A VISION FOR WORK AS GLOBALOCAL MISSION
In recent years, the Faith@Work movement has grown in momentum mainly in the parachurch space. But some churches are also helping their people integrate faith and work.
Family and work are the two major arenas of life where we live out our faith. Marriage and family ministries have come a long way since the 70’s, and we are familiar with the concept of the family altar. Why not the workplace altar?
Faith@Work As Core Teaching For Churches
A biblical understanding of calling will help dismantle the dichotomized worldview with its sacred-secular divide that hinders Christians from living life fully Monday through Friday.
As we discover how “secular” work can contribute to the Great Commandment for social transformation and to the Great Commission for personal transformation, Christians can pursue their careers with God-given purpose.
We need to take our faith into the public sphere with wisdom, courage, and humility. To effectively grow our witness and influence at work, we need prayer, practical training, peer support, and perseverance.
A conference would barely scratch the surface of many issues. For both individuals and churches, it will be a long journey, best taken together in community.
The Need For More Faith@Work Teachers
We are thankful for a few well-known Faith@Work teachers. But we need many more. Just as most churches have teachers on marriage and family, we need Faith@Work teachers in many churches to grow God’s people into workplace missionaries.
Professional conferences promote learning by gathering people to share knowledge and experience. In organizing this conference and follow up events, we want to create platforms for Christians from co-organizer churches interested in Faith@Work to share their resources with many other churches around the country.
The Globalocal Workplace As Mission Field
Despite the world’s changing perception of the U.S. in recent times, many young people in the developing Two-Thirds World still look to the US, and especially the Silicon Valley as the Mecca of innovation and entrepreneurship. When we go on business trips or short-term mission projects, our professional background could be the calling card to open doors for friendly and respectful faith conversations.
Bright young people from many unreached nations come to study in America. Many stay for work, while others return to their home countries. They are open to new ideas as they look for a better future for themselves and their homeland. Here is the mission field brought to our doorstep.
As remote work is becoming the new normal, the real and the virtual are merging in today’s globalized workplace. The far corners of the world can more readily be reached now than ever before by “digital missionaries”. We need to explore ways to capitalize on this opportunity.
Mobilize Silicon Valley To Reach The World
The great majority of 10/40 Window nations where church planting is most needed are closed to traditional missionaries. But doors are open to those who can contribute in business, technology, education, healthcare, etc.
When more Christians see their work and career from a missional perspective, and when more churches see the strategic opportunity of sending missional professionals, we will together advance the Lord’s Great Commandment and Great Commission in this kairos moment of the 21st century.
Work as missions has its unique challenges as well as rewards. Ultimately, they are faith journeys, requiring grit and resolve. But many GLS alumni can testify to the blessings of taking on international jobs, influencing people afar off who have become part of their everyday lives, coming to know God’s heart for the world so much more deeply, and being personally changed in the process.
Pray that the Lord of the harvest will raise up many globalocal workplace missionaries in our time.