Source: Derek Brown
Each of us spends a large amount of our time working – either in paid employment or in other forms of work. But for many, work is only something we do to survive; it has no relationship to our Christian faith. Ken Costa, a London-based investment banker, in his book 'God at Work' makes this powerful comment: "If the Christian faith is not relevant in the work place, it is not relevant at all."
So let's explore what the Bible has to say about work. The early chapters of Genesis have plenty to teach us regarding a biblical view of work. A Christian's work is a natural, inevitable development out of God's work. God, who works, creates us also to work. In the garden, Adam and Eve are instructed by God to gather food, cultivate the earth, name the animals and care for creation. The fall doesn't change this mandate, but it does add to our role as co-workers, because we now assist God in his redeeming work (restoring creation to God's original intentions).
Working with God has great significance and value. As Alistair Mackenzie has written: "The significance of work for us as Christians lies in discerning ways in which we can express through our work stewardship, service, creativity, witness, truth-telling, preservation, healing, community-building, justice and peace-making. These are clear expressions of the character and on-going work of God."
In our society it has become accepted practice to segment public and private. In this context work is seen as part of the public realm and the church as part of that which is private.
• Facts govern public working life and values govern private and religious life
• Women's relational values govern Sunday
• Male competitive values govern Monday.
• Church has become focused on family values and ethics whilst forgetting the city, the workplace and boardroom ethics.
How can we turn this around?
• Need to recover an integrated view of life i.e. a Kingdom view of life
• In Scripture there is no gap between private and public, faith and work, charity and justice
• Mobilise work-place Christians – shift from "Come" to "Go" strategy infiltrating each segment of society.
• We need to be more thoroughly trinitarian and develop a three mandate/commission theology
So let's summarise a brief theology of work from the Creation Commission in Genesis
1. God is a worker
2. He created men and women to be workers
3. He created them to be co-workers with God
4. Work came before the fall – it is not a result of the fall. The fall has made the context in which we work more challenging. – corruption, greed, injustice.
5. Working with God has great significance and value.
6. Work is much more than paid employment. Painting the house, getting lunches ready for the children, helping out with a Red Cross appeal - all of this is work. This means that those of us who are unemployed can still work; those of us who are not paid can still work. It also means that much of our time outside of paid employment is work.
Biblical reasons to work
• Economic – to create wealth
• Financial – to support oneself and a family
• Personal – to experience fulfillment and significance
• Social – to avoid being a burden on others
• Relational – to support other people thru cooperative effort
How should we work:
• With excellence
• With ethics and integrity
• With generosity and a servant heart
• With thoughtfulness for those we meet thru work
• With concern for justice in the work place
We are not denying the workplace can have its challenges. Costa describes the workplace as "the coalface where faith is tested and sharpened by day-to-day encounters with the ambiguity and stresses of modern commerce." But it is a sphere in which we can advance the Kingdom – 'the sphere of God's goodness'.
Our actions at work, have the potential to advance the Kingdom or to hinder it – on both a macro and micro level. When we declare truth even in small measure – the Kingdom advances. This can be true when we draft documents, sell products or mark exams – indeed in any activity we do in our working day.
Most people want to make a difference with their lives. To do this we have to identify with our part in extending the Kingdom. We are agents for good - living in this world. "The workplace is where 'most Christians spend half their waking hours and work is a divine calling. Christians can commend Christ by word of mouth, by their consistent industry, honesty, thoughtfulness and by their concern for justice in the workplace. When others can see from the quality of their daily work that this work is done to the glory of God, then the Christian worker is being a witness in deed and needs to pray for and look out for the opportunity to express the gospel in word." (Preece)
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