SEVEN
MEN / GOD / LIFE SEPT / OCT 2019 / ISSUE 68 NEWSSTAND PRICE CDN $4.95
SACRED VOCATION
THE MINISTRY OF HARD WORK
OFF THE CLOCK
FINDING THE WORK/LIFE BALANCE
WORK — ——— FINDING GOD IN YOUR 9-5
FEATURE
2 SEVEN SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER JULY / AUGUST 2019 2019
THE MINISTRY OF HARD WORK BY PATRICK MORLEY
A PERSON CAN DO NOTHING BETTER THAN TO EAT AND DRINK AND FIND SATISFACTION IN THEIR OWN TOIL. THIS TOO, I SEE, IS FROM THE HAND OF GOD, FOR WITHOUT HIM, WHO CAN EAT OR FIND ENJOYMENT?
ECCLESIASTES 2:24-25
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O
THERE IS NO GREATER FEELING THAN TO BELIEVE, "THIS IS WHAT I’M SUPPOSED TO BE DOING, RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW — EVEN IF IT’S HARD."
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ne Friday afternoon, I picked up my car after it had been serviced at the dealership. As I checked out, I asked Christopher, the service representative with whom I’ve built a great rapport over the last three years, "How has your week been going?" He sighed, shrugged his shoulders, and said, "Well, it’s been going." I said, "I’m sure it’s challenging, but at least you have a job that will make a difference in the history of the world." He didn’t look at me like I was a nut. Actually, he seemed curious, so I continued. "All these people bring their cars to you for service so they can have reliable transportation to go to work where they will earn the money that pays for their groceries, car payments, rent, children’s education, health care, and so much more. You are on the front line to make sure that happens." "And then there are all the mothers who depend on you to make sure their cars work properly so they can safely drive their children to school, sporting events, and after-school activities. Imagine for a moment what would happen without you. People’s cars would stop working; they would have no way to get them fixed; they wouldn’t be able to go to work; their children would miss school; they wouldn’t be able to pay their bills — it would be catastrophic." Christopher said, "You know, I’ve never thought of it like that. I guess my work really does make a difference!" I’m certain Christopher already felt like his work was worthwhile. But I also think he gained a fresh perspective about just how important his job is in the bigger scheme of things. There is no greater feeling than to believe, "This is what I’m supposed to be doing, right here, right now — even if it’s hard." Do you have that feeling? Nothing is more normal than for you to find satisfaction in your work: This is what I have observed to be good: that it is appropriate for a person to eat, to drink and to find satisfaction in their toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life
God has given them — for this is their lot. Moreover, when God gives someone wealth and possessions, and the ability to enjoy them, to accept their lot and be happy in their toil, this is a gift of God. Ecclesiastes 5:18-19 And nothing is more excruciating than a job we don’t like. My first “company” job, after mowing lawns and helping my dad for a couple of summers, was working in the produce department at Publix Super Markets during my senior year of high school. The problem was that I loved Publix (and still do), but I didn’t like produce. Every day was a drudgery. It was agonizing to drag myself in to work because I did not enjoy it or find it satisfying. Many men pose questions like, “I spend a lot of my life at work. How can I find ways to continue growing at work? How can I build a dynamic career that makes a difference in the world, while providing for my family?” Is work something we do to earn money so that we can do what’s really important, or is there intrinsic spiritual value in the work itself?
A THEOLOGY OF WORK Not many men have a “theology” of work. That’s unfortunate, since most of us will spend about half of our 112 waking hours each week at work if we include getting ready and drive times. Half of your life! Every noble concept in the work world has been lifted straight out of the Bible, whether it’s about excellence, integrity, vision, leadership, planning, execution, exceptional service, and so many other things. In fact, you could teach most of the Harvard Business School case study method right out of the book of Nehemiah. Yet many men would be hard-pressed to explain what Christians believe about work, so let’s start there.
WHAT SHOULD WE THINK ABOUT WORK? You were created to do real work that makes a real difference. Whether you’re bagging groceries, fixing a computer, pounding nails in a roof, practicing law, selling real estate, or whatever else — it’s important. Work isn’t merely something we endure to earn money to pay for the things we really want to do when we’re not working. There is intrinsic value in work. If you work at Home Depot, when you get a ladder and pull something off the upper shelf so that a housewife who can’t reach it can get the product she wants, Christianity proclaims there’s intrinsic value in that act. Why do Christians believe this? It’s because of a passage in the Old Testament known as “the cultural mandate.” In addition to bringing the kingdom into our culture, God calls
us to tend that culture as stewards of God’s creation — this is “the cultural mandate.” God has delegated dominion over creation to us as a sacred trust. Here’s the key passage of Scripture: So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” Genesis 1:27–28 Work is part of our DNA. God designed us to do good work on earth and charged us with tending all he’s made. What an awesome privilege and responsibility!
WORK IS A CALLING FOR WHICH YOU ARE ORDAINED BY GOD. God doesn’t just call us to salvation. He also calls us to work. God ordained Adam to agricultural work. He appointed him, giving him responsibilities and authority: “The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it” (Genesis 2:15). If you are an attorney, you are an ordained attorney. If you are a forest ranger, you are an ordained forest ranger. If you are a first responder, you are an ordained first responder. If you drive a bus, you are an ordained bus driver. If you are the service rep at an auto dealership, you are an ordained service rep.
EVERY VOCATION HAS DIGNITY. The world’s first job was farming. There is dignity in every job, because every job makes a difference. Just ask anyone who has lived through a garbage strike. Mike Rowe founded the television series Dirty Jobs. During an interview on one of the Sunday morning talk shows, he explained his big takeaway from doing the series: “For me, as a group, there was a level of job satisfaction that was undeniable and surprising. And it has to do with the ability to complete a task.” He also said, “In Dirty Jobs, the big lesson was there’s an awful lot of people who are doing really important work who nobody really pays affirmative attention to.” After that interview, I started watching the men around me doing dirty jobs. Our bug exterminator, Charles, is still going strong after forty years on the job. He loves his job and leaves a residue of joy, in addition to bug spray, once a month. He’s providing a genuine and valuable service. If you’ve ever had a bug problem, you know this is work that really matters. About the same time, our septic tank drain field had to be replaced. While the work only took a couple of days,
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the permitting process lasted two months. If you don’t think that’s a job that makes a difference, try living with an inoperable septic tank for two months! Those workers understood. From the very first day, all the men who worked at our home were enthusiastic and sincere about getting us back to normal. It brought them a great deal of personal satisfaction when they finally turned the last shovel of dirt over our repaired drain field.
EVERY VOCATION IS SACRED TO THE LORD. The Bible makes no distinction between sacred and secular vocations. If you have a concordance in your Bible and look up all the references to the word secular in your Bible, how many do you think you would find? Zero, because the word secular does not appear in the Bible. There is no such thing as a secular job. Every vocation is sacred. The Bible is dripping with the holiness and sanctity of vocation.
WORK IS HARD BECAUSE OF THE FALL. I once asked Bill Bright — the founder of a large college ministry called Campus Crusade for Christ (now Cru) — who traveled constantly what percentage of his work was hard. He said, “Ninety percent of what I do is hard, but it’s just what needs to be done.” Oprah Winfrey once said, “People think I have this wonderful, glamorous life, and it is wonderful. But about 80 percent of it is just hard.” Work came first, and it was good. But because of the Fall, we must do our work while feeling the prick of thorns. We looked at this verse in the marriage chapter, but let’s look at it again from the perspective of our work: To Adam he said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate fruit from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat from it,’ “Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.” Genesis 3:17–19
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WORK IS NOT JUST A PLATFORM FOR MINISTRY; IT IS MINISTRY. Everything we do is for the glory of God. For example, whether you’re an airline gate agent or a barista in a coffee bar, every customer is an occasion to demonstrate the character of Jesus Christ. If you are a manager, every conflict between two employees presents an opportunity to model the love of Christ. The apostle Paul wrote, “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31). In other words, you don’t just tolerate the work you’re doing until the lunch break so you can do what’s really important, like sharing your faith with a coworker over tacos. That’s great, but if you haven’t done your work well from 8:00 to 12:00, you’re not really going to have credibility from 12:00 to 1:00. Because there is intrinsic value in the work itself, it’s not just a platform for ministry. The work itself is ministry. That’s what produces the feeling, “This is what I’m supposed to be doing, right here, right now — even if it’s hard.”
