World Economic Forum: A growing number of people think their job is useless. Time to rethink the meaning of work

Article from World Economic Forum:  A growing number of people think their job is useless. Time to rethink the meaning of work

https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2017/04/why-its-time-to-rethink-the-meaning-of-work?utm_content=buffer502a7&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer

And I would say, Work Matters because the Creator God Works!  And we get to join in God's cosmos redeeming work!

I met a young man yesterday who was struggling with this question about what does faith have to do with our work.  Our society and church cultures continue to promote the dualism between the sacred and secular; the good and bad; and inside and of the world. Rather, everything that we do has the potential to be good work--it is all because of God's common grace.  And even when we think its bad work, God has a way to transform it into good in the end.  But it does require us to innovate new ideas, seek out new opportunities, and be empowered to make a difference wherever God calls us.  You can choose to live as a victim; or embrace our God given identity as children of God, those created in God's image, and ambassadors of His kingdom.  We are ekklesia! (I use the Greek, because the modern understanding of 'church' fails to describe its full meaning.)

7 Questions to Ask yourself when Engaging "Millennials"

While a catchy title for today's blog post, I find categories such as "Millennials" unhelpful especially when the term has more of a negative connotation today.  Our society is increasingly marginalizes people (and groups) by creating these categories.  There is a deep need for communities that exemplify encouragement, support, collaboration, and empowerment at its core--fundamentally, communities built on trust and authentic relationships.  We are all made in the image of God.  Categories and labels seek to divide and separate. 


In Scripture, we read of the relationship between The Apostle Paul and his young disciples Timothy and Titus who traveled, ate, and spent life together.  Because of Paul and his investment and pouring his life into in these two young men, Timothy and Titus became heavyweights (in their own ways) in proclaiming the gospel to the people of their time and building up the early Church. 

Today we are faced with a challenge of how to work together--cross-generations.  There is also a significant need for mentors and coaches.  In order to create more engaging work environments and church communities, we need to make a dramatic shift in our cultures.  I've compiled a list of seven questions to help spur dialogue for moving forward together.   Actually, I don't think these questions are specific to "Millennials".  Importantly, the questions are to help us listen better to each other and listening together.   Here we go:

1.  How well are we communicating the purpose and why?

Rather than telling others what to do or dictating how another should live their life, how are we helping others discover for themselves who they are and who God has called them to be and do?  Rather than tell them what needs to change, begin with explaining the Why and implications, but let the other person come up with the action plan and application. Simon Sinek Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action and Ken Costa Know Your Why: Finding and Fulfilling Your Calling in Life have books on the subject.  More, we also need to be communicate the vision and bigger picture of God's mission, and how we participate in God's mission. 

2.   How are we creating a work environments and faith communities that value people as inherently valuable? 

People (not their wallets, not their gifts, not talents and abilities) are not a resource and a means to an end.  Are we valuing each person as an individual created by God and in God's image? Are we valuing their individual gifts and strengths--there is no hierarchy of skills that God appreciates more or less.  We are the body of Christ.  Do others feel that they are valued? It's not good enough that they know--they really need to experience it.  Importantly, while we are a body/community/team/company, we are also made up of individuals made uniquely by God.  Everyone is a child of God.  

3. Do we trust others and empower them to do it? 

Trust and empowerment is essential for developing people to become mature followers of Jesus and grow into confident mature adults.  This means believing in the person, and allowing the person to carry out what they believe to be the best actions forward.  I say "best" because in reality, there is no "right" action forward.  In other words, to empower them to make a difference and release them to do it.  I believe that those same individuals, when empowered, will commit to the initiative and find ways to make it happen when they believe in the purpose themselves and when others believe in them.  This also means providing the support, resources, and encouragement when the other encounters failure.   As part of this, how are we coaching and mentoring others--investing in them as they discover God's calling for themselves?

4.  What are their values and what do others actually value? What is their passion and God's calling for them as best as they can discern at that moment?

