“Christian work” can be a bit funny when it comes to money…..

But, what is “Ministry” nowadays and what is not? The lines are a little blurry aren’t they?

A lot of Christian organisations/businesses who pay their workers often tend to pay low wages…….sometimes for heavy stressful workload!

Do we recognise this enough? Often we don’t and people burn out and then we blame satan or something/someone else for why that person imploded!

Sometimes its just your fault for weighing them down!

So, what is ‘service’ and what is not? How do we decide?

Now, before anyone starts to twitch and think I am moaning…….I am not………..I have to say I’ve been blessed with time in my schedule to devote to design for our Church so, I’m not complaining about that. I am also blessed to be working alongside and with a great team of folks who support and look out for each other often.

I do have occasions when I need to stretch hard to complete work and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t get very very frustrated with deadlines and lack of organisation at times………..not always……just sometimes……….but sometimes that cannot be helped.

But all that aside…….. I am curious……….does your Church pay people to do certain work?

Work that’s outside the ‘normal’ Church staff kind of thing……so……..not the Minister/Pastor/Youth Worker…..

But what about Media? Music?

And if so, why certain ‘ministries’ and not others?

I am not sure what I think about this…………I see pros and cons………….I wonder if a Church pays you will they pay you fairly and not heap unreasonable expectations on you?

I’m not trying to talk myself into a self-created job in Church by the way…………..good grief, I broke into a sweat thinking about that!! I’ve skirted around the edges of ‘ministry’ ‘and……….well, maybe this answers my questions but, unless you are ‘called’ it could chew you up and spit you out………I think…………and really ‘called’ – not flattered by some folks!!

Anyway, do your entire team give of their spare/free time to all of these areas in your Church?

Maybe they do and maybe they sacrifice income from their ‘real job’ to serve in Church? Does your Church see that as part of their ‘tithe’ and active service in Church?

How do you do all of this?

What has worked for you?

What has not worked?

What do you think?

I believe that the church is the hope of the world and is positioned like no other channel of influence to shape culture. Its people are called to be in the world. As John Stott puts it, “we find ourselves citizens of two kingdoms, the one earthly and the one heavenly. And each citizenship lays upon us duties which we are not at liberty to evade.” Although the work of culture creation may take place outside the physical walls of a church building, the local church creates a natural space where social networks of leaders, within all seven channels of culture, can work together towards a common goal. Nowhere else does this potential for synergy exist. Unlike other channels, the church is a living organism where God’s spirit constantly moves and seeks to express Himself through a willing Body.

Sadly, by focusing on just the “spiritual” and the afterlife, the Christian church has strayed away from its potential influence in the here and now, positioning itself instead as just another subculture. Many Christians currently hold unique and influential positions throughout the seven channels of culture, but have never been supported by fellow believers.

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Are we just another “Just another sub-culture……..?”

What Christians do you know who “hold unique and influential positions throughout the seven channels of culture?” 

“Business, government, media, church, arts & entertainment, education and the social sector”

Do you pray for them? Are we as connected to them and supportive of them as we should be?