/ PATRICK MORLEY founded Man in the Mirror in 1991, a ministry that has helped 35,000 churches impact the lives of twelve million men worldwide. Their vision is "for every church to disciple every man". He is the author of Man in the Mirror which was selected as one of the hundred most influential Christian books of the twentieth century. Patrick has written twenty books, 750 articles, has appeared on several hundred radio and television programs, and has a daily one minute radio program on 700 stations. He graduated from the University of Central Florida as well as Reformed Theological Seminary. He has earned a Ph.D. in management, completed through postgraduate studies at the Harvard Business School and Oxford University. He lives in Winter Park, Florida, with his wife, Patsy. His ministry websites are maninthemirror.org and PatrickMorley.com.
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SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2019 SEVEN 7
PK PODIUM
WEALTH IS NOT FOREVER
FEATURES
WORK IS GOOD, BUT THERE'S MORE TO LIFE
02 Sacred Vocation
BY KIRK GILES
14 Off The Clock 18 Kingdom Entrepreneurs
ARE YOU A WORKAHOLIC? Do you ever find yourself regularly looking at your phone to check your emails from work even when it is off-hours? Is it difficult to shut down your brain from work? There is the potential you are a workaholic. Whenever I have had to ask myself if I am a workaholic, I usually find my first response is to become defensive. So, let’s get this part out of the way. Work is good. As humans, we are wired by God to be workers. But work is not your life.
SIGNS YOU MIGHT BE A WORKAHOLIC: • You are physically present with your family, but mentally and emotionally absent because of your work. • You can’t take one day a week to rest because there is too much work to get done. • Your value as a human depends on your success at work. If you fail there, then you don’t know what you will do. • You believe the only way you can be productive is if you are working.
A PROVERB Proverbs 27:3 says, “Know well the condition of your flock, and pay attention to your herds, for wealth is not forever; not even a crown lasts for all time.” If work has become a reason not to know the critical spiritual, emotional, and physical well being of your family — then you are likely a workaholic. A man once came up to me to describe a new job opportunity. It
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would pay a LOT of money! He would also have to work 80+ hours per week. He asked for my opinion. I suggested he find a good lawyer because all that extra money would be needed for support payments after his wife divorced him. Providing for our families is not only about money. We also need to provide love, compassion, fun, wisdom, support, and so much more.
STOPPING THE INSANITY I can have workaholic tendencies. There are times where I have even crossed over the line. Last summer was the first time I have ever tried to vacation without access to emails — it was hard! I felt bored and lost at times. However, it was also a time of cleansing. If you want to stop being a workaholic, I suggest you start with a day of fasting every week from your phone/emails/text messages and spend it with God and your family. It will be hard for a few months. Over time, it will become a new normal. I have had to learn this step. It is an act of surrender that declares God doesn’t need me to work seven days to accomplish all He wants done in the world. He is God, and I am not. Seriously, try it. God wants you to work – but He made you to work out of a place of rest in Him.
24 A Little Respect
COLUMNS 08 // PK Podium 28 // Sports Scene 30 // Out of My Depth 31 // Lives Worth Leading
DEPARTMENTS 10 // The Pulse 33 // Music Reviews 34 // Power Play
EDITORIAL Questions and comments regarding editorial can be sent to ssukkau@promisekeepers.ca, or mailed to Promise Keepers Canada at the address provided. DESIGN DEVON WAGENAAR Devon J Andrew Design Inc. djadesign.ca PROMISE KEEPERS CANADA 210-3027 Harvester Road Burlington, ON L7N 3G7
/ KIRK GILES is the president of Promise Keepers Canada. However, his most important roles as a man are husband to Shannon and father to Carter, Joshua, Sydney and Samuel.
(905) 331-1830 info@promisekeepers.ca
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BITS / BLIPS / BEATS / BLURBS THE LATEST NEWS FROM PROMISE KEEPERS CANADA
BITS / BLIPS / BEATS / BLURBS
PRESSING IN
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/ IN THE TWENTY-FOUR years since Promise Keepers Canada began, we are living in one of the most critical moments for men. The world is using language like toxic masculinity. There is confusion about what it means to be a man, and why gender even matters anymore. Men have a lot of pressure and distractions in life. We want to be a success, but we aren’t always sure what that means today. I genuinely believe we are living in a defining moment for men. When men are walking in God’s vision for who they are, it brings life to the people and world around them. I have never seen a time where there is as much conflict and confusion about men as there is now. Satan is at work to take out men and manhood. The apostle Paul once talked about “pressing on toward the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” To press on, you have to press into what matters most in life. An athlete who is pursuing a goal has to press into everything that will help him reach the goal.
GOD IS NOT DONE WITH THE MEN OF CANADA. I BELIEVE HE HAS ONLY JUST BEGUN. Together, we have a vision for the importance of leaving no man behind and building up godly men. Together, we are going to press into that vision. We will continue to seek innovation and multiplication to achieve the mission. Celebrate what God has allowed us to do together. Prepare yourself to take this to a new level of impact in the days ahead.
FROM KIRK'S BLOG DOUBTING MY FAITH / OVER THE LAST few months, the evangelical world has seen notable people like Josh Harris (author I Kissed Dating Goodbye) and Marty Sampson (songwriter with Hillsong) declare they have walked away from their faith. There has been a wide range of emotions in response to these people. For me, it was a sobering reminder of how people who seem to be strong and faithful on the outside may be battling doubts and questions on the inside. I completely understand this reality. There have been many times over the years when I have doubted my faith. I fully recognize how easy it would be to become the next Josh Harris or Marty Sampson, but I have never been able to come to that point. Why? The bottom line is God Himself… >> Continue reading at: kirkgiles.com
THIS IS ME TV
JAMES KELLY: INNOVATION WITHIN DEVASTATION / WE LIVE IN a culture saturated with and shaped by technology. It has transformed the way we learn, communicate and play. But for many of us it seems the church is lagging far behind; not just in using technology but finding a place for the tech savvy to use their gifts. In this episode we catch up with James Kelly to explore his story. As Founder and CEO of FaithTech, he is helping to pioneer a new way to share the good news about Jesus in the digital era. >> Watch this episode and others at: Thisismetv.com
SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2019 SEVEN 11
PODCASTS SECRETS TO SELF-CONTROL FROM THE BIBLE AND BRAIN SCIENCE WITH DREW DYCK
HOW CASUAL SEX AFFECTS THE BRAIN WITH JOE MCILHANEY
/ SELF-CONTROL MAY be the least coveted fruit of the Spirit. We live in a culture focused on self-expression, and often overlook self-control. Many people recognize self-control as confining and restricting; however, it is the road to ultimate freedom. Exercising self-control and discipline will enable us to live a life of freedom and blessings to others and to God. In this podcast, Drew Dyck, author of Your Future Self Will Thank You, shares some of his insights on how to navigate self-control to achieve a healthy lifestyle and relationship with others. He highlights the importance of good habits derived from willpower. Listen to this podcast for some practical strategies and biblical guidelines that support you to gain self-control and freedom.
/ SCIENCE NOW ESTABLISHES that more happens during sex than physical activity. The largest and most important sex organ is the brain. In fact, the brain itself is being moulded by sexual behaviour. In this episode, we sat down with Joe McIlhaney to discuss his book. Hooked explains how casual sex affects the developing brains of adolescents and young adults. Joe stresses the significance of role models of the parents, and how important it is to steer the kids away from making life-changing mistakes, and lead them toward reaching their full potential.
