, nor to make money to give to the Church so that “it” can tell people about Jesus and give us a pass on the responsibility. The primary reason we go to work is to work. There are, of course, any number of very practical and important reasons why we work, but all of them are secondary or consequential to this: namely, that faithfulness to God in our place of work looks like faithfulness to the work God has in place for us: minister, missionary, baker, builder, artist, accountant, teacher, tiler, cook and cleaner alike!
Fewer things are more effective in and for the Kingdom than faithful Christian workers. For all of the hype and buzz around our bold evangelistic efforts and the great awakenings and revivals of Church history, there is much to be said for the enduring witness of Christians who wake up day after day, week after week, month after month, year for year, and faithfully go about their work. Rhythm and routine has something of a stability about it; a peculiar orderliness and consistency which provides Christians with a platform to stand up and stand out as a people with a hope transcending circumstance — the tragic, ecstatic and oft monotonic of “Monday to Friday” notwithstanding.
Poise in the work place is an open invitation for the gospel. It’s like walk up evangelism, except those walking up are people coming to you because they see something different in you and about you, your manner and conduct. Curiosity leads to questions, questions to answers, and answers to the hope we have within (1 Pet. 3:15). And watch what God can do on such occasions! For there is nothing quite so potent, so puncturing and so persuasive as the communication of truth by a communer of truth. Yes, God can speak through anything, even a donkey (Num. 22:21-39), but Christians aren’t called to be donkeys! We are called to be salt and light (Matt. 5:13-16); to be witnesses and ambassadors of Christ (Acts 1:7-8; 2 Cor. 5:20) who, by the way, worked to secure our salvation in both word AND deed.
Kingdom work is never confined to a pietistic ghetto. The one who preached “The Kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” (Mark 1:15) is the same “who, though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men…” (Phil 2:6-7).
So with faith as our motivator and Christ as our model, let’s get to work saints!
