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1 [openers]
Holy Workday
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hat does a Free Methodist Church employee know about working in the real world, where colleagues’ dirty jokes and profanity may be an unavoidable part of the workday? How can you take a magazine’s holy-at-work theme seriously when its Openers column is written by a guy whose boss’s bosses are bishops? Before I joined Light & Life Communications last spring, I spent a dozen years in the newsrooms of the Chicago area. Although I had wonderful colleagues who remain my friends, my past and present employers have very different mission statements. I wasn’t the only Christian on the newspaper’s payroll, but most journalists know the details of the “Associated Press Stylebook” better than they know the Bible. A few years ago, my parents received an email from a
Christian organization advocating a boycott of my newspaper company because a columnist expressed anti-Christian views. Of course, a group of atheists could have canceled their subscriptions because I worked there. I even discussed my faith on the company’s religion blog. Whether writing an article or cleaning a toilet (I’ve been paid to do both), we can do our jobs for God’s glory (1 Corinthians 10:31). If customers, clients or co-workers frustrate us, we should keep Ephesians 6:7 in mind: “Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people.” [LLM]
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Jeff Finley Lead Writer
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“In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.” — John 1:4
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Developing Earnest Christians Since 1868
3] Pick Your Battles
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Make the choice to be assertive but not
Spanish Translation
2] Third Place Hospitality A coffeehouse barista learns her job is a ministry.
aggressive.
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Ezequiel Alvarez Janeth Bustamante Joe Castillo Jennifer Flores Guillermo Flores, Lead
Jeff Finley Erin Eckberg Michael Metts Dawn McIlvain Stahl Andrea Anibal Julie Innes Peter Shackelford Jason Archer Joel Guzman Carmen Hosea Karen Kabandama Samuel Lopez Rodrigo Lozano, Coordinator
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BY CAROL DUBEROWSKI
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he workday includes the temptation to cross the line from what’s holy to what’s comfortable. The deep desire for acceptance can lead to compromised values and ethics. How can I live out holiness with all the day-to-day pressures thrown at me in the workplace? uuu
3 [feature] One answer is to stay on course with God’s purpose and plan for me. When I am overwhelmed and feel a surge of emotion flooding my body, I may have to escape and spend some time alone in the bathroom crying out to God to fill me with the fruits of His Spirit: love,
Relationships come with the risk of rejection and hurt, but without risk, I cannot become
God has called me to be.
joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22–23). Every day offers a challenge to live for Christ. Often the Holy Spirit’s greatest work is teaching me to persist, to keep doing what is right even when it no longer seems interesting or exciting. It’s not just about doing right when something is obviously wrong. We need to focus on doing right when our duties become routine. This has been an ongoing lesson for me as I enter the 10th year with my current employer. It’s easy to become complacent, and, therefore, become careless in making decisions that are not exciting and new. I have made some mistakes as a result of being comfortable — not demonstrating holiness and having to regain ground as a result. God is in the marketplace 24/7 restoring, saving, redeeming and anointing me to rediscover His call on my life. The anointing for ministry was never meant just for church meetings. John 2:27 tells us the anointing we received from God abides in us. Wherever I go, His Spirit is powerfully available for me to demonstrate the gospel. My ministry platform may not
be a pulpit or a small group but rather my business or vocation.
Serving Strategically God is calling men and women of influence and power in the workplace to serve strategically for His purposes. We can’t serve strategically without grasping a holy lifestyle — whether at home or work. We carry our lifestyle no matter where we are. I started asking myself the following questions: What happens if I view my drive to work as an opportunity to pray for the day — for the decisions I will make, for my attitude and for those with whom I work? What happens if I pray “God, make my life and work stand out in ways that will lead people to ask questions”? What would happen if I actually viewed my workplace as a calling — an opportunity to reflect Christ not just through words but through my actions? Living out holiness is not just about evangelizing. It’s not about cramming Christian jargon down the throats of those with whom I come into contact. It’s about relationships. It’s about living like Jesus lived. Relationships come with risk of rejection and hurt, but without risk, I cannot become the change agent
[feature] 4 God has called me to be. I know every day I have an opportunity to become part of someone’s story. My story intersects with others each day. One of my daily prayers is: “Lord, give me eyes to see and ears to hear what You need me to see and hear today.” I need to pay attention to the intersections in my life. As my life has intersected with God, my life intersects with others to influence them. My story will become part of their story. How I interact with others and the wake I leave behind can make an eternal difference.