A JOURNEY FROM DEPRESSION TO SALVATION WITH BAYNE LEONG
BATTLE CRY WITH MILES MCPHERSON
/ GROWING UP IN Edmonton, AB, Bayne Leong found himself stressed out with his home life, and his identity was found in being a good kid and honours student. Eventually, he began to question the purpose of his life and started having suicidal and paranoid thoughts. As a result, he attempted suicide three times before being admitted to the hospital for mental illness. In this podcast, Bayne candidly discusses how God literally saved his life. God revealed Himself and rescued him from mental illness — even after stubbornly and rebelliously rejecting Him. God was faithful.
/ MILES MCPHERSON HAD the honour of being his university’s first player to be drafted to the NFL. While living the dream of success on the outside, life on the inside was a mess. After a weekendlong drug binge and a stop to a crack house, McPherson realized something needed to change. In this episode of the podcast, we pull up a classic track from the 2011 conferences. God has created men to be built for battle, to fight the spiritual war for our families and communities. Listen to this inspiring message from Miles as he equips us for the good fight.
>> Find these and other podcasts at: promisekeepers.ca/podcast 12 SEVEN SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2019
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SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2019 SEVEN 13
FEATURE
OFF THE
CLOCK BY CAREY NIEUWHOF
PRACTICAL STEPS TO A WORK/LIFE BALANCE
S
o you’re busy. Welcome to the club. For too many of us, busy now means working seven days a week. One leader approached me a while back and said the one thing he knew would change everything for him was to stop working seven days a week. The problem was, he had no idea how to do it. My heart went out to him. I don’t think I know a single leader who hasn’t struggled with working too many hours. And I know far too many who never take a full day off. While I think overwork will always be a struggle for most driven people (it has been for me), I think it’s a rising epidemic for most leaders.
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So how do you change that? I’ll share some insights from my journey and would love to hear yours.
TWO TRUTHS NO ONE CAN REALLY ARGUE WITH First, two things that are simply true in leadership:
YOU WILL NEVER BE DONE This may not be the case when you start. I remember beginning in ministry in some very small churches and thinking “how on earth am I going to fill 40 hours?” I actually called people to see if there was more I could do. As we grew, I never suffered from the problem of boredom again. In fact, a church of 100 can place just as many demands on ministry leaders as a church of 1000. Sometimes more, because in a church of 100 people assume you have all the time in the world for them. Similarly, in any field, an organization of 10 people can place just as many demands on you as an organization of 1000 people. You think you will make up for the demand by working more hours, or by working smarter, but that’s a deadend street. So just admit it. Say it out loud. No matter how many hours I work, I will never be done.
THE PROBLEM WITH NEEDS-BASED MINISTRY IS THERE ARE ALWAYS MORE NEEDS You probably got into leadership because you care about people. And you want to help meet people’s needs. I’ll never forget what my friend Reggie Joiner told me when I first met him. The problem with needs-based ministry is there are always more needs. If your goal is to respond to every human need out there, you will never sleep. Just know that. You are fighting a battle you will lose every time.
And the biggest losers will be your family, whose needs will be ignored in the process. So how do you de-escalate your hours, not make people angry and actually have time to refuel? Well, this journey has taken me years, but here it is in seven bullet points:
PREPLAN YOUR CALENDAR WITH ‘SLOTS’ FOR EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO DO Over a decade ago I moved to a fixed calendar. It’s the only reason I’m still sane today and can do what I’ve been called to do. By a fixed calendar I mean I pre-plan what I’m going to do and not going to in advance. I book no meetings as a rule on Mondays and Wednesdays. Those are message writing/series planning days. I also do much of the administration I need to do. Tuesdays and Thursdays are meeting days. I meet with our staff and if anyone else is going to meet with me, it will be in the slots available on those days. The power of this system is that when someone asks if you’re free to meet with them, you can honestly tell them you are not. Your message prep is extremely important, and if it’s in your calendar, you can tell them that unfortunately, you’re not free Monday. If all you have is nothing booked it, you will almost always tell them you’ve got nothing going on and you’ll meet them. And you’ll do your sermon prep or big project on Saturday when you should be home with your family. And, by the way, your organization will suffer because you didn’t spend the time you needed to on what was most important.
BOOK OFF-TIME IN YOUR CALENDAR Slot in family time, personal time, devotional time, exercise time and time to just be. Write your day off in your calendar.
Then when someone asks you if you are free, you say “Unfortunately, I’m not.” Again, if you think rest isn’t important, ask the question again once you’re in full-fledged burnout. And if you have pre-determined slots available for meeting people in the weeks ahead, you can offer them one of those.
LEARN TO ASK YOURSELF, “IS IT TRULY AN EMERGENCY AND CAN ONLY I HELP?” If you lead in a larger church, this isn’t the issue it used to be. But when our church was smaller, people always looked to me for pastoral care (we’ve switched most of our care to groups and outside counselling, a move I can’t recommend highly enough). The challenge is everyone who asks you to meet with them wants to meet with you now because it’s so important and they’re in crisis and only you can help. In those moments, remind yourself that what feels like an emergency to them might not actually be an emergency. Their marriage didn’t get terrible overnight, it’s been sliding for years. Ask one more question, and you might discover that X has been in the hospital for a week and will be there for another week. Too many church leaders give up their personal time and family time for crises that aren’t really crises. Pastors of churches particularly suffer from this. And then ask yourself (especially if you want your church to grow), am I the only person who can really help? Truth is I am sometimes the person who can least help. They need a counsellor. Or a doctor. Or someone from their community group to visit. If you are the only person who can help, try this: “I’m sorry to hear that. I have some time available Monday, can we meet then?” You’ll be shocked at how many times the person immediately says “Sure, no problem.”
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POWER DOWN The problem is just as much you as it is them, isn’t it? You’re addicted to your phone. I am. So power down. I’ve moved my email app to a third screen on my phone so I don’t look at it unless I intentionally want too. Almost all notifications on my phone are disabled and 95% of the time my phone is on do not disturb. Have some moments in your life and leadership when you’re gloriously unavailable. People expect you to take time off. So when you’re off, be off.
TELL PEOPLE THE TRUTH…THEY’LL BE HAPPY FOR YOU Maybe this is just me, but for years I felt guilty about telling people I was taking a day off. I know, only crazy people think like that, but I’m a crazy person. Sometimes I would say things like “I’ve been working for a month without a day off so I really need to take it.” Seriously. What is wrong with me that I need to justify time off? So next time you’re off or need to be off, just tell them…”Oh you know, that’s my day off…Can we do it another time?” You know what? They’ll be thrilled for you. At least normal people will.
CREATE CATEGORIES OF THINGS YOU WILL NO LONGER DO As your ministry or organization grows and you have more responsibility, you need to regularly decide what you are simply no longer going to do. The best way I know how to do this is to think in categories. Personally, I schedule meaningful time with my direct reports and top leaders. I schedule less time for everyone else. I leave time open for people who don’t go to church. I don’t do individual coaching, but I coach thousands of leaders each year through my online courses. I don’t do counselling. I don’t do many weddings or funerals. I say no to most speaking requests, but choose a few that position me in front of leaders rather than people. I’d rather speak in front of 100 leaders than 1000 people. It just goes further in terms of impact and the good it does. I realize many people will disagree with these choices, but they have helped me lead at a much higher level that’s generally very healthy and sustainable. And I have time for myself and my family and time to pursue hobbies like
writing. Plus it allows me to spend the majority of my working time doing what I’m best at and what most moves the mission forward. If you have too much to do, start eliminating categories of things instead of just selected things.
LEARN TO SAY NO NICELY I hate saying no. I’d love to say yes to everyone. But I would be dead and they would not be helped. I also need to confess that I have a secret weapon. I have a great assistant and team around me. Sometimes I joke that I pay them to say no all day long. They’re good at it and so nice that when they say no on my behalf people feel like they said yes. I’m not kidding. The transferable principle is that if you’re in a larger organization and can have an assistant or team, find people who excel at saying no and setting boundaries, nicely. It’s an amazing gift…not just to you but to the entire organization. And if you don’t have a budget for that, my guess is you can even find a volunteer who will help you by handling your calendar. A final word: this needs constant revisiting. I’m about to review all my outside and inside commitments again next month and start cutting again. You are never done. As more opportunities arise, you need to be relentless in what you say no to…even if you say it nicely.
