Reflections
WHOLE LIFE STEWARDSHIP FOUNDATIONAL QUESTIONS
By Pete Hammond
The marketplace-faith movement offers a challenge to Christians in many cultures where:
- Calling or vocation is the privilege of only a few super-saints among us who are employed by religious institutions;
- Church is an institution that they attend; Father, Son & Holy Spirit are reduced to occasional companions for religious times and activities;
- Ministry is a job for a few select church professionals;
- Witness is a frightening activity, or only accomplished by professional evangelists and a few type AA@ personalities; and work is seen as unspiritual, temporal and a nasty necessity.
- Work is seen as unspiritual, temporal, and a nasty necessity;
All of these deep-seated perspectives are being questioned— and even opposed— as unbiblical by the ever expanding “marketplace movement.” But that process of review and change can be hard to grasp for veteran believers and their leaders. The following questions are designed to disturb the status quo, uncover some neglected biblical perspectives, and open new paths of thinking, believing and practicing our Christian faith every day, in every place.
Calling: (Occurs 861 times in the Bible.)
- Why do most Christians assume they are not “called” by God? (1st Peter 2:21, 13:9; Jude 1-2)
- Is it true that few are called?
- If only a few are “called into ministry,” is God an elitist?
- What is it like to “feel called?” How should it be confirmed? Does that feeling match with the biblical use of call, or is this a modern human construct?
- Does calling have anything to do with institutional ordination?
- Is modern ordination a fabricated concept, or does it have validation in the Bible? (occurs only 32 times in the Bible and only four of these are in the New Testament)
- Why is the New Testament word kleros now used for a few professionals called “clergy” when it originally mean call?
Church: (Only used 119 times in the NRSV New Testament, and never for a building.)
- Where is the church on Tuesday morning? What is it doing then? (Acts 9:31)
- How can believers in hostile cultures “do church” with no buildings, paid staff, tax deductible money or budgets?
- Is church anything more than a building, worship services and/or volunteering for religious activity?
- Did the church exist before Emperor Constantine established the Roman church for its citizens after his conversion? (2nd Corinthians 1:1; Galatians 1:13)
- What happens when a church has an “empty pulpit” or is without a certified denominational pastor or priest? Is the congregation a legitimate church during this hiatus?
- How can you “go to church” if the New Testament defines The Church as “Christ’s body?” (Acts 14:27; 1st Corinthians 4:17, 11:18)
- What has changed from Jesus saying “Go into all the world...” when now over 300,000 American pastors plead four us to “Come into the church and serve God”?
Ministry: (Only used 35 times in the New Testament as a proper noun or title in the NRSV)
- Was Jesus only “in ministry” his last three years on earth?
- Is every church member in “full-time ministry?” If not, does that mean they are a part-time Christian? (Colossians 3:1-19; 2nd Corinthians 5:18)
- If we are named “Priests” by God, what responsibilities do we have? Where are we to practice them? (1 Peter 2:9-11)
- Who functions as a “minister” in the persecuted church around the world where there are no religious institutions or jobs? (Acts 1:15-17; Romans 12:1-8)
- Can ministry be done anywhere else than in church activities, as a volunteer or on “vacations with a purpose” sponsored by a religious organization?
- Is any Christian “not in ministry?” (Ephesians 4:11-16)
- Should church members do anything more than pray, pay and obey their clergy?
Witness: (Occurs 157 times in the Bible.)
- Is witness more than verbal information transfer? (James 1:27, 2:8; Matthew 7:21-23)
- What does Christ mean when he declared that “You shall be my witnesses?” (Acts 1:6-8, 10:39-43)
- What is the Holy Spirit’s role in witness or evangelism? (Romans 8:16-17)
- Are you a successful witness if you have never “led anyone to Christ?”
- Is evangelism only for the few with a special gift in this area?
- Is world evangelization to be accomplished by a few of us called missionaries, priests, nuns, and clergy?
- What did St. Francis of Assisi mean when he said, AWitness at all times. When necessary use words.@
- Is world evangelism to be accomplished by just a few of God’s people who served as professional missionaries and evangelists?
Work: (Occurs 746 times in various forms as noun, verb or adjective, singular or plural in the NRSV Bible.)
- Was Jesus out of the will of God his first 30 years when he worked with his dad as a carpenter?
- What is the first impression we get of God in the Bible - Genesis 1?
- Is work a result of sin? If so, what were Adam & Eve doing in Genesis 2 before their fall?
- If work equals a job or employment, what was it before money and for-profit companies existed?
- What does success look like in The Kingdom of God?
- Will we work in heaven? If not, what do you think we will do? (Isaiah 65:17-25)
- Is work a calling, a curse, or an addiction?
- What does the Holy Spirit have to do with work or jobs? (Exodus 31:1-11; 35:30-35)
- Do the poor deserve their plight?
- Do you believe the popular American view of “Thank God, it’s Friday?”
- Is anything in God’s creation really secular?
- Is retirement an option in our vocation of faith?
How do we recover the biblical meaning and practice of the core elements of faith in the world? Why have we lost so much of the original meanings? Can this process of review and renewal be a part of the people of God=s current exploration of what the church of Christ will become in its new era of service, witness and righteous living, every day, in every context?
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