Salt and Light According to Matthew 5:13–14, “You are the salt of the earth. ... You are the light of the world.” Both salt and light are agents of influence — not of power or control. This is a great reminder when I try to exercise servant leadership. It is not about control but enhancement — adding value to a situation or circumstance. No matter how my story began, it is my responsibility for the ending,
and the same applies for people with whom I intersect on a daily basis. God wants people to discover His story, and He can use me to help do exactly that. I am a partner with God (a colaborer building His kingdom together). “He creates each of us by Christ Jesus to join him in the work he does, the good work he has gotten ready for us to do, work we had better be doing” (Ephesians 2:10 MSG). We all have influence in our workplace whether we are the CEO or a forklift driver. Our own example is the best way to introduce the good news. At my place of employment, a warehouse worker sits in his car to read his Bible every day at lunchtime. He has had
numerous opportunities to share because he first built a good reputation and demonstrated his values, people began to ask questions. He has handed out Bibles, and he now leads a Bible study for some of the warehouse workers. Bringing people into God’s kingdom is His work. My responsibility is to be an available tool, allowing Him to use me and my story to change the ending of other stories. So what does holiness look like? It’s seeking the Holy Spirit to give you
5 [feature] wisdom and guide you where He wants you to go. It’s keeping your standards high, acting wisely and doing good whenever you can while having the fruits of the Spirit evident in your life. Whether at work, home or out with friends, we should be “making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is” (Ephesians 5:16–17). We are called to emulate His holiness in how we conduct our lives in
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the workplace. Let’s follow Peter’s advice: “Don’t lazily slip back into those old grooves of evil, doing just what you feel like doing. You didn’t know any better then; you do now. As obedient children, let yourselves be pulled into a way of life shaped by God’s life, a life energetic and blazing with holiness. God said, ‘I am holy; you be holy’” (I Peter 1:14–16 MSG). [LLM]
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Carol Duberowski, a Los Angeles business executive, has served on executive management teams in the corporate world for more than 20 years. Her extensive volunteer experience includes a mission trip to Ethiopia and service on boards and commissions of Light & Life Christian Fellowship North in Long Beach, Calif.; the Free Methodist Church in Southern California and the Free Methodist Church – USA.
[bishops] 6
An Outbreak of Holiness
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magine an “outbreak of holiness.” Of course, only God is absolutely holy. Still, God calls His people to be holy as well and has taken action to make this possible. Toward the beginning of our Scripture story, God provided instruction and a system of sacrifice so the people could avoid living just like everyone else — apart from God’s plan of blessing and promise. This suggested that holy living was only a matter of avoidance. Just stay away and don’t touch and, if you do, here’s how to undo the damage. As our Scripture story unfolds, however, and moves toward the fullness of God’s intent, we see that in Jesus, a Holy God has actually become flesh and taken up residence with fallen, sinful and unholy humanity. In Jesus, the absolutely Holy One has become Resident Alien in the world and has even managed to secure a green card. Therefore, through His people, through you, the resident alien “goes to work” day in and day out. Through His people — you — holiness inhabits the marketplace. Imagine it: holiness invading, inhabiting and infecting every place, every process, every relationship and every person. Holiness, as a contagion, adhering to and pervading everything and everyone it touches. Holiness spreading like a disease, or like the cure for whatever disease may be out there. Imagine the stunning, lovely and incomparable way of Jesus entering into every workplace. Imagine a contagion of kindness, openness, caring and compassion. Imagine deep sorrow over anything that ruins or harms and hilarious joy over everything that helps or honors. Imagine “doing unto others” with co-workers, with employees and employers, and with makers of goods or services and their patrons. Imagine just one carrier of the holiness virus, assuming that she is the only one but hopelessly infected nonetheless, discovering that a Great Physician has arranged for other carriers to be there. Imagine David i Bishop such contagion going so viral that people and things start to heal. [LLM] Kendall
Imagine the stunning, lovely and incomparable way of Jesus entering into every workplace.
7 [foundation]
S C RI P T U R E : 2 Kings 5:1–18 Ephesians 6:12 Matthew 5:14–16
Light in Dark Places BY JOHN HUBBS
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wo mule loads of dirt — that was the only souvenir the general wanted when he redeployed. The story in 2 Kings 5:1–14 is often used as an evangelistic illustration of cleansing through simple faith and obedience. An important, curious action follows in the next paragraph (2 Kings 5:17–18). Naaman loads his mules with as much holy earth as they could carry back to Syria and asks the Lord’s forgiveness in advance for the requirements of his position, which seemingly conflicts with his new faith. He faced the same reality many of us do. God changed us, but our environment remained the same. Jesus calls us to be light, but how do we live as believers in a heathen world? Ever see a floodlight circling in the sky to draw attention to a big sale? Sometimes the church tries to be like that. I frequently drive past a large church that boasts on its billboard that it serves Starbucks. I am a coffee lover, but still I think, “Really, is that the most important thing I can find here?” This church tries to draw people to the light by filling sacred time and space with popular culture. Naaman reminds us that our calling is to take that which is holy to where it is not already present, to invade the dark territory (Ephesians 6:12) with our light (Matthew 5:14–16). That is not only difficult but can seem rather risky. As an Army chaplain, my daily challenge is to be as incarnational as I can in ministry without becoming too much like those to whom I minister. Typical Army conversations and lifestyles aren’t exactly wholesome. I have regretted joining some discussions and laughing at some jokes, but I consider those instances less of a failure than times when I have been absent. Like Naaman, sometimes I am the guy folks lean on. I want to be there with the light of Christ. [LLM]
[history] 8
Bob Briner: Roaring Lamb BY JEFF FINLEY
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1999 New York Times obituary ran under the headline “Bob Briner, 63, Innovator in Tennis and Television.” The Times noted that Briner, co-founder of ProServ Television, and tennis legend Arthur Ashe won Emmys for their documentary “A Hard Road to Glory.” The newspaper reported that Briner, as executive director of the Association of Tennis Professionals in the 1970s, “helped bring together the warring governing bodies of men’s tennis.” Briner, “the first Western sports executive to enter China after the Cultural Revolution,” also received credit for his NFL and NBA work. While detailing success in the sports arena, the eight-paragraph obituary waited until its final sentence to report that Briner “spoke in churches and on college campuses and wrote seven books, focusing on Christianity.” Bob and Marty u Briner’s books took him into new spheres of influence during Briner the last several years of his life. Briner’s “The Management Meth(Photo courtesy of Marston Memorial ods of Jesus” and “Business Basics from the Bible” helped readers Historical Center.) apply biblical principles to their everyday tasks. His 1993 book debut, “Roaring Lambs,” included his “contention that the church is almost a nonentity when it comes to shaping culture,” and he urged Christians to “penetrate key areas of culture to have a preserving effect.” The Free Methodist author frequently questioned the tactics of fellow evangelical Christians, describing the American Family Association’s media boycotts as a “significant disservice to the cause of Christ.” In the posthumously published “Final Roar,” Briner wrote, “Neither the abandonment nor ghettoizing of the arts serve America — or the church.” Briner, a former high school coach, became a favorite philosopher of Christian musicians such as Michael W. Smith, who co-hosted a radio show with Briner. Top performers released a “Roaring Lambs” tribute CD that included a song by Jars of Clay, which formed at Greenville (Ill.) College. The band’s success pleased Briner, an alumnus of both Greenville and Central Christian College of Kansas. Abdominal cancer ended Briner’s earthly life 13 years ago, but his example and words continue to inspire Christians to be culture shapers. [LLM]
Briner urged Christians to “penetrate key areas of culture to have a preserving effect.”
