![]() Along the same vein, members sometimes convey deep-seated unhappiness with their work environments, work-related relationships, and work demands. Like so many churches, members of Jefferson Assembly of God often express frustration at not being able to serve more fully in the various ministries of the church because of work obligations. In many ways, then, Jefferson Assembly of God represents a prototypical Assemblies of God congregation, making my ministry context similar to thousands of others across the nation. Additionally, seasonal events and targeted outreaches pepper the annual calendar. Ongoing ministry includes most of the programs a person might expect in an Assemblies of God church, for example, a Sunday worship service, Sunday school, and Royal Rangers, M-pact Girls Clubs, children’s church, and youth meetings. Jefferson Assembly of God is staffed with a full-time senior pastor, full-time youth and children’s pastor, and full-time secretary. The congregation enjoys relatively new facilities that were constructed ten years ago on a two-lane state highway just outside of one of the communities served. Most adherents generally live in rural or small-town settings within a fifteen-mile radius of the church. The church’s participants represent five area school districts. Significantly for purposes of this study, employment is generally at blue-collar manufacturing jobs and more varied pink-collar jobs, 1 including government-related clerical work and education-related employment with the local school district. Members of Jefferson Assembly come from four small communities in the area (each less than 1,000 in population) and from the northeast edges of the state’s capital city, Topeka. Pastor Kent Duncan on Teaching Theology of Work to Blue Collar Workers (Click to listen) The congregation has seen reasonably steady growth since then, but in recent years has plateaued at an average Sunday morning attendance around 230. ![]() ![]() The church grew from Bible studies in a local home some thirty-seven years ago. For twenty-five years I have served as pastor to Jefferson Assembly of God, a Kansas congregation of fairly typical Assemblies of God history and character. My own ministry has been devoted to and centered within the local church. At the local level, individuals and communities either experience the transformation of Christ or continue their march toward eternity without Him. Still, interaction between a local congregation and its community remains the place where, in large measure, the Kingdom either advances or fails to advance. Educational institutions, parachurch organizations, and similar entities all fill significant and necessary roles. The local church serves as the foundational expression of the body of Christ throughout the world and the fundamental means by which God’s Kingdom advances. The series concluded with a commissioning service created to acknowledge and celebrate God’s Kingdom-advancing purposes always present in all labor, including ordinary labor.Īs a result, workers reported a new understanding of their labor as God-ordained, already significant in the advance of Christ’s kingdom today, and made eternally valuable when refined and renewed through Christ’s redeeming work.įacilitating Marketplace Ministry in a Blue-Collar Context: Where, Why, and How Back to Table of Contents Back to Table of Contents Thirty-one blue-collar employees participated in a four-week process designed to challenge work-related misconceptions through the presentation of a biblical theology of work. To address this discrepancy, a sermon series, discussion materials, and other work-related ministry resources were developed for use at Jefferson Assembly of God in Meriden, Kansas. Furthermore, they consistently see themselves as less connected to their workplaces strategically and relationally than do white-collar workers. Significant differences were observed on thirteen outcomes associated with vocation and sense of calling indicating that, compared to white-collar workers, blue-collar workers have a significantly lower sense of divine purpose, calling, and giftedness in relation to their work. This research utilized data from the Discipleship Dynamics Assessment to compare the attitudes of blue-collar workers (N=31) to those of a paired sample of white- collar workers. Consequently, they perceive work as a necessary evil while frustration and alienation characterize time spent on the job. Learning From the Psalms How to Pray Through Your WorkĬontemporary blue-collar employees often fail to appreciate the biblical significance of ordinary human labor.Beyond Rank and Power: What Philemon Tells Us About Leadership.Evangelism - Sharing the Gospel at Work.10 Key Points About Work in the Bible Every Christian Should Know.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |