Slide1: Introducing: Website:Willmarareafaithatwork.com E-mail: Info@Willmarareafaithatwork.com 320-222-9793 PO Box 934 Willmar, MN 56201


Willmar Area Faith @Work: Willmar Area Faith @Work We are modeled after the Alexandria Unity Foundation in Minnesota, an inter-denominational group of business leaders and professionals that offers a monthly luncheon event to people in the region.


Willmar Area Faith @Work: Willmar Area Faith @Work Our name “Faith @Work” has a double meaning: To introduce Faith into the workplace with practical insight dealing with Ethical, Spiritual and Value issues. To help the Christian Community to walk the talk. Through inter-denominational prayer and events focused on addressing specific issues in the Community, we hope to bless the community by “Faith at Work” (a faith that works).


Why Willmar Area Faith @Work?: Why Willmar Area Faith @Work? Mission Statement: To encourage and facilitate the understanding of God’s complete plan for a balanced and purposeful life at work.


Work-life Status: Work-life Status 60 to 70% of our daily lives are spent at work. “Our surveys reveal that 90-97% of Christians have never heard a sermon relating Biblical principles to their work.” Doug Sherman, Your Work Matters to God. Most people are dissatisfied with work: Survey of Christians revealed a 50% dissatisfaction (Sherman) 80% of the general population and 50% of executives are dissatisfied with their work (Wall Street Journal) Os Hillman: The 9 to 5 window


The Call in Life: The Call in Life “The realization of it (the call) in a man’s life may come with a sudden thunder-clap or with a gradual dawning, but in whatever way it comes it comes with the undercurrent of the supernatural, something that cannot be put into words.”- Oswald Chambers “I have done many things in my life that conflicted with the great aims I had set myself-and something has always set me on the true path again.” - Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn (Source: The Call)


Discovering a purposeful work life: Discovering a purposeful work life “Do you wish to live life as a journey? Are you eager to know the Way? Deeply desiring to reach the goal of your quest? Willing to lead an examined life, travel with those who use the same signposts, and associate with all who long for the same home? Listen to Jesus of Nazareth; answer his call.” Os Guinness (The Call)


The Caller: The Caller “We are not primarily called to do something or to go somewhere; we are called to Someone….Refuse to play the word games that pretend calling means anything without a Caller.” Os Guinness


Understanding the realities: Understanding the realities Our fallen world: The core of our talents and abilities may or may not be fulfilled in our lives on earth. Due to the fall, work is partly creative (good) and partly cursed. Work that fits perfectly to our callings and abilities is not a right, but a blessing. Michelangelo once complained: “having seen, as I said, that the times are contrary to my art, I do not know if I have any hope of further salary.”


Priorities: Priorities How do we rank: Community, Family, God, Work, Church?


Priorities: Some say: God is number one! “You shall have no other God (nothing else, nobody else) before Me” Priorities


Priorities: Others say: Family must be number one! If we don’t first take care of those God entrusted to our care, then we dishonor God. Priorities


Priorities: Other factors can also be difficult to prioritize: Work: to provide for our families Church: to learn about life and experience God Community: to serve people beyond the immediate family Priorities


Priorities: John C. Maxwell: “When does our obligation to serve and honor God (Priority 1) ever get satisfactory completed enough to move on to Priority Two? Ever?” Priorities Life@Work: Maxwell, Swenson, Hybels


Priorities: It is impossible to rightfully prioritize/rank these five areas in life: God, Family, Work, Church, Community Priorities


Priorities: When can we truly say: God: “God, I think I have done everything you expected of me, so now I move on to the needs of my Family.” Priorities


Priorities: When can we truly say: Work: “Boss, everything is completed and prepared for the future. I am now going to help with the youth in church.” Priorities


Priorities: When can we truly say: Church: “Pastor, there are no more needs in our church. I will now help the community at large with...” Priorities


Priorities: God actually desires that we continuously juggle and balance all areas in life. Priorities


Life: Original Purpose: Life: Original Purpose Work Church Community Nation Family “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” Matthew 6: 9-10 God is the circle God God God God


The Modern Compartmentalized Life: The Modern Compartmentalized Life being served (ego) Community (Nation) Family Church Work Me Me Me Me God Private Sphere Secular Sphere We define God and limit His involvement! EGO = Edging God Out We redefined God from being the Circle and moved Him inside the circle to a limited role. God is removed from ½ of life


The history of the distorted-modern- compartmentalized Christian life: : The history of the distorted-modern- compartmentalized Christian life: 312 A.D. Era Elevated the spiritual at the expense of the secular A spiritual form of dualism – spiritual and secular God has never separated the spiritual from the secular Spiritual Distortion Year 1650: A secular form of dualism – elevation of the secular at the expense of the spiritual. Work replaced vocation and Calling Most now see work and the spiritual (faith) as two separate worlds. Inference: layman “works” for money while minister “works” for God. Secular Distortion Os Hillman