/ CAREY NIEUWHOF is a former lawyer and founding pastor of Connexus Church. He’s the author of several best-selling books, including his latest, Didn’t See It Coming, and speaks to leaders around the world about leadership, change and personal growth. The Carey Nieuwhof Leadership Podcast and Carey’s blog at CareyNieuwhof.com are accessed by millions of leaders each year.
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All of life is ministry “I think every believer is called to be in fulltime ministry whatever their life situation.” Caleb Courtney [MTS] is a husband, father of four, high school teacher, worship leader and just completed the Master of Theological Studies program. He knew he could only afford a one-year leave to complete his masters, so he began planning a few years ago. Caleb has seen God open every door along the way. A percentage of Caleb’s salary was saved to fund a leave from his teaching job, and he received scholarships and awards. He also took advantage of flexible course modes such as online, evening and one-week intensives. This made it possible for him to still put his family time first. Caleb is now returning to work and plans to take on more of a teaching role at his church. “People have this idea of full-time ministry as being full-time in a church,” he says. “I think every believer is called to be in fulltime ministry whatever their life situation.”
Tyndale offers flexible full-time and part-time study options to meet your needs. Learn more. Visit Tyndale.ca or call 1.877.TYNDALE. SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2019 SEVEN 17
FEATURE
KINGDOM ENTREPRENEURS IDENTIFYING YOUR GOD-GIVEN MARKETPLACE ASSIGNMENT BY DARREN SHEARER
A
s marketplace Christians, we are called to help the marketplace to reveal the glory of God, beginning with the industries to which God has called each of us.
You may be wondering,
“To what industry has God called me?” Now that we have clarified the primary purpose of our work in the marketplace, let’s explore three criteria we can use to identify the specific industries to which God has assigned each of us.
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1
1: IT’S AN INDUSTRY WHOSE MISSION YOU’RE PASSIONATE ABOUT. When I was in business school, I attempted to start a website that would be a “one-stop-shop for purchasing fitness services” (i.e. gym memberships, exercise classes, etc.). I lost $5,000 in the process by paying a poorly-vetted and untrustworthy web developer to build the prototype of the website. As soon as I lost that money, I decided to learn how to build the website myself. As I started to list the various fitness service providers on the website, I quickly realized that I wasn’t as passionate about the fitness industry as I thought I was. Or, at least, I didn’t enjoy the industry enough to build a company in it. Although I exercise six
days out of most weeks and had been studying the fitness industry rigorously throughout the year prior, only when I started working in the industry did I realize it wasn’t the “right fit” for me. Primed and ready to start a company, I asked myself, “Which industry’s mission am I passionate about?” My answer came back almost immediately: the publishing industry, whose mission is to help people by sharing literature and information online and offline (i.e. books, podcasts, courses, etc.). I love books, learning, and teaching. This was an important clue about my industry calling. Working with authors and books is wonderfully fulfilling for me. God wants us to be fulfilled in our work. King Solomon wrote, “I have seen that nothing is better than that man should be happy in his activities, for that is his lot” (Ecc. 3:22). What is the mission of the industry you’re working in currently? Get clear about that. In the publishing industry, it would be foolish for a printing company owner to assume printing is the primary mission of the publishing industry. No, it’s about publishing information. Once you have identified the mission of your industry, ask yourself,
“Am I passionate about this mission?” As an example, if you work for an airline company, you are in the transportation industry whose mission is to move people and things where they need to go. Are you passionate about improving people’s lives by providing this type of service? If not, you’re probably in the wrong industry.
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2: IT’S AN INDUSTRY YOU HAVE EXPERIENCE IN.
Discovering my calling to the publishing industry came through reflecting on my past professional experiences. I considered that I already had published a book, majored in English in college, taught writing at the university level, edited several doctoral dissertations, and served as a marketing director. With these experiences, I was prepared to make an impact in an industry focused on publishing and marketing information. While I was majoring in English in college, I had no idea how to answer people when they started asking me, “What are you going to do with that English degree?” Now, I realize that God was using that experience to prepare me to start a publishing company.
In many cases, God has allowed us to have these past experiences to equip us for and lead us into the industry He has called us to transform for His glory. The Bible says, “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them” (Rom. 8:28). “All things” includes all of our past professional experiences.
In what industries do you have experience? As I discovered, the only way to verify that you are truly passionate about the mission of an industry is to gain experience in that industry. If you think God might be prompting you to explore a new industry, it could be the next step toward identifying the industry to which He has called you.
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3: IT’S AN INDUSTRY IN WHICH YOU CAN CREATE ECONOMIC VALUE. Our unique abilities to create economic value are linked to our God-given spiritual gifts, which have been given for accomplishing the work of the Church in the marketplace. (Refer to my book, The Marketplace Christian: A Practical Guide to Using Your Spiritual Gifts in Business, for a spiritual gifts assessment as well as 23 specific examples of marketplace Christians who have applied each of the 23 spiritual gifts I describe in the book.) Two of my top three spiritual gifts are knowledge and teaching. The books published by my company, High Bridge Books, are inherently teaching and knowledge tools for which people pay money. The primary way I use my gifts of teaching and knowledge is through coaching authors, helping them to craft and spread their messages in the most effective ways possible. My spiritual gifts certainly are in great demand in the publishing industry, which enables me to create economic value, make money, and make an eternal impact daily. Without a doubt, your spiritual gifts are also in demand in the industry to which God has assigned you.
/ DARREN SHEARER is the author of The Marketplace Christian and Marketing Like Jesus. He is the Founder and Director of the Theology of Business Institute, Founder and CEO of High Bridge Media and Inventor of the DeskRest.
SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2019 SEVEN 19
20 SEVEN SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2019
SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2019 SEVEN 21
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SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2019 SEVEN 23
FEATURE
A LITTLE
RES
M
en and women work side by side, wrestling with the same business challenges, attending the same meetings, and walking the same hallways. But as a recent Wall Street Journal article suggests, the common ground ends there: “Men and women experience very different workplaces, ones in which the odds for advancement vary widely and corporate careers come in two flavours: his and hers… Data show that men win more promotions, more challenging assignments and more access to top leaders than women do. Men are more likely than women to feel confident they are en route to an executive role and feel more strongly that their employer rewards merit. Women,
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meanwhile, perceive a steeper trek to the top. Less than half feel that promotions are awarded fairly or that the best opportunities go to the most deserving employees. A significant share of women say that gender has been a factor in missed raises and promotions. Even more, believe that their gender will make it harder for them to advance in the future—a sentiment most strongly felt by women at senior levels.” As Christians, why should we care about equity in the workplace? What does Scripture say about leadership in the workplace? How do we navigate the practical challenges of men and women working together in Godhonouring ways?
GENDER ROLES IN THE WORKPLACE BY JOANNA MEYER
SPECT WHY DOES IT MATTER?
From what I’ve observed, most Christian men genuinely desire to do the right thing. They expect women to be treated respectfully in professional settings and seek to honour their marriages as they interact with female colleagues, but they may not recognize subtle biases or cultural dynamics that hold women back at work. For others, the perceived cost of supporting women’s advancement may outweigh the benefit of shifting the status quo. Speaking plainly, companies won’t see a more balanced workforce until the men that lead them see women’s contributions as essential to success. Like any diversity initiative, this isn’t about finding a token woman to serve
on your board; rather, it’s about building a workplace culture that stewards the gifts of every employee.
RESTORING THE BLESSED ALLIANCE You don’t have to look farther than Genesis to discover male/female collaboration at the root of God’s earthly design. Author Carolyn Custis James refers to this Godordained partnership as the “Blessed Alliance”: “What has the ring of something innovative and progressive is actually a remnant of humanity’s forgotten ancient past — an idea with primordial biblical roots that can be traced back to the Garden of Eden.
