But who will weigh the coal?
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Not everyone has a dream job. Millions of people feel unfulfilled and unhappy in their work. Could they be looking at work all wrong? A new documentary teaching series challenges Christians to look at work in a whole new way. Going On Vocation aims to help Christians connect their faith identity to any vocation and find their calling. Faith should not be turned off when people go to work, says Dr. Greg Foster, program director at the Kern Family Foundation. Faith should permeate attitudes and actions in every aspect of life. “We can find joy in helping people in a God-honoring way,” adds Dr. Chris Armstrong, theology professor at Wheaton (Ill.) College. Going On Vocation uses personal stories of ordinary people at work to show that vocation or calling is about much more than a paid job. Noted scholars are joined by a waitress, a policeman, a stay-at-home father and many others to explore how God calls Christians to a life of vocation. It aims to help viewers see their work, not as drudgery or obligation, but as an opportunity to live out their faith and see daily work as a way to serve others and create blessings. The two-part, eight-lesson documentary is produced by the Christian History Institute and Vision Video. To order ($19.99 U.S.) go to http://www.GoingOnVocation.com
The Marketplace May June 2015
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I enjoy telling the story about two brothers who were in the coal business. Revival meetings came to town. One of the brothers accepted Christ. For weeks he tried to persuade his brother to become a Christian, too. One day the unconverted brother responded, “It’s fine for you to be a Christian, but if I became a Christian, who would weigh the coal?” Who would weigh the coal! The implication is quite clear. Becoming a follower of Jesus affects how we weigh coal. When Zacchaeus met the Lord he started to “weigh coal” differently. Luke 19:8 (NIV) records his new business ethics: “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.” If the world’s methods for “weighing coal” are off the mark, where do we turn for direction? To the inner nudgings of God’s Spirit. To the Scriptures as we study them. To our congregational gatherings as we listen to the admonitions of our brothers and sisters. “Weighing coal” in today’s business world is a complicated enterprise. Pursuing Christian faithfulness is a lifelong journey which requires continuous openness to the leading of God’s Spirit plus lots of courage to apply his teachings in our daily business decisions and practices. — John H. Rudy, reprinted from his Auditor’s Report column in The Marketplace, December 1985
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