Avoiding the distortions: Avoiding the distortions Pursue a holistic understanding to counter the dualistic distortions: Don’t emphasize the spiritual over the secular Ministry distorted as a greater Call compared to ‘regular’ work. Don’t emphasize the secular over the spiritual Work distorted by defining who we are without recognizing God as the Caller and limiting God and the spiritual to a Sunday event. Henry Ford’s distortion: “Work is the salvation of the human race, morally, physically, socially.” (Source: The Call)


Why are people dissatisfied?: Why are people dissatisfied? The modern Catch-22: “Neither work nor career can be fully satisfying without a deeper sense of calling – but ‘calling’ itself is empty and indistinguishable from work unless there is Someone who calls.” Os Guinness (Source: The Call)


Why are people dissatisfied?: Why are people dissatisfied? The modern Catch-22: If we leave God out, there is no Caller. So people try to find meaning by redefining the Call to something that needs doing, which often turns into even more meaningless work in endless pursuit for meaning (workaholics).


People are dissatisfied partly because they feel empty without God:: People are dissatisfied partly because they feel empty without God: Words such as calling and vocations were replaced by words as work, trade, occupations and employment. Instead of God being the Caller whispering us along way according to our gifted talents and learned skills, people are now directed by ambition, duties and roles in society. Finally, faith and calling were completely separated. Each citizen should demand a job. Callings became jobs, while the jobs later became corrupted without God’s presence.


Ignoring the spiritual dimension of our being:: Ignoring the spiritual dimension of our being: Father Son Holy Spirit Spirit Soul Body Mind Will Emotion Memory God whispers to us through the Holy Spirit God: the Trinity God’s children Modern Christianity has removed God from the workplace and people do not feel complete. Jay Bennett: The Kingdom Oil Christian Foundation Conscience Intuition


Society is finally realizing that we are spiritual beings also:: Society is finally realizing that we are spiritual beings also: Business Week Magazine: “A spiritual revival is sweeping across Corporate America as executives of all stripes are mixing mysticism into their management, importing into office corridors the lessons usually doled out in churches, temples, and mosques. It is no longer taboo to talk about God at work.” Faith & Work: Do they mix? (Hillman)


Society is finally realizing that we are spiritual beings also:: Society is finally realizing that we are spiritual beings also: Laura Nash: ethicist at Harvard Divinity School “Spirituality in the workplace is exploding”. Os Hillman: author and President of Marketplace Leaders As people work more than before, it is no surprise then that the workplace is where this “social phenomena (spirituality) are showing up first. The office is where more and more people eat, exercise, date, drop their kid…” Faith & Work: Do they mix? (Hillman)


Faith in the workplace:: Faith in the workplace: Two Minnesota companies draws business solutions from the Bible: Marilyn Carlson Nelson, Carlson Companies William George, Medtronic Inc At least 10,000 Bible and prayer groups meets regularly in the workplace. Christian groups in large public companies: Coca-Cola Christian Fellowship Toyota Christian Fellowship Continental Airlines prayer group (450 members) American Airlines Intel Texas Instruments Sears Christian Fellowship (has its own choir) High Tech Prayer Breakfast in Atlanta (1,500 people) Faith & Work: Do they Mix? The 9 to 5 window: (Hillman)


Reconnecting our spiritualdimension to the soul and body:: Reconnecting our spiritual dimension to the soul and body: Father Son Holy Spirit Spirit Soul Body God whispers to us through the Holy Spirit God: the Trinity God’s children > Creator Redeemer Communicator We pray and feel peace by connecting to our God As Willmar Area Faith @Work, we look for ways to re-introduce God through: Practical: Spiritual Ethical Value issues Jay Bennett: The Kingdom Oil Christian Foundation Conscience Intuition Mind Will Emotion Memory


The aim of God’s Call: The aim of God’s Call “The one aim of the call of God is the satisfaction of God, not a call to do something for him.” “Do we enjoy our work, love our work, virtually worship our work so that our devotion to Jesus is off-center? Do we put our emphasis on service, or usefulness, or being productive in working for God – at his expense? Do we strive to prove our own significance? To make a difference in the world? To carve our names in marble on the monuments of time? “We are not primarily called to do something, but called to Someone.” Os Guinness (Source: The Call)


Seek God instead of withdrawing from Him:: Seek God instead of withdrawing from Him: “To make the choice of career or profession on selfish grounds, without a true sense of calling, is “probably the greatest single sin any young person can commit, for it is the deliberate withdrawal from allegiance to God of the greatest part of time and strength.” - Archbishop William Temple (Source: The Call)


The Purposeful Life: The Purposeful Life If God is real and knows us all, even from within the womb, then HE is a personal God …not just a remote, perfect and creative almighty power. As God manifested his personal dimension through Jesus and reestablished the broken relationship through forgiveness of sin, then it is reasonable to believe His word (Bible) that He truly cares for what we do in ALL aspects of life. And most of all – He desires that we know Him.