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The notion that things work better and human beings become their best selves when men and women work together is found on page 1 of the Bible. When God was launching the most ambitious enterprise the world has ever known, the team He put together to do the job was male and female. Adam and Eve faced a challenge of Mount Everest proportions that required a solid connection between themselves and their Creator. As His vice-regents, together they were charged with looking after things on His behalf — wisely to steward and utilize the earth’s resources. Their goal together was to build His gracious kingdom on earth. No square inch of earth is excluded. No arena of life is beyond the parameters of their joint rule… [God created a] Blessed Alliance between male and female. Having created his male and female image bearers, ‘God blessed them,’ then spread before them the global mandate to rule and subdue on His behalf. According to Genesis, male/female relationships are a kingdom strategy—designed to be an unstoppable force for good in the world.” (emphasis added) It’s common to assume this “Blessed Alliance” refers to the marriage relationship, but to do so ignores dynamic male/female partnerships throughout the Bible. Consider the examples of Esther and Mordecai, who saved the Israelites from a genocidal king, Aquila and Priscilla, who laboured as tentmakers alongside Paul, or Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Susanna, who funded Christ’s ministry. The alliance also flows through church history in the work of Teresa of Avila and John of the Cross, friends whose passion for Christ inspired Catholic renewal in 16th century Spain, or William Wilberforce and Hannah More, whose leadership of the Clapham Circle abolished slavery in England. By losing our vision for the Blessed Alliance, we’ve allowed the enemy to diminish our collective impact. We compete rather than collaborate, and as the #metoo movement has shown, abused those God intends as allies.
CONSIDER YOUR OWN WORKPLACE: • How would you characterize the relational dynamic between men and women? • Do both genders have influence and authority? If not, what do you think keeps men or women from being more evenly represented throughout the organization? • Do you believe it’s important (necessary?) to have women at the table? What’s gained or lost by pursuing greater equity in the workplace? Faithful men, this article is intended to be an invitation, not a critique. We need your strength and influence to build companies where both men and women are empowered to fulfill their God-given potential. But how can you become an advocate? How do find appropriate, God-honouring ways to restore the Blessed Alliance at work?
1. EXAMINE YOUR BIAS We all have biases. Rather than denying their existence, identifying these underlying beliefs and the effect they have on your relationships is the first step in strengthening your collaboration. For example, briefly consider the qualities that characterize successful leadership. Consider your list–which qualities seem more male-type or female-type traits? How do your expectations for a woman’s leadership differ from your expectations for a man’s?
2. DIG A LITTLE DEEPER Shifting relational dynamics at work can sometimes feel unsettling for men. For example, if you regard workplace relationships as a zero-sum game, seeing women advance may raise concerns that you’ll be left behind. Studies show that men think women are making professional gains more quickly than they actually are, a perception that could fuel anxiety or resistance. Some men worry that advocating for women may challenge masculine norms such as “avoid all things feminine,” “be a winner,” or “never show weakness.” Acknowledging the emotion that accompanies organizational change will help you turn to God for strength and insight as you restore the Blessed Alliance.
3. SEEK WISDOM, REJECT FEAR I genuinely believe most men want women to succeed at work. However, the fallout from recent scandals has left
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WE NEED YOUR STRENGTH AND INFLUENCE TO BUILD COMPANIES WHERE BOTH MEN AND WOMEN ARE EMPOWERED TO FULFILL THEIR GOD-GIVEN POTENTIAL.
men uncertain about how to cultivate supportive, yet appropriate relationships with female colleagues. Maybe you wonder, “What if I cross a line without knowing it?” or “What if I’m falsely accused of harassment?” A misstep could cost you your career. In Christian circles, this concern led to the “Mike Pence Rule” (formerly known as the “Billy Graham Rule,”) an attempt to avoid impropriety by choosing not to be alone with any woman who is not your wife. While the motivation behind this rule is honourable, it has unintended consequences for women–consequences which may go unnoticed by men adopting these policies. The solution to this tension isn’t to self-segregate, but to pursue inclusive solutions to the problem. A few suggestions: • Apply any rules you create to both genders. If you’re unwilling to work late with the women on your team, apply that policy to men as well. In this era of changing sexual norms, impropriety between male colleagues is as real a risk as impropriety between male and female teammates. • Normalize meeting with men or women in highly visible locations or small groups. • Beware of defaulting to all-male gatherings simply because it’s easier and “safer.” It takes extra effort to include women, but shifting any long-standing cultural norm takes work. • Open your calendar and professional relationships to your spouse. If your personal assistant is female, introduce her to your wife and keep lines of communication between the three of you visible. • Acknowledge the awkwardness, then move on. Don’t deny that sexual tension exists, that only encourages it to grow. Instead, establish inclusive, healthy norms and get back to work.
4. ACT NOW Faithful men, you are uniquely positioned to exert godly influence at “such a time as this” (Esther 4:14). I encourage you to act now in small, intentional ways to restore God’s Blessed Alliance:
LISTEN AND LEARN. Don’t assume you understand a woman’s experience at work. Ask open-ended questions like, “What could our company do to create a more welcoming environment for women employees?” “How do you think female leaders are evaluated differently than male leaders?” “As a woman, what would you want the men of our company to know about your experience at work?” INCLUDE AND INVITE. The next time you plan a professional gathering, ask yourself: “Does this group really need to be separated by gender?” You may be surprised by the warm response your invitation receives. Recently, a couple hosting a table at our annual business event intentionally invited couples to attend, even if one member of the pair did not work in business. The couples raved about the experience, with many women commenting they felt inspired, even though their daily work was in a different sector. ADVOCATE. Graciously speak up on behalf of your sisters. Something as simple as “I’d like to see a woman added to this team,” makes a world of difference. Take an appropriate interest in younger women’s careers by offering constructive feedback or considering them for roles they can grow into. Brothers in Christ, this article is intended to be an invitation, not a critique. In this unique cultural moment, may you embrace this opportunity to help men and women fulfill their God-given potential at work.
/ Called Together is used with permission from JOANNA MEYER and Denver Institute for Faith & Work. Joanna serves as director of events and sponsorships and oversees the Women & Vocation Initiative for Denver Institute.
SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2019 SEVEN 27
SPORTS SCENE
FROM CATHOLIC PRIEST TO NBA CHAMPION THE PASCAL SIAKAM STORY BY CARTER BROOKS
T
he Toronto Raptors are National Basketball Association world champions. For the first time since the league’s founding in 1946, ‘O Canada’ was played before the start of every game in the NBA Finals. Even more importantly, the Larry O’Brien Trophy found its way north of the 49th parallel for the summer of 2019, following the Raptors’ four-games-to-two NBA championship victory over the highly-favoured Golden State Warriors. Led by one of the league’s very best in Kawhi Leonard, the Raptors found success across the board in the 2019 postseason, relying on the sharp-shooting of Fred VanVleet and Danny Green, the persistence and leadership of Kyle Lowry, and the incredible emergence of third-year power forward Pascal Siakam. Siakam — a 25-year-old product of Douala, Cameroon — had himself a 201819 season to remember, and a postseason for the ages. The 6-foot-9, 230-pound forward not only earned an NBA championship trophy and ring this past June, but was also presented with the league’s Most Improved Player Award at the annual awards show just weeks after the The Finals.
