Introduction 

A question often asked by new believers is whether God would call them to full- time ministry. In their enthusiasm for their new beliefs, they wonder if He wants them to preach the Gospel or lead a church somewhere. It turns out that most are not so called. They need to make a living as someone’s employee or as a business owner themselves. Then the question comes up whether they are supposed to do ministry through work.

Biblical Perspective of Work

God created humans to work with Him to bring order to the jungle in the land. They were to clear out unwanted vegetation (called “weeds”) and plant food crops. Or they could use pastures for feeding farm animals. As good stewards of the land we are to conserve the remaining wild lands for wild animals, preserve existing ecosystems.

Each family was to possess its own portion of the land with which to create wealth. They could use God’s creativity to

• grow crops or animals to sell as food
• extract minerals/ ores for use in manufacturing
• grow trees for lumber
• use their space to manufacture materials from these people into items those people will buy.

Each person is created with a God- given purpose, the work he/ she is supposed to perform for the Kingdom. That person works to create things of value (or valuable services) and exchanges them for the valuables of others. Some do the leisure work of building culture: creative arts, activities of religion or politics.

Employment as a Form of Economic Slavery

Because people are in rebellion against the Creator and His purposes, they band together in cities for mutual protection and provision. They make their goods and services available to other people of the cities.

However, the strong and capable are allowed to rule over the weak and less capable. Those unable to succeed on their own are taken into slavery, working according to their masters’ purposes, not their own. 

These slaves create valuables for their masters, who exchange them for the valuables offered by other masters. The masters create wealth, little of which is given to their slaves to keep them alive and working.

Masters have the leisure to do the work of building culture, providing for the needs of others, or the activities of religion or politics. Their slaves have the drudgery of menial labor, military service, or managing the work of other slaves for the sake of the masters. This is the plight of today’s labor force, of so- called ’employees’.

These employees have the option of working elsewhere… maybe. They are forced to do the menial or managerial tasks imposed by their masters/ bosses. Today’s laws require employers to give a better exchange of valuables in the form of higher wages, paid time off, profit- sharing, retirement investing, and paying into government coffers so that elderly and disabled people are provided for. These are nowhere near the value of the work produced. So many employees are forced to work for others or lose the security of their masters’ provision.

Workplace Ministry

Christians are told to see this labor force as a field for ministry, a place of harvest through evangelism. At least, the new believers in Jesus are called to go to church where they are taught to 

• “worship” the Lord through praise songs and shouts of thanksgiving
• follow the commands and moral wisdom in the Bible
• clean up their bodies from tattoos, piercings, and indecent or unwashed clothing
• clean up their behaviors to correspond the Ten Commandments
• prepare to live with God in Heaven when they die
• oh, and go out and find more disciples.

The browbeatings and rejections for failure to comply with these religious practices turn so many people away from church and the Christian religion. I recently heard that only 22% of Americans actually attend church at least once a month.

The first- century believers looked at ministry to the world so differently. They came to believe in King Jesus and surrender to Him as Master. They hailed from all stations of life:

• Roman soldiers and citizens
• rich land or business owners
• slaves owned by those rich people
• and freedmen who did what they could to find work.

All these met together as equals before the throne of God and supported one another. They gathered in small groups in people’s homes to

• sing praise songs and give shouts of thanksgiving
• offer their bodies as living sacrifices in worship
• uncover their flaws and frailties, trusting in the group’s acceptance and support in overcoming those flaws.

Mutual Support of Small Ecclesias

These citizens of Heaven discussed what God’s Word said about situations, what Holy Spirit wanted to do for particular people, and called for God’s Kingdom to overcome the problems of Earth. They opposed the work of spiritual forces arrayed against the Kingdom.

Out of that place of Kingdom help and power, these believers went to their places of work. They exerted influence over business practices, practiced military arts to stop the evil of foreign invaders and criminals within the nation. Slaves reigned in life through their service to their masters. 

They all allowed Holy Spirit to work through them whatever their stations. They brought Kingdom principles into their work environments. They invited their fellow workers to come to know the King and to follow His ways of Kingdom life. I expect they created ecclesia groups in their workplaces to support each other in their work together. This is how the Good News of the Kingdom spread throughout the world. This is how to do ministry through work.