Hello’s, goodbye’s and the boundaries of church
Today is my last day as an engineer and Sunday my first day in full time ministry. This period of change has meant tearful goodbye’s and nervous hello’s have been said. And amidst all of it I’ve learnt a lot about the boundaries of church…
A number of years ago when I first believed God was calling me into full time ministry, he gave a specific instruction which had to be carried out before my future would be laid out. His instruction was to carry my passion and enthusiasm for church into the workplace. It was a difficult instruction, as I have always been so comfortable sharing my faith in the structure of church, and so awkward and nervous outside of it. I’m priveleged to have worked at a place where christianity was embraced and where there was never any hint of persecution toward our belief. Still I found my task difficult.
So you would think that since I now have the opportunity of full time ministry that I must have suceeded in bringing my heart for God into the workplace. Well I’m sad to say I don’t really feel like I did.
I’ve spent sleepless nights, spoken anguished prayers, suffered broken hearts, been physically worn out and burnt out in the confines of church, and at the point of saying goodbye to my career I wonder why I didn’t do any of that at work. And I’m convicted at this point that had the passion I’d shown to church been injected at work that my efforts for the kingdom may have shown more fruit.
I guess I should have known that the boundary of church wasn’t the brick building with the cross on it. It could also have been the electirc fence and boom with the safety sign on it. Or anywhere else where people live in community.
And I should have realised that church exists outside of the building with the cross on it because the people outside the building with the cross on it have shown me many times how people who carry the banner of the cross should live their lives. People at work have lived out their faith inside the electric fence in such a way that I have been blessed, have grown, have matured, have learnt and have loved. Isn’t that what church’s do?
I thank God for His people that have lived and preached with their lives to me at work, people who knew church didn’t exist only in the building with the cross, people who I wish I had been.
People like the hundreds of millions of God’s people taking the message of the cross to every aspect of life. People like you.
July 22nd, 2007 at 00:15
I’ve often thought this as well and tend to think that actions speak louder than words, hey?!. The world is tired of hearing Christians preach/speak, they want something real, they want action. As much as you feel you didn’t make a stand … God shines through you (us) more than you (we) think. Great blog still, it’s great encouragement to wear our hearts (faith) on our sleeves.
“Have you ever come on anything quite like this extravagant generosity of God, this deep, deep wisdom? It’s way over our heads. We’ll never figure it out. Is there anyone around who can explain God? Anyone smart enough to tell him what to do? Anyone who has done him such a huge favor that God has to ask his advice? Everything comes from him; Everything happens through him; Everything ends up in him. Always glory! Always praise! Yes. Yes. Yes.” - Romans 11.33 [The Msg]
July 22nd, 2007 at 22:51
interesting thoughts. roan, your comments made me i think of ghandi saying that he would have become a christian if it weren’t for christians.
i came to know Jesus through the actions of someone who rarely used words.
July 24th, 2007 at 11:32
This is so true. I am also moving to another job and so reflecting on those moments and people who made a real difference to me and others within the boundaries of the access controlled doors.
The world is longing for these kind of people, just look around you! People wanting to pour the love that they have into the community that surrounds them.
I want to be one of these people.
August 1st, 2007 at 21:31
The only reason I can think of, for embarking on full time ministry would be to do something I could not pay someone else to do. Let’s remember that church attendance is about attending to a living building (structure of people) not going to a dead building once a week on Sunday!