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THIS MAY SOUND like any other story and scouts, in hopes of landing a of a simple rise to fame at the perfect scholarship to play in North America. time, but for Siakam, the story is Very similarly to the story of fellow NBA different — very different. star Joel Embiid, Siakam did just that. Born in 1994 to Tchamo and With Moute as his mentor, Siakam Victorie Siakam as the youngest of moved to the United States as a four boys, Siakam’s sport of choice teenager, barely able to speak English. was always soccer. Incredibly, the At 16, Siakam’s father helped him secure versatile dribbler only began playing a prep school position at God’s Academy organized basketball at the age of 16. in Louisville, Texas, with which he was Despite being incredibly gifted on the recruited to New Mexico State (Division court, Siakam always preferred kicking I) on an athletic scholarship. soccer balls into nets than throwing Tragically, Siakam’s father passed basketballs with his hands. as a result of injuries suffered in an As a child, Siakam’s father — who once automobile accident just before Pascal’s served as Mayor of the town of Makenene, first college game. With a student Cameroon — enrolled his youngest son Visa and a scholarship hanging in the into St. Andrew’s Seminary balance, Siakam was unable to HUMBLE at the tender age of 11. The fly home to attend his father’s Catholic academy in Bafia, HUSTLE AND funeral but vowed to play Cameroon, served as Siakam’s every single basketball game HEART WILL home for four years, the first for both his father and God. SET YOU step in a journey towards He did just that, earning becoming a Catholic Priest. WAC Freshman of the Year in APART. At the time, all three of 2014-15, before being drafted Siakam’s elder brothers were given 27th overall by the Toronto Raptors in scholarship opportunities to play Division the first round of the 2016 NBA Draft. In I basketball in the United States, whereas late April of 2017, Siakam helped ‘Raptors Pascal was ‘hand-picked to embody 905’ to a D-League championship, while his family’s Catholicism’ (The Players’ earning Finals MVP in averaging 23 Tribune). Despite his best efforts at the points and nine rebounds per game. seminary, the youngest of the Siakam The first NBA game that Siakam brothers decided to follow another call. ever attended was the Toronto Raptors’ “My dad always tried to have one of season opener in 2016 — his first game his sons in the NBA; that was his dream,” in the show. The forward steadily Siakam said in a 2019 interview with improved his game over the past three ESPN. “He’s not here now, but I know he seasons, ultimately leading to the is watching over me and he is so happy. Eastern Conference Player of the Week I feel really good about it… The fight I’m in November of 2018, a personal-best doing for him gives me more fire. Every 19 assists this past January, a careertime I just think about him, it’s like I just high 44-point performance against have to go harder and can’t relax.” Washington, and another 32 against Siakam attended Cameroon NBA Golden State in Game One of The Finals. star Luc Mbah a Moute’s summer With his father and biggest development camp (located two miles basketball influence looking on from from his town) in both 2011 and 2012. above, ‘Spicy P’ won the 2019 NBA Finals In his second year, Siakam — a naturally and was later named the league’s Most gifted athlete — was chosen to attend Improved Player. Going from the sixth Basketball Without Borders in South or seventh-best player on the Raptors to Africa later that summer, giving him the number-two pivot, Siakam will be the chance to play in front of coaches counted on to lead the charge in 2019-
20 following the departure of Kawhi Leonard to the Los Angeles Clippers. Siakam’s Twitter bio reads: ‘God First #RIPDad #DoingItForYou’, while his motto is ‘Humble Hustle and Heart will set you apart. — Stay humble, have a heart and hustle. Talent will only carry you so far’. The current NBA champion has also recently developed a personal pre-game ritual. “Every time I enter the game, I touch the No. 4 on my jersey four times for my dad and three brothers,” Siakam wrote in his piece in The Players’ Tribune. “Then I touch the No. 3 three times for my mom and two sisters. Then I cross myself for God and point to the sky. I know my dad is watching, and it’s definitely tough without him. But knowing I am doing exactly what he wanted gives me the strength.” Siakam continues to embody his Christian teachings picked up in seminary and has been recognized for his work within the community. He has earned the NBA’s Community Assist Award, which is presented to recognize efforts to empower and inspire youth in local and global communities. Siakam currently serves as an ambassador of Right to Play Canada, while arranging local elementary/middle school visits and speaking on the power of play. Siakam is also actively involved in the Dunk for Diabetes program, alongside teammate Fred VanVleet. He played in the 2018 NBA Africa Game, while also participating in the 16th running of Basketball Without Borders in Africa. ‘Spicy P’ hopes to create and host an annual basketball camp in Cameroon — much like the one that jump-started his career.
/ CARTER BROOKS is a news writer and sports columnist situated in Winnipeg, Manitoba. On top of reading and writing, coaching hockey is his favourite pastime. Carter can be reached at carterbrooks1994@gmail.com.
SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2019 SEVEN 29
OUT OF MY DEPTH
MIRACLES, MEANS AND MANNA
MIRACLES ARE GIVEN WHEN NOTHING ELSE WILL DO BY PAUL CARTER
W
hen should we pray and when should we work? If we try to do something in the strength that God supplies does that indicate a lack of faith? If we pray for God to do something for us that we could do for ourselves does that indicate a lack of gratitude and initiative? These are important questions that every believer wrestles with at some point or another in his or her Christian journey. Thankfully the Bible does seem to address these questions fairly frequently — in fact, I ran across a passage just today in my Bible reading that touched upon it. In Acts 12 the Apostle Peter is in prison. The Apostle James has just been beheaded and Herod the King appeared to have similar plans for all the main leaders of the Jesus movement in Jerusalem. Things were looking grim and humanly speaking, the situation appeared to be impossibly dire. That is always a good time to pray. Acts 12:5 says succinctly: “So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church.” (Acts 12:5 ESV) The church asked God to do what they had no power to do for themselves — and God did it. He sent an angel who put the guards to sleep and who caused Peter’s shackles to fall to the ground and who opened doors that had previously been locked shut. Acts 12:10 brings that part of the story to a close. "When they had passed the first and the second guard, they came to the iron gate leading into the city. It opened for them of its own accord, and they
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went out and went along one street, I think the point is that supernatural and immediately the angel left him." power and provision are not given (Acts 12:10 ESV) for our entertainment or amusement And immediately the angel left him. and it is never intended to replace the As I read that I couldn't help but be normal means of effort, thought and reminded of the story of the wandering human ingenuity. and conquest that I read just a few days Miracles are given when nothing else ago in the RMM Bible will do. Grace, help and SUPERNATURAL Reading Plan. During the guidance are given when time of the wilderness those things — combined POWER AND wandering it would have with faith, effort and PROVISION ARE taken a miracle of God initiative will do. NOT GIVEN FOR OUR to feed all those mouths The Bible seems to be in the desert — and so suggesting that we are ENTERTAINMENT. God did a miracle; every not to expect or demand day for 40 years he sent the people or become addicted to extraordinary manna — never too much but always provision. We should be grateful and enough and just on time. industrious with what we have — and But then something very interesting yet neither should we ever doubt or happened. disbelieve that God can and may do When the people of Israel crossed a miracle should it be required — and the River Jordan and entered the should it serve his glory. Promised Land — the manna stopped. We need to be capable of both/and "The people of Israel ate the manna thinking. forty years, till they came to a habitable Ordinary means are wonderful. land. They ate the manna until they And miraculous provision is wonderful. came to the border of the land of The LORD has many tools in the Canaan." (Exodus 16:35 ESV) toolbox and each tool has its job and At first glance, it might sound function; thanks be to God! like they simply chose not to eat manna once they had access to arable land — but that isn't what the Bible / PAUL CARTER hosts a radio and podcast says. Joshua 5 is more explicit: program called Into The Word that takes "And the manna ceased the day listeners chapter by chapter and verse by after they ate of the produce of the verse through whole books of the Bible. land." (Joshua 5:12 ESV) To find the most recent episodes visit That’s the connection that immedica.thegospelcoalition.org; to find older ately came to mind. That sounds a lot episodes and series or learn about the like what the Bible says in Acts 12:10: M'Cheyne or RMM Bible Reading Plan "and immediately the angel left him." visit intotheword.ca. The podcast is also (Acts 12:10 ESV) available on iTunes.
