Do you share your faith at work?

I had a friend ask me a question. Please see my response. The questions in blue below.

Brady,

You point out one of the hardest things for us Christians to do. Be a peculiar people! When you state "I wonder what would happen the American church if things turned the other way and it became rough to be a Christian. Many of us embarrassed to share our faith in appropriate ways at the work place because we want to fit in. This wanting to fit in starts when we are young and is something that compels many of us to act in certain ways." I too wonder what would happen, but even more. Why do most, and I have been guilty of this, Christians fail to openly profess their faith in Christ in the workplace? I know there are HR polices etc to prevent us from offending others, but in reality we are allowing those others to go to hell if we do not witness to them. On the flip side, most bible believing Christians want to keep their jobs, and I have been in that position.

Where then do we draw the line. We do not have not be yelling it down the halls and passing out tracts to everyone who will take one. We can witness by our actions, and by what we don't say or what we don't laugh at and just by bowing our heads in silent prayer before we eat. I do not have all the answers, but have been on both side of this topic. I have gotten bolder with age and through grace and knowing that I am not living for an earthly reward but a reward in heaven helps me!

How do we make our congregations understand that it is okay not to fit in on earth, but to want to fit in when the "roll is called up yonder" by being a peculiar person here on earth and professing Jesus Christ as our one and only Lord and Savior.

A Peculiar People: the church as culture in a post modern society

A Review of Chapter 10 “The Church as Mission & Message” from the book of A Peculiar People: the church as culture in a post modern society By Rodney Clapp

As a Church, the body of Christ, we are called to go into the world for the mission of evangelism. In the early days of the church there was much persecution, which changes when the Roman government under Constantine became a supporter of the Christian movement.

Christianity has seen it dark days of evangelism in terms of forced conversion both by the Spanish Inquisition and that of the American Indians in the US. In relation to this evangelism, “except in its Anabaptist form the Protestant reformation did not break with the medieval understanding of the church and state and that animated Columbus and the conquistadors.” (161) As the author goes on to say “Who can deny their use of gunpowder against pagans in the burning of incense to Our Lord.” (162).

With the onset of Pietists we move from a Constantinian approach of Church and State to a state where “there are only individual Christians at the mercy of the state and the surrounding culture.

There is stark difference between the Constantinian approach to evangelism with the dark days of evangelism vs. that of the Pietists and our modern day thinking on evangelism. As we move beyond these approaches we must as the author states “understand it once again as the earliest Christians did, as “the persuading of people to become Christians and take their place as responsible members of the body of Christ.” (167)

We are called the body of Christ because through many we are one and are called to be in corporate worship and witness. “faithful and effective Christian evangelism can occur only as part and parcel of Christian culture.” (170)

Christianity cannot be forced and it can not be affected through any government. It must come from the love of one to another in the faith and discipleship of Jesus Christ.

A review of The Drama of Scripture- Finding Our Place in the Biblical Story

I recently read this book and have written a summary of the book from my perspective. For anyone who wants a good overview of the bible I reccommend reading this book.

A review of The Drama of Scripture- Finding Our Place in the Biblical Story Authors Craig G. Bartholomew and Michael W. Goheen.

Act 1- God establishes his Kingdom

Act 1 is an introduction into the creation story and how man and women are brought into a relationship with God.

Act 2- Rebellion in the Kingdom

Sin has broken the relationship man had with God and it has negatively impacted in a way that has brought separation between God and the people he created.

Act 3- The King Chooses Israel

The chapter discusses sin and its impact on the world which leads to a discussion of the flood and how it notes how God is “both a holy Judge and a gracious Redeemer.” (50). several pages of discussion around the covenantal nature of God including the Covenant with Moses and Abraham. The patriarchal Judaic fathers are discussed as well as the story Israel. A discussion of the great Exodus and the giving of the Law come in this book as well. Act 3 goes through the Old Testament rather wholly, in a cliff notes version, so that one can understand the essence of the Old Testament. Essentially, Act 3 is a summation of the most important historical facts of the bible.

Act 4- The Coming of the King

To understand the coming of Christ in the New Testament, it helps to understand the Old Testament and the expectation of a Messiah for the Kingdom of Israel. Act 4 discuses the Gospel with a discussion of Baptism, Jesus’ mission, his teachings, and ministry. We come to a better understanding of who Jesus is and his message. For example he says “The way of discipleship is costly”: it demands total commitment, complete devotion and allegiance to Jesus and the kingdom of Go.” (153) In the last part of the book we learn of the disdain the Pharisees and the Sadducees had for Christ and how the disliked each other but banded together to bring Christ to trail in which was crucified. Luckily for us, the story does not end with death but continues on with the resurrection and the commissioning of his disciples.

Act 5- Spreading the News of the King

Act 5 is an introduction into missions. Christ will come again, but until that time we have to spread the word and makes disciples of Jesus Christ. In the absence of Christ we received the Spirit and the “mission is first of all a work of the Spirit.” We learn what it means to be a light to the world and to follow Christ. Christ is coming soon! Come Lord Jesus Come!

Top 10 + Significant Issues Raised by the Author ( in my opinion and in the order they come in the book)

“God is the divine source of all there is.” (32)

“Men and Women are made for intimate relationship with God, and our earthliness is no obstacle to that relationship.” (36)

“We humans are made for relationship, but sins effect is to drive us apart.” (43)

The Ten Commandments are good news. They tell Israel how to live so as to please God and display to nations God’s creational purposes for Humanity.” (68)

“Worship of God is what Israel is all about” (71)

The people of Israel thought of history as being comprised of two very distinct periods: the present age and the age to come.” (122)

“Baptism is a vivid symbol of this new beginning, suggesting cleansing from sin. The people of God are (symbolically) crossing the Jordan once more, entering into the land cleaned and ready to take up their task again.” (133)

“He has come to seek and to save what was lost” (143)

“In his death Jesus will bring the new covenant, the forgiveness of sins, the kingdom of God for which Israel longs.” (158)

“The Church Looks at the cross through the lens of resurrection” (163)

“When one begins to look at the cross through the lens of the resurrection, what at first appears to be foolishness is really the wisdom of God.” (163)

“Chris rules over all creation and redeems all creation.” (192)

“Human beings were created to enjoy fellowship with God in full context of creational life.”(212)

“Jesus is coming soon” (213)

I love snow and Alabama winters.

Another week has gone by. Last Saturday when I getting ready for bed they were calling for snow here in Alabama. I never thought it would happen. Well I was wrong. I woke up last Sunday with about 2" of snow on the ground. It was great and the kids loved it as well as me.

As a Virginia native, I miss snow, but I do love Alabama winters. Today it was 80 degrees, versus snow last week and today we were wearing shorts. Only in Alabama.