Christians in the Workplace 2 of 5 (Dr. Rick Sessoms)

Are you working hard or hardly working? Today Rick Sessoms is back and he’ll be providing some answers to that question here on MemCare by Radio.

Welcome to MemCare by Radio from Trans World Radio. I’m Scott Hollinger and I’m glad you could join our little corner of the world. On this edition of MemCare by Radio Rick Sessoms is back with part 2 of Christians in the Workplace.

You know the pace of technology is always moving forward. A few years ago the idea of working at a virtual desktop from your home computer was a dream for most. Today it is becoming more commonplace. With the rising cost of transportation and the decreasing cost of an internet connection, many are working out of their home. I recently participated in a video conference in which a colleague was located on one continent while the rest of us were located six hours away on another continent. Though the picture occasionally had slight pauses, the quality was absolutely amazing. It made for a very cost effective meeting because we could see the expressions on each others’ faces matched up with the tone of voice. Yet, we were about 5000 miles apart. Looking at the virtual office it is one possible way to reduce conflict but most of us work everyday in a situation where we constantly interact with those we work with. How we deal with conflicts in the workplace can often be a determiner of how successful we will be and how successful the team will be. Rick is here once again to continue his discussion on Christians In The Workplace.

Christians In The Workplace 2           

In Ephesians chapter 4, verse 28, the Apostle Paul wrote, "He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need."

I want to talk to you for these moments about your work.  A survey was recently taken of 2000 people who called themselves Christians where they were asked, "Have you ever in your life heard a sermon, read a book, listened to a tape, or been to a seminar that applied biblical principles to everyday work issues?”  More than 90% of the respondents said ‘no’.

Have you ever noticed the contrast between the emphasis of most Christian teaching we hear today and the way most of us live out our lives?  What I mean is this:  The average person spends anywhere from forty to sixty-five percent of his/her life on work or work-related tasks.  Let's say sixty percent.  They may spend another thirty or thirty-five percent on personal interests (family and the like).  And perhaps they spend as much as five or ten percent on church or religious activities.

And yet most Christian teaching we hear addresses these areas in exactly the opposite proportions.  You hear a very heavy emphasis on religious and church matters, some help in regard to marriage and family, but little if any that speaks directly to the workplace.  Is it any wonder that millions of Christians go to work every day disillusioned and unchallenged by the Word of God?

In the passage that we are considering today, Paul is telling the Ephesians that our work does matter to God.  There is purpose in what we do every day – in our work.  There is dignity connected to our labor.  The ethical standards that we apply in the workplace are extremely important.  And the practical results of our work are critical. 

But this message isn't getting through.  Studies indicate that most workers in the modern workplace feel bored with their jobs.  They wish that work could be an exciting drama where they are performing a strategic role and mission.  But for most, work is just a job.

And whatever message Christianity has to offer to the worker, it doesn’t seem to be getting through.  So, because the purpose for work is missing, the moral atmosphere gets lax.  Stealing time, money, and resources from the company.  People calling in sick when they aren’t sick.  Lying to get ahead.    

What the researchers found the most disturbing was that there is no significant difference between the churched and the unchurched when it comes to their ethics and values on the job.  In other words, despite the fact that plenty of people attend church week in and week out, the church is having less and less of an impact on the moral fiber of people in the workplace.  The studies showed that most professionals, and especially most men, are now skeptical toward the faith.  They feel like their faith can't stand up to the rigors of the street.  They attend church on Sunday, but religion for them is more like a weekend hobby, like golf or fishing.  When Monday comes, it's time to put away the toys and get back to the real world.

That's why Paul’s message is so important for today’s Christian worker.  Jesus Christ is Lord of all life. If Christ presides only over what I do on Sunday, if His words are just pious platitudes applicable only to my personal life, if Jesus is only a name in a book we read to our children which has minimal relevance to our work, then Christ really isn't Lord at all.

But as we ponder the real fundamentals of the Christian faith, we find that God is committed to provide a sense of dignity and meaning in our work.  He does care immensely about what you do all day - whether you’re a homemaker, a missionary, or an engineer.  God wants you to sense a deep purpose in your work.  He wants you to have a reason for pursuing ethical excellence in your job.

Genesis records that when God created the world, on the sixth day, he created man.  Verse 26: "Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, in  Our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.’”

Later on God gave to Adam the responsibility to name the animal kingdom, and this ALL happened BEFORE sin entered the world. The responsibility of Adam and Eve was to manage creation.  Naming the kingdom.  WORK!

In addition to all the other great theological issues that are addressed in Genesis 1, God is described fundamentally as a worker.  He created the world.  In fact, the text says later that on the seventh day, God rested from all his work. God is a worker.  Then God made man in His own image.  Immediately when God had created man, (verse 26) He gave man work to do – namely to have dominion over the created order.  God is a worker and He has created you and me in His image as His coworkers.  It stands to reason, then, that your work, in and of itself, is very important to God.  What you do all day matters very much to Him.  The Scriptures make a practical difference in the issues we face on the job.  Issues like stress and priorities and relationships and ambition and compromise. Issues like profit motive and partnerships and lawsuits.  These are the arenas in which faith must prove its value if it is to be of any value at all.

I believe most Christians sincerely want to please God in their work.  So as you gain fresh perspective on how God sees your work, I hope that you will develop His mindset on this vitally important aspect of your life.

This is MemCare by Radio. I’m Scott and I’m glad you could join us for this time together today in the studios of Trans World Radio. God bless you in your work for Him.