LIVES WORTH LEADING
WE ARE ALL PRIESTS
FROM CHRISTENDOM TO BIBLICAL CHURCH BY COLIN MCCARTNEY
I
often use the picture of the young/ old woman illusion as an example of the work needed for us to change our old, handed-down paradigms of church so we can embrace a more Biblical model. This is important to me as my ministry plants unique expressions of church that often look different than the more traditional model. In a sense, we are trying to shift the view in the picture from old to young, outdated to relevant, Christendom to Biblical church. One of the common toxic paradigms we face is the separation of clergy and laity. I saw this clearly while watching a pastor on television seated on a large throne on the podium of his church. Why wouldn’t he? After all, he is the called one, the pastor of the flock and God’s anointed to lead his people. Seeing this reminded me of my younger years when the pastor of my church sat on a large, ornately carved wooden chair plush with soft cushions. Surrounding him were smaller but similar chairs for associate staff while the rest of us sat on hard wooden pews. Though most churches no longer have thrones for their pastor, the clergylaity divide still exists and this toxic paradigm harms the spread of the gospel in our culture today. The Early Church understood Christ is the head of the church, the Good Shepherd (Pastor) who leads the flock. They didn’t need paid pastors with seminary degrees to lead them. In fact, they didn’t even need cool worship bands and church buildings. All they needed was Jesus and a house
to gather together to worship and be and worship band. I love various empowered to be Christ in their world. ministries that a good building can The Early Church had no clergy- facilitate. None of these are wrong. laity divide. They lived We are blessed to have PROCLAIM THE out the priesthood of all these wonderful tools at believers; EXCELLENCIES our disposal. But never “You yourselves like forget that this is exactly OF HIM WHO living stones are being built what they are — tools to CALLED YOU OUT help us in our priestly up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to OF DARKNESS duties to “proclaim the offer spiritual sacrifices excellencies of him who INTO HIS acceptable to God through called you out of darkness MARVELLOUS Jesus Christ…But you into his marvellous light.” are a chosen race, a royal LIGHT. Stop seeing yourself as priesthood, a holy nation, a spectator and join your a people for his own possession, that pastor in serving the church. Instead you may proclaim the excellencies of of seeing your work as a 9–5 job, be him who called you out of darkness your company’s pastor and minister into his marvellous light.” - 1 Peter as a priest to those around you. Who 2:5,9 knows what might happen — you This is the New Testament could eventually have a church form paradigm, and it works. All one has right there in your office! I have to do is go to China or India to see seen this happen before in stores, this principle in action. Christianity prisons, office towers, etc. It just is growing profusely through little took one Christian to understand underground house churches with their priestly calling and in time a no professional seminary educated church was birthed in their place of clergy doing all the work. These work. No separation of clergy and churches are royal priesthoods. In laity — all a royal priesthood serving fact, I heard recently that the majority our one true Shepherd. of underground churches in China are led by teenage girls! Good for them as they live out their priesthood / COLIN MCCARTNEY is an ordained to “proclaim the excellencies of him minister, speaker, and a bestselling who called you out of darkness into author. He is also the founder of his marvellous light.” UrbanPromise Toronto and now leads Please do not misconstrue what Connect Ministries in Toronto where he, I’m saying. I love paid pastors that can his wife Judith, and their two children focus on preparing solid sermons. I am reside. For information in booking Colin grateful for seminaries. I love church as a speaker, please visit buildings with a great sound system connectministries.org.
SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2019 SEVEN 31
NO MAN IS AN ISLAND
CREATED TO WORK
A BLESSING, NOT A CURSE BY NEIL JOSEPHSON
D
o you remember what you wanted to be when you were a little boy? I remember wanting to be a fireman, a policeman, a garbage man, a milkman (there once was such a thing as milk delivered to your door!)... basically I wanted to be a man and drive something, preferably a truck. One thing I don’t ever remember saying is, “When I grow up, I want to do nothing”. I believe there is an impulse to work in each of us, a motivation to do something productive, something that matters. This is a mark of God on us. We don’t work to fill our time, we work to fulfill our created nature. God worked (Genesis 2:2) and because we are made in His image, we are created to work. But like many things that God created good and perfect, humans have distorted the motivation for work and even work itself. If we are going to experience God in our work and glorify God through our work, as I believe we can and should, we need to resist being conformed to our culture’s concept of work and “be transformed by the renewing of our minds” (Romans 12:2). We need to think differently about work.
FIRST, THINK OF WORK AS A GIFT AND NOT A CURSE. God did curse the ground (Genesis 3:17) as a consequence of human sin but work itself is not a curse. Work at its best is a place to celebrate and use
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the gifts, skills and strengths that God has given us to participate with Him in creating and in caring for others and for Creation. This is a good thing, not a curse.
SECOND, THINK OF WORK AS STEWARDSHIP. That is, something entrusted to us by another. Colossians 3:23 asserts that the ultimate giver of work is God: In all the work you are given, do the best you can. Work as though you are working for the Lord, not any earthly master. If we embraced this, don’t you think that Christ’s followers would be the most respected, most trusted workers on the job? Even when colleagues and bosses are cutting corners or crossing lines, we can still work with excellence and diligence and integrity because we are stewards of the Master.
THIRD, REJECT THE THINKING THAT WORK ESTABLISHES OUR IDENTITY AND OUR SELF-WORTH. Our North American culture pounds home the falsehood that we are what we do. But defining our identity and our worth like this condemns us to lives of insecurity. These things can change in an instant. If our work is wearing us down with stress, competition and comparison, think on Jesus’ question: “What good would it do to get everything you want and lose you, the real you?” (Luke 9:25) I had a personal encounter with this question in my 30s. I had worked
myself to an unhealthy place because I said “yes” to everything, trying to prove my competence and improve my worth. I had pushed my relationships to unhealthy places because I had made succeeding at work a higher priority than succeeding at home. So I stepped out of the workforce for a time in order to get some perspective and to reboot my relationship to work. I renewed my thinking and since then have tried to live by these commitments: My identity will not be determined by what I do but by who I am — an image-bearer of God, a forgiven child because of Jesus, and a worker called to join in building the Kingdom by the power of the Holy Spirit. Like Mary (Luke 10:40-42), I will prioritize my relationship with Jesus over all my tasks. None of those childhood dream jobs ever came true for me (though I did own a truck) but that’s ok. I have learned that understanding who we work for and why is far more important than what we do.
/ NEIL JOSEPHSON is the National Director with FamilyLife Canada.Neil, together with his wife Sharol, lead FamilyLife Canada. Neil loves to learn, teach and write about anything related to marriage, family and Christian discipleship. Married since 1978, Neil and Sharol have two great sons, two awesome daugther-in-laws and four of the sweetest grandchildren ever.
MUSIC REVIEWS
NO SHAME TENTH AVENUE NORTH (Provident Label Group)
YOUNG IN MY HEAD STARFLYER 59 (Tooth & Nail)
REASON UNSPOKEN (Centricity Music)
/ I WAS TRYING to put my finger on the difference in Tenth Avenue North’s latest offering, No Shame, and came up with descriptions like, “more fun and free, looser, and more willing to experiment without fear of making a misstep.” It took longer than I would’ve liked in retrospect, but I suddenly realized that’s the exact description of someone living without shame. Well done boys. From the outset, the band lays out their thesis on the title track and make it their singular focus for the entire album, “I’m so free I ain’t scared of the ceiling… I can look like a fool and enjoy it/I can cry like a man and I own it.”
Tracks like ‘Someone To Talk To’ are bracingly honest and emotional, and compliment the spokenword interludes that literally speak directly to the listener about the healthy and unhealthy sides of shame, and how to offer grace to those suffering from sin and brokenness. Almost every track is packed with eccentric beats, playful soundbites and well, fun. The guys really threw all caution to the wind and took hold of this truth, living it out musically from beginning to end. Even if not every track lands as a greatest hit, their authenticity and soulfulness are absolutely contagious. This is one you need in your life.
/ MAINSTAYS OF THE Christian alternative rock scene since 1993, Starflyer 59 has released their 15th studio album and it's a heavy, emotional exploration of growing old. It's easy to see where some of the nostalgia comes from on Young In My Head, lead Jason Martin would've been 21 at the band's founding. Watching the big '5-0' loom closer has clearly leached into his lyrics. He lays it out on 'Remind Me': "It's been 25 since I wrote/Blue Collar Love man, I need to go/I had my turn, stayed longer than most/ Longer than I should have/Cause I've never known how to let go." It encapsulates the melancholy of growing older, but also acts as a testament to endurance and resilience.