D
an Sigler recently became an ordained Free Methodist elder, a rank typically held by pastors, but he’s not behind a pulpit most Sunday mornings. Sigler has another title: sales manager for a publishing company. The former church planter with a master’s degree in social work admitted he seems like an unlikely person to supervise sales. uuu
management as
ministry BY JEFF FINLEY
Photo by Rain Sigler
[action] 10 “The funny thing is I’ve never sold a thing in my life,” he said. Nevertheless, Sigler excels in the position, which he transitioned to after joining the company as its social worker. Why would a business need a social worker? The company’s owners give Boise, Idaho, residents the opportunity for employment despite backgrounds of incarceration, probation and drug use that often make it hard to find work and rebuild their lives. Methamphetamine use is a common problem in the area, and a stable job is an important factor to find housing, overcome addiction and avoid criminal behavior. Sigler led the company’s unique blend of parenting and relationship classes, recovery groups and counseling. As the business helped meet employees’ personal needs, its bottom line improved. “Retention got way better. Attrition and turnover slowed way down. The overall workforce got more stable,” he said. “That turned into the company being more successful. As a result, we were able to expand and add more positions.” The company now employs more than 300 people, about half of whom have recovered from drug addiction
or have been on probation or parole. A spiritual rebirth accompanies the turnaround in many employees’ lives. “A lot of them are believers now and are plugged into churches,” Sigler said. “We’ve tried to stay tied in with a number of churches in the community and invited their participation.” Sigler helped the company develop a management style that differs from those in employees’ past experiences. He explained that employees with a prison background know a leadership model that emphasizes power above everything else. “The opposite of that is Christ’s model of leadership, which is to be a servant and to have humility and put others before yourself,” he said. “We have this sense of common vision throughout the company of everyone fulfilling different roles that fit with their gifts and abilities.” Some Christians use phrases like “full-time ministry” and “secular work,” but for Sigler, the distinctions are not as clear. “It doesn’t matter whether I’m thinking through business-related things or interacting with a person; ultimately, I view Christ in all those interactions,” he said. Kenji Nitta works with Sigler at
It doesn’t matter whether I’m thinking through businessrelated things or interacting with a person; ultimately, I view Christ in all those interactions. the publishing company and also worships with him at New Heights Christian Fellowship. “He uses his smarts to serve others, and he does it well. He can move adeptly from counseling a rape victim to restructuring a company with well over 300 employees for healthier performance management and less systems waste,” Nitta said. “There is no hint of selfish ambition in any of his endeavors. His concern to honor Jesus in all he does motivates how careful he is in thought, deed and charity toward others.” [LLM]
11 [news]
BOA Freshmen Offer Unique Strengths, Backgrounds BY JEFF FINLEY
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everal new members of the Board of Administration (BOA) of the Free Methodist Church – USA acknowledged simultaneous feelings of uncertainty and enthusiasm as they gathered Oct. 12–15 at the World Ministries Center in Indianapolis. Describing it as a “step of faith,” Jeff Newville — the owner of a real estate investment company and a member of Northside Community Church in Newberg, Ore. — said serving on the BOA required “saying yes to the Lord without knowing what that yes totally meant.” Newcomer Karen Michel described herself as honored, overwhelmed and excited to join the board with “a huge sense of responsibility for the church in this More covercountry.” Michel works in age of the development at Penn State new BOA University and serves as members is available onthe children’s director at line at bit.ly/ Stepping Stones Communewfmboa.
nity Church in State College, Pa. E. Kenneth Martin, the pastor of New Vision Fellowship in Forestville, Md., has both a new BOA seat and a new role as the Free Methodist Church’s representative to the National Association of Evangelicals. Martin hopes his involvement in the association will lighten the Board of Bishops’ workload while demonstrating diversity within the body of Christ. “We need more people of color in these organizations,” said Martin, the BOA’s only African-American member. “Jesus died for all people, and we have to have all people at all levels of the church.”
Another new BOA member with a big role is Eric Spangler, the lead pastor of LifePoint Church, a multisite congregation in Everett and Lake Stevens, Wash. Spangler is the new chairman of the board’s Missions Committee. New BOA member Charlie Fiskeaux serves as the chief financial officer and vice president of business affairs at Asbury University in Wilmore, Ky. Barb Sands, Greenville College’s coordinator for finance and a member of the Hillsboro (Ill.) Free Methodist Church, is the BOA’s new secretary. [LLM]
[news] 12 GLOBAL WESLEYAN ALLIANCE FORMED Anderson, Ind.
Free Methodist Bishop David Kendall and leaders of 10 other denominations — Church of God (Anderson, Ind.), Churches of Christ in Christian Union, Church of Christ (Holiness) USA, Congregational Methodist, Evangelical, Evangelical Methodist, Missionary, Nazarene, Pilgrim Holiness, and Wesleyan — launched the Global Wesleyan Alliance on Dec. 3 to coordinate efforts to advance the gospel.
SPU PRESIDENTIAL TRANSITION COMING Seattle
Seattle Pacific University President Philip Eaton has decided to transition from SPU on July 1. Pacific Northwest Conference Superintendent Matt Whitehead, the Presidential Search Committee chairman, said Eaton’s connection to the “Free Methodist Church has been strong and vibrant. We celebrate Phil and Sharon Eaton’s ministry at SPU and pray God’s blessing on them.”
NEW CHURCH REACHES OUT Washington, D.C.
New Vision Community Church, a church plant pastored by Ron Hampton, has held several outreach events in the Kenilworth Housing Project in Washington, D.C., including a cookout, school-supply giveaway and Thanksgiving turkey giveaway. A weekly Bible study has begun in the project.
