Do I Owe My Soul to the Company Store? (Ministry Trends Series)

Are believers in Christ working so much at their jobs that they don’t have time to minister to people? One trend that has influenced volunteer ministry in the church is the career decisions of believers.

Marlene Wilson acknowledges that the times have changed. “The fact is that people are volunteering- just not in the ways you may remember.” (Volunteer Recruitment, Interviewing, and Placement, 9) She continues by comparing the “Good Ole Days” when few women worked outside of the home and volunteers could be recruited by simply putting out a sign-up sheet. Today, it is not uncommon for a member to tell a church leader, “I would love to help but my work schedule just will not allow it.”

We need to ask ourselves a question related to work life. Why are we working? God has called us to work. Work is not a result of “the Fall,” when sin entered into the world. God called Adam to work the garden, even before “the Fall.” But many families work at sacrificial levels. They trade family time, community connection, and worship-filled fellowship with believers in order to sustain a level of affluence and prosperity. They want to own the best of material things and work long, exhausting hours to pay for it. I do not believe this is God’s will.

I doubt that the work habits of believers will change anytime soon. We can help people see the consequences of their decisions. Yet, the enormous consumer debt that most American families have acquired may mean that our people will be enslaved to these decisions for many years.

Is there something church leaders can do to help people discover joyful and effective ministry? For believers who are “overworked,” there are at least two solutions. One is to create more short-term volunteer opportunities that have a smaller time commitment, but a powerful impact. A second suggestion involves helping believers change their mindset about their work.

What if the people of God began to envision their workplace as a mission field? What if we redefined the “missionary” as every believer who has been called by God to reach the people in his or her office, neighborhood, and social club? Every day, our church members have an opportunity to reach people with the Gospel who may never attend a church (before connecting with a believer).

A great resource for introducing this concept is Worklife.org

What ideas do you have to help those whose career choices have restrained them from ministry? Leave a comment below.

Previous Posts in this Series:

Are People Still Volunteering? 

Families: A Help or Hindrance to Ministry Service?

Coming Soon in this Series:
Motivational Shifts
Community versus the Individual
Technological Influences
Other Organizations