"And maybe my star's not bright, but it's still on," Martin sings on 'Smoke'. The album is also a brooding revelation of what happens when you take a long-view of relationships. "Two long years I thought you ruined my life/And I told you our mistakes/And you made me realize/That everyone can crash." While gloomy, it's also a more realistic take, and more empathetic take, on loving imperfect people. It's stark at times, and sad, but the it also leaves you wiser and weathered. It helps the ten tracks are rock-solid, hook-filled hits, powered by Martin's deep baritone growl. Again, not easy listening, but the emotional core syncs up perfectly with the distorted grungy guitars; the perfect meditation on rock stars growing old.
/ UNSPOKEN RETURNS WITH their third studio album, the clean and cultured, Reason. The band comes out swinging with their highenergy title track which immediately sets up the theme of trusting God to have a bigger plan. As lead singer, Chad Mattson sings, "If we could pull back the curtain of Heaven/We would see His hand on everything." Seeing a young band, wide-eyed and on the cusp of success, wholly trusting in God is just refreshing. A sense of gratitude that fills the album, especially on 'Never Would've Made It' which expresses thanks to the foundational people in Mattson's life.
There’s something honest about the soulful, crooning in these dozen tracks; no outlandish anthems or “bringing sexy back” nonsense, just talented singers supported by cleanly produced beats and some real-talk lyrics. Tracks like 'Already Won', 'Just Give Me Jesus' and Can't Even Love Myself' have such a confident and appealing straightforwardness to them. The guys aren't trying to be overly clever or sappy, just real problems that point listeners back to the Gospel's real solutions. I hope if my girls gravitate towards a “boy band” it’s these guys. I’ll be there at the concert with them gladly paying for the overpriced popcorn.
/ STEVEN SUKKAU works in radio on the prairies of Southern Manitoba.
SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2019 SEVEN 33
POWER PLAY
TOYS / TOOLS / TECHNOLOGY FROM HERE TO THERE AND FUN ALONG THE WAY BY SANDY MCMURRAY
LEGO SPEED CHAMPIONS
// lego.com Many young men dream of driving fast cars. Sports cars cost money, so they get jobs. Priorities change as they age. Great vehicles are measured in reliability, gas mileage, cargo space. Does it have the anchor hooks for a baby car seat? The minivan might be inevitable, but you can still have your toys. In fact, you can still have a Bugatti or a McLaren. You just have to build it yourself. The LEGO Speed Champions line features detailed models of famous sports cars. You can build a Ferrari, Ford, or Porsche out of LEGO bricks, then pretend you're racing to the finish line. Serious racers only. LEGO Speed Champions kits start at $20.
34 SEVEN SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2019
DAD CAP
// countdowncaps.com We've all seen baseball caps that celebrate special events, like a birthday or wedding anniversary. Trouble is, they quickly become out of date. Do you really want to celebrate turning 40 until the cap wears out? The makers of Countdown Caps had a great idea: make part of the cap removable, so you can use them over and over. The new baby is due in 3 months... 2 months... 1 month... overdue! The Dad Cap uses the same system to display your current Dad Status. Are you driving the kids to practice? Mark yourself as CHAUFFEUR. Lighting the barbecue? Switch to CHEF. Going out for a run? Probably not, so mark yourself as OFF DUTY and settle into a comfy chair. Let's face it, that's the one you're going to wear out. The Dad Cap goes for about $20.
PUNCHING BAG
// amazon.ca Stressed at work? Feel like punching something? Here's a suggestion: The desktop punching bag from Tonyko attaches to a desk (or any smooth flat surface) with a giant suction cup. Once it's secured, you can relieve stress from the comfort of your office chair. The bag is strong enough to take a punch and bounce back, thanks to the heavy spring below. Bob and weave to your heart's content as you jab until your coffee break is over. The package includes an air pump to ensure that the ball is always inflated and ready for action. The Tonyko desktop punching bag sells for about $25.
POP FLY
// bugasalt.com Forget your fly swatter. Put down the newspaper. Reach for Bug-A-Salt, the best way to kill a fly. Bug-A-Salt lives at the intersection of hunting and pest control. Just load the gun, remove the safety, aim, and fire. Ordinary table salt becomes a hail of tiny projectiles that are lethal to flies and other bugs, at a range of up to 3 feet. Bug-A-Salt is non-toxic, air-powered, and requires no batteries. It works without squishing or zapping, so dead bugs can be removed without any further cleanup. Bug-A-Salt sells for about $45. Optional laser sight attachment sold separately.
COFFEEOMETER MUG
// hammacher.com Cold brewed coffee is a mystery to me. Is it hot coffee that's chilled before serving? Is it coffee steeped in cold water then warmed up to serve? Either way, cold coffee is not my cup of tea. If you like your coffee piping hot, this item is for you. The Coffeeometer insulated mug plugs into your car's DC power source to keep your java jolting. Perfect beverage temperature is displayed on the side in a nifty analog gauge. The Coffeeometer mug is available in midnight black or candy apple red, with silver trim and non-skid rubber handle. It sells for about $25.
LOG HEAD REST
// kikkerland.com Log some quality nap time with this lightweight novelty pillow from Kikkerland. The outside cover is made of polyester and spandex. The inside is filled with tiny beads that move and mold to your neck as you put your weight on the pillow. Sleep like a log. One pillow goes for about $20. To purchase a full cord, contact the manufacturer for an estimate.
HIDDEN BOOKCASES AND SECRET ROOMS
// hiddendoorstore.com, hiddenpassageway.com
When I was a kid, my best friend lived in a house designed and built by his father. Each bedroom had a small door that opened to reveal a metal slide. Anything you dropped down the chute would land in the laundry room. If you dropped their cat, it would land on its feet. (You had to get it into the chute first.) If you could build your own house, what cool feature would you include? A secret passage behind a painting? A revolving fireplace? A fireman's pole that leads to the garage? These are not crazy ideas. For just a few thousand dollars, you can add something secret and special to your home. The Hidden Door Store and Hidden Passageway are two companies that specialize in this type of custom-built coolness. For the right price, they can hide a staircase behind a bookshelf, mount a safe behind a painting, or reproduce the entire mansion from the board game Clue. The cat chute may be a little too sophisticated, but you can ask. Hidden door kits start at $2,500.
36 SEVEN SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2019
KNOTS LANDING
// animatedknots.com Have you ever wanted to learn advanced string theory? Here's your chance. Animated Knots is a web site that shows you how to tie dozens of different knots. Learn the best and most useful knots in several categories including climbing, boating, fishing, and scouting. They're all here: everything from the Boom Hitch to the Sheet Bend. You can also learn several ways to knot a necktie or bow tie. Unless you're a boy scout or a sailor you may not be familiar with anything but the slip knot. Step-by-step animated instructions on this site will change that. Before long, you'll be able to turn any rope into a useful work of art. And who knows — you might finally get that Boy Scout merit badge. Check it out at animatedknots.com
DOUBLE CHARGER
// anker.com Frequent travellers know that a mobile phone is only as good as its battery life. The best seats in the airport lounge are the ones next to electrical outlets. You need one plug to charge your phone and another one to charge your battery pack. Ah, but not anymore. The good folks at Anker have combined a portable battery with a charger, so you have one less thing to carry. Plug into the wall and it charges your phone while it's storing up another full charge for later. Anker calls it the PowerCore Fusion 5000. You can call it yours for $40.
/ SANDY MCMURRAY writes about games, toys, and gadgets at funspot.ca.
NEXT ISSUE
SUPERN ATURA For thousands of years, humanity has wondered what’s just beyond our senses. Even today, millions flock to movie theatres to get caught up in mythical worlds and stories of super-powered beings. However, for the Christian, the supernatural is natural when revealing Heaven on Earth is our mission.
38 SEVEN SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER2019 2019
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FROM KIRK GILES
THE SEASONS OF FATHERHOOD WHY DADS MATTER AT EVERY STAGE OF LIFE
TERENCE ROLSTON, PRESIDENT OF FOCUS ON THE FAMILY CANADA
NEIL JOSEPHSON, NATIONAL DIRECTOR OF FAMILYLIFE CANADA
DR. RICK REED, PRESIDENT OF HERITAGE COLLEGE & SEMINARY
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