Comments on: Faith at Work

By: Mike Olson

Mike Olson — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 18:41:49 +0000

Skyler,
Explain “theological accountability” as you see it?
Explain “leadership” as you see it?
IMHO
Leadership is supplied by a plurality of Elder/Shepherds. They are known by a group of believers by their life as observed by the group over a long period of time and function in that capacity because they quite naturally “ELD” as an expression of who they are, not because they were placed by a hierarchy in office.
Accountability comes about over a period of time as a group of believers come to know one another intimately socially in relationship in one anothers lives daily, weekly, monthly, yearly, of constant fellowship and involvement. This is impossible to attain this type of intimate fellowship and brotherhood just doing a normal twice a week for a couple hours type deal. They went about from house to house daily breaking bread and fellowship and prayer and studying the Scriptures.
Accountability comes from that type of relationship. It revolves around trust, and brotherly love.

By: Mike Olson

Mike Olson — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 17:07:07 +0000

First I must comment on the book “Revolution”.
It is one of the most important books in Christianity in the Western segment of the Church. It was as much Revelation as “Revolution” for me. This book is a Paradigm Shift, Worldview changer. Along with the book “Pagan Christianity”, they are life and church changers freeing the mind and soul and spirit.
The Holy Spirit dwells inside of men. Wherever that Spirit is present within the spirit of man things are going to happen or should be happening. Since you are the Church, Church should pracitically naturally work itself out around you as a natural progression of your life. It can’t help but be so, don’t try to suppress it it might just explode. Let it happen Brethern.
Religious Tradition is a particularly harsh taskmaster, or can be. We have a loose model in the N.T. but basically God, is drawing all men to Himself, all who will heed the call and respond wherever and whenever. He owns it all anyway so who are we to tie His hands, if you will. Far be it from me to put the Holy Spirit in a box, or a particular kind of building, or a particular place, or a particular type of setting, He would just leak out anyway. He is Omniscient you know and doesn’t sit around doing nothing until Sunday morning from 10:00 til 12:00 and Wed eve from 7:30 til 9:00. We mortals seem to get tied up in the form, losing sight of the big picture God has.
God has given gifts to men, not, God has given gifts to just Pastors, asst Pastors, Worship Leaders, Childrens ministers.
You are seeing everyday believers with the Holy Spirit indwelling them working itself out in a very natural everyday kind of way as it should and will.
Now, if it can be expressed as it was in the first generation after Pentacost by the Apostles in small communities of believers all functioning all contributing by the Holy Spirit in the presence of gathering around the person of Jesus Christ we will have got it. The Holy Spirit is bringing it around full circle to Antioch Syria, Patmos, Ephesus, Galatia, Corinth, etc. Full expression communities, and work place gatherings around Jesus Christ and other believers is a natural outflow of it.
People don’t want to go to a particular special place at a particular special time, and hear a particular special individual, with particular types of music performed for them, as a mute observer.
As is true with the internet, they want to participate on a world level themselves with the gifts and talents that God has given to them. Sitting a mute observant of a written in stone Liturgy doesn’t get it anymore. They want to be an active free participant. God is telling them things and doing things in and through them and around them in their life daily.
Faith at work is just happening and it should not be hindered or made light of.

By: Skyler Daniel

Skyler Daniel — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 02:03:28 +0000

Quick question:
How do you address theological accountability and leadership in small cell groups? A reference would be fine.
Thanks.

By: Jamie

Jamie — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 14:04:26 +0000

I totally agree that George and many others need to continue to remind us all that “Christ called us to BE the Church, not to go to church”. But why does “going to church” have to be such a bad thing? O … I can already hear the response of all those who’ve been legitimately hurt by the “church”. Is it really too late to fix it? Do we all have to give up? I’ve been a big BARNA fan for many years – quoting BARNA stats and statements probably more than I should (got a BARNA reputation). And as a church pastor, you have to understand why we all get defensive about church at work, and church at home, and church in the marketplace … as the result might put us all out of work!! That’s not a good excuse for our defensiveness but it is probably the reason. At our church, we’re trying to put it all right – please, George, don’t give up on us!!

