This past week I enjoyed an excellent time in New Haven, CT with the Yale Center for Faith and Culture. The subject was Ministry in Daily Life.
I attended a post consultation retreat that was hosted by the Board of the Coalition for Ministry in Daily Life. Here are some of the comments from the participant evaluations. These comments give you an idea of the benefit of this event.
“The fact that we were encouraged to live out our lives as Christians in everyday not just Sunday, knowing that we have the support of others who are doing the same thing.”
“Encourages people to see how our daily life in our various vocations shows Gods love for us.”
“The idea of theology of work is not something I have heard much of. The exposure opens my eyes to how God works in another perspective.”
“open hearted conversation between evangelicals & progressives on faith and work from a philosophical and practice view.”
“Multiple perspectives from different traditions and the interaction among participants which is beyond anything we can pick up from books & lectures.”
“it was refreshing for me to experience a conference where people are believers and acted as such. I am not from this high level of theological training, yet was welcomed by all, both socially and intellectually. I have been to many other conferences, similar focus,, and was not treated with such love and kindness. This group, although impressively educated, has a true heart for all people and I thank you.”
This event was a consultation rather simply a conference, so we met in small groups on three occasions. Here are some of the issues the small groups raised in the final session of the event.
- Lay Ministry verses Clergy
o Unrealistic to expect clergy to perform workplace visitations.
- Work ethic
o Challenging the 80 hour work week.
o Do we dare celebrate the Sabbath?
- Mission at work
o Is it God’s mission or the church’s mission? Are they the same thing?
- Media & Faith at Work
o If we do not define ourselves, others will define us.
o Media overlays a theocratic understanding of faith on the story of Christians at work.
o Like their approach to understanding Islamic society. It all reduced to a set of religious rules.
o Media’s approach to stories of Christians at work adopts a similar stance.
- Church
o What would a long term model of a congregation look like if it were to get it?
GOOD QUESTION!
Do my readers have any thoughts?