The paradox that Less is More: The paradox that Less is More “The more we get what we now call ‘ourselves’ out of the way and let Him take us over, the more truly ourselves we become.” C.S. Lewis


The Balanced & Meaningful Life – no compartmentalization: The Balanced & Meaningful Life – no compartmentalization to serve Community Family Church Work G O D G O D GOD GOD May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us: establish the work of our hands for us – yes, establish the work of our hands. Ps 90:17


Which among these occupations should be considered the most spiritual vocation?: Which among these occupations should be considered the most spiritual vocation? Missionary Pastor Carpenter Billy Graham Farmer Homemaker Business Person All are Equal According to God’s Word!


What God’s word says about work: What God’s word says about work “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as reward.” Col 3: 23-34


The Balanced & Meaningful Life – no compartmentalization: The Balanced & Meaningful Life – no compartmentalization to serve Community Family Church Work G O D G O D GOD GOD Our desire and focus through Faith @Work is to bring faith into the workplace in a healthy manner. Therefore, fulfilling God’s original design for life.


Work-life in Christianity: Work-life in Christianity Of Jesus’ 132 public appearances, 122 were in the marketplace Of 52 parables Jesus told, 45 had workplace context Of 40 divine events recorded in Acts, 39 were in the marketplace Jesus called 12 workplace individuals, not clergy, to build His church Work in its different forms is mentioned 800 more times than any other words used to express worship, music, praise and singing combined. www.marketplaceleaders.org


Faith @Work: Faith @Work Values: Intellectual Tolerance We believe that the Christian God as Creator, has given all people free will to accept or reject His love.


Faith @Work: Faith @Work Values: Personal Tolerance We believe that True Christianity is the only value system that truly is tolerant based on: mankind is created to be free individual worth is given by the Creator highest challenge to love - even our/your enemies


Faith @Work:: Faith @Work: The healthy (legal) way: Can ask people if they want to join prayer group or Bible study on company premises. Can have Christian principles as company values as long as the company “does not require the employees to practice any one particular faith”. Can engage in religious speech at work as long as there is no actual imposition on co-workers or disruption of the work routine. The unhealthy (un-legal) way: Cannot (should not) force people to pray or read religious books. Cannot tell people to not read religious books from other religions. Cannot tell people they must join religious activities. Cannot reward, promote or appraise people for joining religious activities. Verify with legal council / Federal and State Workplace Guidelines


What we do: What we do With so much of our life invested at work, we seek ways to facility learning and experiences: How to better balance the struggles and challenges in life. How to better utilize our God given talents and combine them with our skills and experiences for the benefit of co-workers, customers, employers and community. How to equip supervisors and employers to better serve the employees entrusted to their care.


How we do it: How we do it Planned monthly Faith @Work luncheons Planned periodic seminars Personal interaction across the business and professional community.


How we do it: How we do it Planned monthly Faith @Work luncheons. Planned periodic seminars Personal interaction across the business and professional community. When: Normally: 3rd Thursday at noon (Holiday Inn) When: Check website for schedule


Willmar Area Faith @Work: Willmar Area Faith @Work General Board: Committees: Intersession Faith @Work luncheons (including event PR) Connecting across businesses for workplace ministry Connecting across Churches Steering (including budgets and financing) Affiliated groups: - Alexandria Unity Foundation - MarketplaceLeaders.org


Willmar Area Faith @Work: Willmar Area Faith @Work WAF@W Board and Committee Members from various Churches: First Covenant Church Church of the Nazarene Assembly of God Church Evangelical Free Church First Baptist Church We welcome and hope people from other churches will join us as well.


Willmar Area Faith @Work: Willmar Area Faith @Work How to find information: Upcoming events on our WAF@W website. www.Willmarareafaithatwork.com Call or e-mail us. 320-222-9793 or Info@Willmarareafaithatwork.com Provide your e-mail to automatically receive WAF@W event notifications. Sign up through WAFW to receive free information from MarketplaceLeaders.org: Education: Faith at work articles Equipping: Faith at work resources (presentations, books, etc) Encouraging: Faith at work daily e-mail devotions (Os Hillman)


City transformation: City transformation Pastors/Local Churches Marketplace Intercessors Bless Willmar Area Our sphere: Willmar Area Faith @Work


Willmar Area Faith @Work: Willmar Area Faith @Work We are looking for people and businesses to get involved with workplace ministry and people development. Contact us: Website: Willmarareafaithatwork.com E-mail: Info@Willmarareafaithatwork.com 320-222-9793 PO Box 934 Willmar, MN 56201 Luncheons tickets available: Good News Book Store Cub Foods Customer Service Desk (7:30 am – 9:00 pm) Dunn Brothers


Willmar Area Faith @Work: Willmar Area Faith @Work There is a move of God in the workplace… “I believe the next move of God is going to be among believers in the workplace.” - Dr. Billy Graham Conclusion