CHURCH DINNER DRAWS NEIGHBORS Indianapolis
After two decades of delivering meals to some of the city’s poorest residents, the First Free Methodist Church in Indianapolis hosted a sit-down Thanksgiving meal at which more than 100 community residents ate with church members. “We decided to scale back and focus less on numbers and more on building lasting relationships,” coordinator Becky Sullivan said.
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The Rest of the Story Want to find indepth stories of remarkable Free Methodists? Visit fmcusa.org and llcomm.org.
We want to hear from you! Tell us what your church is doing to impact lives in the United States and around the world. Submit your story at fmcusa.org/ yourstory.
13 [world]
European Leaders Meet in Madrid BY JASON ARCHER
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bundant fruit was the theme Nov. 11–15 during the European Church Leadership Conference in Madrid, Spain. The biannual conference provides leadership development, vision casting and networking for Free Methodist leaders in Europe. Richard Dickinson led the conference’s worship band, which had members from five countries. Conference speakers included Bishop David Roller, Jerry Coleman, Rex Bullock, Keith Cowart and Cindi Angelo. Missionaries and leaders hosted breakout sessions on topics ranging from worship to communication strategy, church growth and evangelism. “The primary purpose is connection. We bring people from 10 different countries for connection with God and connection with each other. All of For message recaps, us face challenges, and, when we come together, videos, photos there is more encouragement and more life in and more, visit clc2011. Jesus,” said Coleman, Free Methodist World blogspot.com. Missions’ area director for Europe. “I wanted to encourage people and challenge people that we are the branches, that Jesus is the vine, and our primary responsibility is to remain attached to him.” As the church grows in Europe, its people To watch a become grafted into the Free Methodist family. four-minute “I think it’s important for our people,” said Susy conference Fajardo, missionary to Spain, “because we talk video featuring Coleman, about the Free Methodist Church being a connecFajardo and tional church. We tell them we have brothers and Angelo, visit llcomm.org. sisters all over the world, and this (conference) is
what makes it real for them.” The leader gained resources, perspective and encouragement about the church’s growth. “I remember when we landed in 1996, and I was praying for just one pastor to emerge out of Europe,” Coleman said. “To then sit in a circle with Bishop Roller with about 20 pastors and receive three ministerial candidates, that’s one of the big thrills.” [LLM]
[discipleship] 14
Uncover Your Faith BY SABRA DYAS
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ave you ever been in a garage full of treasures? Some garages have nice old cars with covers on them. Some have boats, Jet Skis and bicycles. These treasures normally stay covered for protection and emerge only on certain occasions. Otherwise, they grow older and dustier without demonstrating their true power. However, when the covers are removed and they are brought out of the garage, they come alive. The Model T cruises down the road, while the boat and Jet Ski glide through the water. When they are uncovered and released from the garage, they get put to use. Otherwise, they sit in the garage, gain age, grow rust and eventually don’t work. If we are not careful, we can have a garage faith. We can inhabit the workplace while never revealing our faith. We can easily cover up who we are in Christ and never talk about our faith in Him. What would happen if we opened the door to our hearts, let the covers come off and revealed Who we are really living for? What if we even put our faith to work and allowed God to be the one driving our lives? He doesn’t want us to sit covered up like a hidden treasure. Ephesians 2:10 reminds us: “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” He wants us to come alive, going and doing what we were created to do. You were created to be His handiwork. The Christian faith is not a garage faith; it is alive. [LLM]
God doesn’t want us to sit covered up like a hidden treasure.
Sabra Dyas, a Free Methodist pastor, is the founder of Main Street Ministries (msministry.org) and the co-author of “Faith at Work” (bit.ly/faithatwork).
GROUP DISCUSSION: [1] Do you cover up your faith at work?
[2] What platform has God given you?
[3] What if all Christians let God drive their faith?
Did you know there are three more discipleship articles on our website? They’re perfect for use in your small group or as a weekly supplement to individual study.
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[resources] WORKPLACE FAITH The High Calling and Christianity Today join forces to explore the calling of daily work: bit.ly/faithinworkplace.
Don’t leave holiness at home when you head to work. Here’s help.
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THE 9 TO 5 WINDOW In “The 9 to 5 Window,” author Os Hillman tells how to transform your workplace through faith: bit.ly/9to5window. ROARING LAMBS MINISTRIES Bob Briner’s writings (Page 8) inspire this organization, which sponsors the Amplify Your Faith Conference: bit.ly/roarlambs. DISCIPLESHIP TOOLS “The Workplace,” a five-part study series, offers practical, biblical insights that change attitudes about work: bit.ly/dtworkplace.
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