George Barna in Futurecast says the following on pages 66-67:

"This shift in morals has a direct bearing on the economic downturn of recent years. Without moral  standards and restraint, governments, businesses, and individuals push the boundaries to exercise the maximum level of freedom in order to achieve personal gain. But when we practice unrestrained freedom, our greed and selfishness inevitably affect the well-being of the marketplace and individuals. The only solution to the abuses that occur without such restraint is for government regulation to curtail some degree of our freedom, which in turn makes the market less efficient.  If instead, people were to make choices based on a biblical world view, in which truth is founded on God's precepts and principles, fewer external restrictions would be necessary and greater freedom and efficiency would result."    

I believe that the principles and teachings in the Bible are key to restoring our nation's economic greatness. What do you think?

Jesus said to them, "My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working." John 5:17 

When Jesus healed a lame man at the Bethesda pool, He did so on the Sabbath. There are two things that jump out at me about this particular miracle. First, it was performed on the Sabbath. Second, take note of where Jesus was located.

Church leaders fussed about Christ doing good works on the Sabbath. However, Jesus let others know that He, and we, are to do good works or act out our faith 24/7. Therefore, we are to be His disciples out in the world and to help build His kingdom with all the resources at our disposal. Christ taught and healed wherever he went.

What do you think about acting act your faith at work (vocationally)? 

 Have you ever seen a business leader take an unfair advantage of a competitor and then comment, “it’s just business.” Have you ever observed an employee being terminated and then wonder whether the employee was treated respectfully and fairly? I am also sure that you can think of times, in your own life, when you wondered about the appropriateness of one of your own decisions at work. I know that I have. The world can be a very tough and unfair place. Sometimes one has to make a key decision and it feels a bit gray. The lines of right and wrong can seem fuzzy. Almost everyone in a policy-setting capacity has been there at one point or another. 

Herein lies a tremendous opportunity to “live sent” in the marketplace. As Darrow Miller says in his new book, LifeWork, “moral and spiritual poverty reign in the Christian West” (pg13). Despite this negative perspective and the uncertainty we sometimes face with our decision-making at work, there is real cause for hope and optimism. That hope and optimism comes from the good news of Jesus Christ. It also stems from the opportunity to develop a “Christian Worldview at Work.” And we can take satisfaction from the fact that many marketplace leaders are already at work developing their Christian Worldviews! 

According to Mr. Miller, there are three basic Worldviews. They are: Animism, Secularism, and Biblical Theism. Animism is often found in developing countries. In these societies, corrupt government officials, mercantilists, and tribal chiefs control the economy. There is no moral challenge. The Animists belief system takes over. It is one in which people are left in the hands of “the fates” or even hostile spirits. God is left out of the picture.  

A second world view, and one that runs rampant in the Christian West, is Secularism. In this view, there is no spiritual reality, only a physical reality. Rather than seeing work as a part of God’s plan, work’s purpose is to allow us to consume. Our value as human beings gets caught up in what we have. This pursuit of gathering up all “the Toys” we can often yields train wrecks in life. This view can equal broken marriages and families, and weak spiritual foundations. To achieve success at work, one does whatever it takes in the marketplace. As a result, God is diminished and people get hurt unnecessarily. Family life is too often marginalized. 

The third Worldview is Biblical Theism. Biblical Theism is defined as the renewing of our minds according to the Kingdom of God. To better understand it, let’s look at Paul’s comments in Romans 12:1-2:

¹Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. ²Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.  

Put simply, Biblical Theism (a Christian Worldview) calls for us to repent of our sins and to adopt the mind of Christ and not the culture. We are challenged to see the world as God sees it. We strive to be more Christ-like (see Who We Are Menu Tab-Purpose and Values #4). Our Worldview is guided by God’s plan and not that of our culture or society.

How then do we rise to the challenge of Living Sent at work? How do we rise to that challenge in the community?