By: Rev. Dr. Alvin S. Carag

Rev. Dr. Alvin S. Carag — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 13:32:03 +0000

I’ve been in the Marketplace Ministry myself for almost a decade now. I’ll tell you that Marketplace Ministry altogether shatters the age old tradition of what church should be. It is not about being in a church but being the church. It’s not just about being a Christian only on Sundays but being Christians in the workplace where they learn and apply the principles of God and truly be the living testimonies of Christ to their customers, suppliers, contractors. And it doesn’t stop there but they carry the discipline as a lifestyle even to their respective homes and to the whole community out there.

By: Jonny Rodgers

Jonny Rodgers — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 03:59:57 +0000

Church is people – people who have gathered in the name of Christ. Regardless of where or how long.
The real thing essential to any gathering of the church is the Bible (2 Tim. 3:16-17). This rich volume is the tool of the Holy Spirit to grow His church (individually and corporately).
As long as the Scripture has the preeminent role we need not worry.
In my opinion a lot of the criticism of these gatherings may stem from jealousy.
God is Sovereign and He will do things His way regardless of our hallowed traditions.

By: Karen Swim

Karen Swim — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 12:46:47 +0000

George, I have not yet read Revolution but am looking forward to grabbing a copy. I completely agree that our man made version of church misses the very basic, and beautiful scriptural definition – where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am in the midst of them. We have used the church building to insulate us from the world, it has become a barrier rather than a welcoming place for the lost. When we allow church to arise wherever we are we truly are being the church, bringing Christ to the need rather than making the building the entry point.

By: Justin Forman

Justin Forman — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 20:37:22 +0000

George-

It was great to have you speak at our RightNow Conference last year. Its exciting to see you talk about Faith and Work, I often find myself blogging about it because I feel like one of the most overlooked opportunities in the church. We have some of the most gifted CEO’s and business leaders on the pews of the church. They love Jesus but they don’t realize that its possible to be unleashed to use their time and talent that they have in the business world. For far too long they’ve thought they have to be a singer, preacher or teacher to be used by God.

But I’m incredibly encouraged to see churches beginning to tap into the abundant potential that exists in the 2,000+ hours each year for their people to make a difference in their workplace.

Would love to see more talk about this and some of the research you’ve found on it. We have about 5,000 business leaders on our email list and I’d love to link them to any articles or further research you share on the topic.

Justin

By: George Barna

George Barna — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 21:41:43 +0000

Jim, there were actually several common criticisms of Revolution. The first was that my definition of “church” was wrong – my position being that when two or more are gathered in Christ’s name, that is the Church assembling. I also argued that the practices we rever today are generally man-made, not ordained by the scriptures. (That argument was expanded in Pagan Christianity?, co-written with Frank Viola.) A second frequent criticism was that the gathering place and the specific activity undertaken in that place and the nature of the authority overseeing the activity determine whether or not a meeting of believers constitutes the church. Many critics contended that alternative models – house church, cyberchurch, marketplace church, etc – were not legitimate forms of church. A third was that those alternative forms were not growing; that was either attributable to my imagination or to bad research. A fourth common critique was that revolutionaries are angry with the Church and are too independent. Often, that issue of authority came up, mandating the leadership of some ordained person. A fifth complaint was that a true revolution must start from within the conventional church and spread outward. Some suggested that even if the Revolution brought people into the kingdom, that would not constitute valid “revival” because it wasn’t facilitated by the true Church.

I appreciate the concern that many of my critics had for doing the right thing. I’m still of the opinion, however, that most of them missed the main point: Christ called us to BE the Church, not to go to church, and millions of people are actively searching for a more vibrant experience with God and His people, whether it occurs in the marketplace, in a “church” building, or at a concert. I think Jesus is willing to be glorified wherever we are, no matter how many of us are gathered.

By: Andy Coticchio

Andy Coticchio — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 14:54:39 +0000

I would like to think of church more as a state of mind, worshipful to God, than a location. Bringing Christ into the workplace allows us to be ministers for the Lord who happen to have a secular means of supporting ourselves and our families. But it gives the fullness of our activities the firmness of keeping Christ the central focus and core of our being.