Cheryl was scanning through an article recently from TODAY’S CHRISTIAN WOMAN and came across a wonderful article by the title I have given to this article. The writer was Penny Schlaf Musco. Its focus was all about “what is full time ministry?” Is it relegated to seminary graduates? Is its location only on the foreign mission field or within the church walls? And are those who stand on the church’s platform every Sunday the only one in THE MINISTRY?

Thank God for those called to vocational ministry and missions. Scripture makes it very clear that they are key in God’s economy. Those called voacationally are there for a specific purpose: to equip the rest of the followers of Christ to DO THE WORK OF THE MINISTRY “right where they are!!!!” And “starting NOW.”

That is why my dear friend, Randy Singer, and I penned the book MADE TO COUNT. We desired to return to the wisdom of our forefathers who did not see a division between the sacred and the secular. For them, God meant for all of or life to be integrated with the effects of our faith. Compartmentalization was not an option.

That is how Benjamin Franklin could call the Continental Congress to prayer, and our nation’s first colleges have God reflecte consistently through their founding documents, or why government of the people, by the people and for the people was based on Scriptural foundations of dignity of every person and the freedom of every individual with a responsibility to the corporate whole.

As I shared in the previous entry, the Puritans saw God to extend a General Call to a personal relationship with Him, and a Particular Call to a misison along side Him–right where a person lived and worked. The Reformers referred to Primary Call being “from God and to God” with a Secondary Call “to a particular work, occupation, or station in life.” It was not meant to be either/or but rather both/and.

I was thrilled to be quoted along with my friends Os Guiness and Angie Tracey who are making a wonderful contribution to God being busily at work in the work place.

Where do you see that happening? And how?

On Monday July 30, 2007 the USA TODAY ran an article titled “FAITH AT THE OFFICE. WHY NOT?” It was wonderfully written by a pastor in Northern Virginia and the contention was that faith should not be exculded, but should have a place at the table. It is interesting that in the 90s the hottest word in the work place became “spirituality” according to a number of cultural gurus. Could it be because faith as been locked away in the storage closet too long? Or relegated to the clean up crew after hours?

Let’s face it, there is a hole in every human heart that cannot be filled by anything, or anyone, outside of the Creator…not even work.

So, since this has been a passion of mine for some time, I submitted a response to the paper. Whether it will be used or not, only time will tell. But I least I want to share it with you and hear your feedback.

Faith@Work

It is ironic that we have tended to make faith and work
mutually exclusive in our nation. Especially when our forefathers did not. They did not primarily refer to what they did throughout the week as their work, job, career or profession…but as their vocation. It derived from the Latin word vocatio which referred to a “calling.” In their view there was a touch of the divine in the mundane of their labor.

And look at what they accomplished. An educational system second to none, the esteeming of higher learning, and the establishment of a system of government that despite its imperfections has stood the test of time. The free market square where freedom of speech, privacy, private ownership, treasured immigration and the freedom to fulfill one’s dream was guaranteed by the under girding of the freedom of religion that did not separate the secular from the sacred.

Thus it was that every state’s constitution refers to the hand of Providence that made the government and marketplace possible. And the first Supreme Court actually celebrated in worship and Communion. Worship services were held at times in the House of Representatives. And the Puritan settlers taught there was a General Call to a personal relationship to God, with a Particular Call of place and position according to God-given talents, gifts, skills and character.

So why not allow for a place for faith respectfully and gracefully lived out whether in the Boardroom, the office break room, at the construction site or in the hospital halls? It gave us a pretty good beginning…might it not also grant us a strong future?

Today and tomorrow I’m in Washington DC and I am having a blast speaking to over 500 leading students from across the nation’s schools on The Christian Heritage of Our Nation and Leading From the Inside Out. And what better place to do that than Washington DC?!?!

And NO better group to do it with than students. Why? Because throughout history they have often been used as a vanguard to the key movements of God? Anybody out there remember the Jesus Movement?

And it’s happening again today. Last week USA TODAY ran an article titled Children Get Holier Than Thou. It’s focus is on the surge of faith that is happening in the youth of today. They are not satisfied with their parent’s often “comfort zone faith.” They want to feel it, know it, experience and live it. They want to be on the edge and believe if you’re not on the edge you’re taking up too much room.