Everyone's values are different.  What we think is important to another person, is likely not what is important to them.  This requires listening--really listening.  This means understanding the ways a person is appreciated, motivated, and rewarded; this requires knowing them as individuals.   For example, While I enjoy a cup of espresso, don't buy a coffee card for someone who doesn't drink coffee.  More, God's calling for everyone will also be unique and it is important to understand (and help others to discern) God's calling for them as best as they can discern at that moment and to support them in their calling; The big mistake is to impose or rush a person into what we think God is calling the other person to.  Be patient with others.  It's a life long journey. 

5.  Are we creating environments where each person has a voice and creating spaces where new ideas can be expressed and questions can be asked? 

Environments that exude trust, collaboration, and openness allow for a free-flow of ideas and individual expression of who we are uniquely created by God.  This includes, creating spaces where people can practice their craft. More, to create spaces where people can ask questions without being judged or criticized. Learning includes learning about failure and how to fail well. Learning is also more effective when a person discovers the answer themselves rather than having answers fed to them all the time. 

6.  Do we invite those on our communities to help define what the path forward looks like?  

Rather than having an agenda and setting a path for others to follow; sometimes leadership does require that, however, how are we facilitating in those discussions for how to move forward together before presenting the path forward? How are we discerning God's call for the community together and coming along side each other for the journey forward.  This includes listening to the cries and concerns of the people.  

7.  Lastly, how are we living out these values and being a positive influence to those around us?  

This is about having integrity and being authentic persons.  Our theology and what we believe informs our actions, and our actions demonstrate what we believe.  More, we need to have the courage to demonstrate vulnerability, humility, and openness with our lives. 

I hope the list of 7 questions is helpful; definitely not an exhaustive list.  

Who are the Paul's in your life? Who are the Timothies and Tituses who are in need of a mentor and coach?  Who are your co-partners in the journey?

"Be the change that you wish to see in the world." - Mahatma Gandhi

I Stand Near the Door - Rev. Samuel Moor Shoemaker

Rev.Samuel Shoemaker (1893-1963) was the rector at Calvary Episcopal Church in New York and co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous. 

The Poem "So I Stay Near the Door-An Apologia for my life" known better as "So I Stand by the Door" written by Shoemaker in 1958 highlights his motto for ministry.  This poem acts as a daily reminder of what it means to "incarnate Christ" to my neighbors--'tis also my place to "stay near the door."

I stay near the door.I neither go too far in, nor stay too far out,The door is the most important door in the world—It is the door through which people walk when they find God.There’s no use my going way inside, and staying there,When so many are still outside, and they, as much as I,Crave to know where the door is.And all that so many ever find is only the wall where a door ought to be.They creep along the wall like [the blind].With outstretched, groping hands,Feeling for a door, knowing there must be a door,Yet they never find it . . .So I stay near the door.

The most tremendous thing in the worldIs for [people] to find that door—the door to God.The most important thing any [person] can doIs to take hold of one of those blind, groping hands,And put it on the latch—the latch that only clicksAnd opens to the [person's] own touch.[People] die outside that door, as starving beggars dieOn cold nights in cruel cities in the dead of winter—Die for want of what is within their grasp.They live, on the other side of it—live because they have found it.Nothing else matters compared to helping them find it,And open it, and walk in, and find Him . . .So I stay near the door.

Go in, great saints, go all the way in—Go way down into the cavernous cellars,And way up into the spacious attics—In a vast, roomy house, this house where God is.Go into the deepest of hidden casements,Of withdrawal, of silence, of sainthood.Some must inhabit those inner rooms,And know the depths and heights of God,And call outside to the rest of us how wonderful it is.Sometimes I take a deeper look in,Sometimes venture a little farther;But my place seems closer to the opening . . .So I stay near the door.

The people too far in do not see how near these areTo leaving—preoccupied with the wonder of it all.Somebody must watch for those who have entered the door,But would like to run away. So for them, too,I stay near the door.