They want to be On Mission believers whose faith makes a difference not just on the day of worship…but every day, everywhere, and in every activity. In other words their faith is integrated into all of life and not simply relegated to a building or an event. And you know…that’s what I want.

And these students with me this week personify that heart beat. And how does that make me feel about the future? It’s as bright as the promises of God!

How do you feel? And what are you seeing in young

When we hear that question our thoughts usually go to the subject of money. And we figure someone is about to lecture us on “having too much,” “spending too much,” or “wanting too much.” But let’s don’t go there this time. Let’s look at this question from an unexpected slant.

A friend, John Grant, recently sent me his insightful news letter, in which a section stopped me on this issue. Let me share it with you….

ENOUGH
A father and son had their last moments together at the airport. Standing near the security gate, they hugged and the father said, “I love you and I wish you enough”. The son replied, “Dad, our life together has been more than enough. Your support and love is all I ever needed. I wish you enough, too, Dad.”
They hugged and kissed and the son left for his flight. The Dad walked over to the window near where I was seated. Standing there I could see he wanted and needed to cry. I tried not to intrude on his privacy but he welcomed me in by asking, “Did you ever say good-bye to someone knowing it would be forever?” “Yes, I have,” I replied. “Forgive me for asking, but why is this a forever good-bye?” “I am old and he lives so far away. I have health problems and the reality is - his next trip back will likely be for my funeral,” he said.
“When you were saying good-bye, I heard you say, ‘I wish you enough’. May I ask what that means?” He began to smile. “That’s a wish that has been handed down from other generations. My parents used to say it to everyone.” He paused a moment and looked up trying to remember it in detail and then he smiled even more. “When we said, ‘I wish you enough’, we were wanting the other person to have a life filled with just enough good things to sustain them.” Then he recited the following:
 I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright no matter how gray the day may appear.
 I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun even more.
 I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive and everlasting.
 I wish you enough spirit to know that you are connected to things beyond your control.
 I wish you enough pain so that even the smallest of joys in life may appear bigger.
 I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.
 I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess.
 I wish you enough hellos to get you through the final good-bye.
( Written by Jack Levine )

So how about it, do you have enough? And, what did this story mean to you? Thanks John, for challenging me!

This week I am honored to be in Washington DC with approximately 1200 top high school students from around the country. I have the privilege of teaching them on the fact that God Calls every Christ follower to Himself…and to join Him in a mission to change the world. We are looking at that in the context of our Founding Fathers, the vast majority of who saw their work not as a “career” or “job”, but as a vocation. And vocation derives from the Latin word vocation which refers to a divine calling.

Did you know that 24 of the signers of the Declaration of Independence had seminary degrees in their background? How about that 52 of the 55 founders of the Constitution belonged to orthodox churches in the colonies? And that Washington, after being the only officer of 86 for the British/American forces not shot down in a battle during the French and Indian War wrote to his family that he found 4 bullet holes through his coat yet not one hit his skin? Yet numerous horses were shot out beneath him.

We’ll also be looking at HOW TO LEAD FROM THE INSIDE OUT. What are the ingredients that God gave to Joshua for effective leadership? In Joshua 1:1-8 God gives a hand full of factors that have to be in place for a man or woman to be a godly and successful leader.

These kids are great! So, when people ask me if I am worried about the Next Generation I say, “Absolutely not!” There are some of the brightest stars I’ve seen in a long time in this group. I’m more worried about their parent’s generation who have too often settled into comfort zones and have too often lost the cutting edge. Overall, I would say the future is as bright as the promises of God!

How do you feel?

All of us hope that our life will ultimately make a difference. We hope that when it is all said and done the imprint we leave will be more like a hand placed in wet cement, that when the cement sets, the handprint is there as long as the cement exists.

Maybe too many of us fear that our imprint may be more like a hand stuck in a bucket of water….pull it out, and within about 15 seconds you can’t even tell it was ever there!

Cheryl and I spent the last week with some folks who are making an imprint that lasts. We were honored to speak to coaches and their spouses at Coach’s Camp for FCA. Dickey Clark stands at the helm giving it great leadership, and we saw men and women who are committed to making an eternal difference in the lives of students in high school and college. These are folks putting “Christ’s imprint” in the wet concrete of student’s lives…many who never darken the doors of a church before they meet a Christian coach!

Did you have one of those in your life? I did. Tell me about him or her?

Are you a coach and want to accomplish that? What are you doing to make it happen?