I admire the people who go way in.But I wish they would not forget how it wasBefore they got in. Then they would be able to helpThe people who have not even found the door,Or the people who want to run away again from God.You can go in too deeply, and stay in too long,And forget the people outside the door.As for me, I shall take my old accustomed place,Near enough to God to hear Him, and know He is there,But not so far from men as not to hear them,And remember they are there too.Where? Outside the door—Thousands of them, millions of them.But—more important for me—One of them, two of them, ten of them,Whose hands I am intended to put on the latch,So I shall stay by the door and waitFor those who seek it. ‘I had rather be a door-keeper . . .’So I stay near the door.

(source: http://dickb-blog.com/samshoemaker3.html) 

Faith and Work - everyday living

The photo is a reminder that our Lord Jesus is the Son of God, second person of the Trinity, and both God and Man, worked as a Carpenter. 

Adam and Eve were gardeners. Moses and David tended sheep.  Simon and Andrew were fishermen. John and his brother James also fished.  Ruth worked in the fields.  Paul made tents. 

God desires us to work--purposeful work. The Hebrew word "avodah" means both worship and work.  In other words, in our work we also worship our God.  Lest us not forget the importance of our daily work--for it is not simply work or just a job that we do everyday; we participate in God's work and God's mission into the world.

damonmak.blogspot.com my blog on faith and work is live. #faithwork #faith #work #leadership #thriving #thriveandhelpothersthrive #workplacetheology #buildingforthekingdom #theologyofwork #vancouver #damonmak #dmakdamon #damonmak.blogspot.com

A post shared by Damon Mak (@dmakdamon) on May 14, 2017 at 6:49pm PDT

But Isn't Having Ambition wrong?

Being Christian for the longest time meant being nice, submissive, passive, non-confrontational, and generally about being a good person; well, yes and no.  The church has a lot to say about piety and spending time praying, reading scripture, and doing work in the church (meaning the four walls of the building)--these are good practices; that said, what does God have to say about the day to day work that we spend years doing in the workplace? I assure you, there is a lot that God has to say and is really the purpose of this blog.  When it comes to ambition, it's often given a negative connotation as if desiring success is un-Christian, and unholy.  If success becomes an end itself, surely that needs correction; however, if we are the sons and daughters of God, ambassadors of the Kingdom, priesthood of believers, made in God's image, our identity in Christ must give us the confidence to do well, to work hard, and to even to do well financially; these things need not be something we need to be afraid of or shy of.  Again, I need to re-emphasize that i'm advocating for some sort of prosperity gospel.   Neither am I advocating that the doing of works saves us in the end. 

Ken Costa in his book God at Work: Live Each Day with Purpose  has this amazing quote on ambition and I commend to you.

"If our ambition is aligned with what God has called us to do, then we are right to ask for his blessing on it so that we can make a difference in the world and bring him glory." (38)

It is also worth checking out the God at work website https://www.godatwork.org.uk/ for more articles and inspiring videos.

Don't be afraid to ask God what our hearts are telling us. Be specific even with our prayers. Write it down in your journal and pray about it daily. God can say No--But what if God says YES and decides to bless you so that we thrive in that work. How different would our lives be?

Each day we should work with the confidence that God is with us, in us and works through us. We cannot work without Him--we participate with Him, and we work together as the Body of Christ. Each day we should also seek God's heart in all matters, and do our best to bring glory to Him in the work that we do. It is important to understand our passions and our motivations and seek counsel from others if necessary to make sure it is aligned with God's heart. Have faith to do it and living out our calling. And we empowered by the Holy spirit to do so--prompting us, guiding us, leading us, encouraging us. It is not enough to simply know this, but deeply and believe that you can achieve much greater things than Jesus himself. Jesus did say it himself:

“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will [he/she] do, because I am going to the Father." John 14: 12.

Passion vesus Pay (Compensation)

I believe we should always strive to do work that we are passionate about.  However, when we talk about following our passion and doing work that is inline with our, we immediately ask the question "what about pay and compensation?" We may be very passionate about what we do but it doesn't pay very well or pay at all.    Do we forgo pay and chase our passions? The reverse of this is where we are paid well, yet what we do does not align with our passions but we also need to make sure our kids or parents are cared for. Is it right to then neglect our responsibilities of caring for our families, or rack up lots of debt in order to fulfill our passion?  We should do whatever it takes to fulfill our passion, right?  I think the answer in fact lies somewhere in between–in other words, balance.  

Bill Hybels, founding and senior pastor of Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington Illinois writes in his book  Simplify: Ten Practices to Unclutter Your Soul (paraphrasing Paul the Apostle 1 Tim 5:8) "Put passion aside if you must (at least for a season), and put food on the table.  If you're called to provide, you must provide, even if you cannot do so in your area of passion.  That's your first priority." (102)

Hybels has a wonderful summary (107):

Low Pay + High Passion = Supplement Your Income.

• If we are passionate about what we do but it doesn't pay well, we may need to find other part-time work in order to continue doing what you do.

High Pay + Low Passion = Supplement Your Passion. 

• You may be paid well, but you do less-enjoyable work.  Firstly, all work is God good in God's eyes and can glorify God.  Staying in your job also doesn't make you less faithful. You may choose to volunteer in work that is aligned with your passion.  You can still put food on the table, while pursue your passion.  

You don't have to sacrifice your passion neither does sacrificing pay make you more holy or faithful.  Be open and flexible.  Find ways to enjoy your job–rather, love your job.  Find ways to do work that is inline with God's calling for you–work that you are passionate about.  You are doing God's work in the world.

FaithTech.ca Conversation Night in Vancouver

What does Faith and Technology have to do with each other? Why does God care about technology? How and can we bring glory to God through technology? How can God use technology to advance the gospel? I believe God invites us all regardless of what you do into the redemptive and transformative work--that includes technology, software, and engineers.  

This is a wonderful time to engage with other Christians and technologists in the discussion as well as how we can make an impact to the city of Vancouver. James Kelly (Waterloo, Ont) founder of FaithTech.ca will be hosting an event in Vancouver Coast Church May 13, 2017.  

Get more information and tickets to the FREE event can be found here: 
https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/faithtech-vancouver-conversation-night-tickets-33170098658

DATE AND TIME

Sat, 13 May 2017

7:00 PM – 9:00 PM PDT

LOCATION

Coastal Church

1160 W. Georgia St.

Vancouver, BC

To be made in the Image of God (imago Dei) is to Reflect

After the six days of creation, God creates humanity.  In Genesis 1:27, we are told that God created humanity in His image (imago Dei)-male and female He created them.   To be made in God's image has several implications.  

We are to be like God in that we share in the like-ability to create and design, the like-ability to order, and to multiply and grow. We are also made to reflect God back to God, reflect His image to the rest of humanity, and to reflect His image into creation. 

We are neither created to reflect ourselves nor are we created to reflect or do the work of creating and ordering alone without God--That was the Fall.  Neither do we reflect God's image only as men or women only; It is only when all humanity as men and women coming together in co-partners and in participation with the Creator, do we image our Creator.  

Today because of Christ, we are reconciled with God.  We join in union and participation with the Godhead in His redemptive and trans-formative work.  We are empowered by the Holy Spirit.  We build for the kingdom! We build together. Our work matters to God and has eternal significance because we are made in the image of God.

Building up People to Build for the Kingdom

If you’ve had conversations with me, you probably will get a sense that I’m passionate about integrating our faith with our work.  I believe that God has created us to steward creation well, and to thrive in the areas of business, arts, education, music, and so forth-wherever God calls you to be for building God’s Kingdom and to bring glory to Him.

In business, it’s important to do your market research and to spend the time to develop an effective marketing campaign to promote your product; It’s also important that you also believe in the product(s) that you are selling.  And while companies spend thousands of dollars (and even millions) on marketing, resources are not spent on investing on their employees.   This is not only about skills development.  It’s about building trust and truly believing in your employees and caring about their success as employees-to thrive in what they do and to thrive as holistic persons (spiritual, physical, and mental wellness). When you equip and empower your employees, and to love them and believe in them, your customers and their family and friends will notice.  

#faithwork #buildforthekingdom #thrive #shalom #workplacetheology