We have been confused! Learn how your work is valuable to God. You have been chosen to become part of God's work on planet earth in all you do

1. 5 Star Leadership5 Star Leadership
ConsortiumConsortium
Dr. & Mrs. Frank Reid and the Bethel NationDr. & Mrs. Frank Reid and the Bethel Nation
November 21, 2005November 21, 2005
Session #2: TheologySession #2: Theology
of the Marketplaceof the Marketplace

2. JesusJesus ValuedValued the Marketplacethe Marketplace
Of the 52 parables Jesus told, 45 had a workplaceOf the 52 parables Jesus told, 45 had a workplace
contextcontext
Different forms of the word “work” are mentionedDifferent forms of the word “work” are mentioned
more than 800 times in the Biblemore than 800 times in the Bible
Of the 132 public appearances of Jesus, 122 wereOf the 132 public appearances of Jesus, 122 were
in the workplacein the workplace
Of the 40 miracles in Acts, 39 were in the workplaceOf the 40 miracles in Acts, 39 were in the workplace
Invited to consider which of our works will lastInvited to consider which of our works will last
(1 Cor. 3:12-15)(1 Cor. 3:12-15)
Deeds of service seem to follow usDeeds of service seem to follow us (Matt. 25:31-46)(Matt. 25:31-46)
JESUS IS PRO-WORK! YOUR WORK MATTERSJESUS IS PRO-WORK! YOUR WORK MATTERS
TO GODTO GOD {Os Hillman, International Coalition of Workplace{Os Hillman, International Coalition of Workplace
Ministries}Ministries}

3. There is a wrong perception about
the sacred and the secular
God wants His rule in every
dimension of life
“Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness,
and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the
air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the
creatures that move along the ground.” So God created man in
his own image, in the image of God he created him; 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 of the sea and the birds of the air and over
every living creature that moves on the ground.’ ”
(Genesis 1:26-28)

4. Four Lethal MisbeliefsFour Lethal Misbeliefs
The combination of four major misbeliefsThe combination of four major misbeliefs
usually neutralizes God’s calling onusually neutralizes God’s calling on
those anointed for marketplacethose anointed for marketplace
ministry:ministry:
1. There is a God-ordained division1. There is a God-ordained division
between clergy and laity.between clergy and laity.
2. The Church is called to operate2. The Church is called to operate
primarily inside a building oftenprimarily inside a building often
referred to as the temple.referred to as the temple.

5. 3. People involved in business cannot3. People involved in business cannot
be as spiritual as those serving inbe as spiritual as those serving in
traditional Church ministry.traditional Church ministry.
4. The primary role of marketplace4. The primary role of marketplace
Christians is to make money toChristians is to make money to
support the vision of those “in thesupport the vision of those “in the
ministry.”ministry.”
(taken from Ed Silvoso,(taken from Ed Silvoso, Annointed for BusinessAnnointed for Business, page 23), page 23)

6. God@Work : Truths to Live ByGod@Work : Truths to Live By
1. You have an1. You have an assignmentassignment in thein the
marketplacemarketplace
To be anointed for business is to be set aside by GodTo be anointed for business is to be set aside by God
for service in the marketplace. Once anointed, wefor service in the marketplace. Once anointed, we
are to use our job as a ministry vehicle to transformare to use our job as a ministry vehicle to transform
the marketplace so that the gospel will be preachedthe marketplace so that the gospel will be preached
to, and heard by, every creature in our sphere ofto, and heard by, every creature in our sphere of
influence. The same principle applies in all areas ofinfluence. The same principle applies in all areas of
the marketplace: business, education andthe marketplace: business, education and
government.government.
–– page 33 (Ed Silvoso,page 33 (Ed Silvoso, Annointed for BusinessAnnointed for Business))

7. 2. You were2. You were custom madecustom made for Hisfor His
purpose in your life!purpose in your life!
““Now there are different kinds of gifts, but it is theNow there are different kinds of gifts, but it is the
same Holy Spirit who is the source of them all.same Holy Spirit who is the source of them all.
There are different kinds of service in the church,There are different kinds of service in the church,
but it is the same Lord we are serving. There arebut it is the same Lord we are serving. There are
different ways God works in our lives, but it is thedifferent ways God works in our lives, but it is the
same God who does the work through all of us.”same God who does the work through all of us.”
(I Corinthians 12:4-6)(I Corinthians 12:4-6)NLTNLT
3. God wants to3. God wants to show upshow up at yourat your
workplace!workplace!

8. Here are Several Alternative Ways toHere are Several Alternative Ways to
View the MarketplaceView the Marketplace
a) Marketplace and missiona) Marketplace and mission
b) Marketplace for missionb) Marketplace for mission
c) Marketplace as a platform for missionc) Marketplace as a platform for mission
d) Mission in the marketplaced) Mission in the marketplace
e) The marketplace as missione) The marketplace as mission
““Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, asWhatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as
working for the Lord, not for men, since youworking for the Lord, not for men, since you
know that you will receive an inheritance fromknow that you will receive an inheritance from
the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ youthe Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you
are serving”are serving” (Colossians 3:23-24)(Colossians 3:23-24)

9. Doing Business God’s WayDoing Business God’s Way
((by Dennis Peacocke)by Dennis Peacocke)
““Because of how our world lives, one of ourBecause of how our world lives, one of our
greatest strategies for evangelism is “economicgreatest strategies for evangelism is “economic
evangelism” reasons: universal bait of allevangelism” reasons: universal bait of all
people, gospel is clear, God’s laws of personalpeople, gospel is clear, God’s laws of personal
and corporate freedom, dignity, growth andand corporate freedom, dignity, growth and
justice operate perfectly in a self-rewarding andjustice operate perfectly in a self-rewarding and
competitive environment, and believers havecompetitive environment, and believers have
access to God’s wisdom to deal with all of it andaccess to God’s wisdom to deal with all of it and
we are in a massive sellers market of desperatewe are in a massive sellers market of desperate
human need”human need” (pps. xiv-sv)(pps. xiv-sv)

10. Riches are something we have, wealthy isRiches are something we have, wealthy is
something we are. Five areas of wealth: peacesomething we are. Five areas of wealth: peace
with God, relationships God has given us,with God, relationships God has given us,
revelational wealth, time, material contentmentrevelational wealth, time, material contentment
Scripture (II Cor. 12:14, Proverbs 13:22) tells usScripture (II Cor. 12:14, Proverbs 13:22) tells us
to leave equity to our children, not debt. Theto leave equity to our children, not debt. The
society that piles up debt hates children.society that piles up debt hates children.
If God wants something done, He will pay for it.If God wants something done, He will pay for it.
God pays for what He ordersGod pays for what He orders (p. 84)(p. 84)

11. The Bible does not forbid all debt (LeviticusThe Bible does not forbid all debt (Leviticus
25), but debt for consumption is “bondage”.25), but debt for consumption is “bondage”.
Leviticus arrangements were strongLeviticus arrangements were strong
incentives to keep debt less than 6 years.incentives to keep debt less than 6 years.
Sparing people the consequences ofSparing people the consequences of
disobedience destroys them. If you shielddisobedience destroys them. If you shield
people from consequences, you arepeople from consequences, you are
shielding them from the fear of the Lord, andshielding them from the fear of the Lord, and
you’re destroying their possibility for true,you’re destroying their possibility for true,
earned self-respect. That respect comesearned self-respect. That respect comes
from doing it right, asking no favors, andfrom doing it right, asking no favors, and
cutting yourself no slack”cutting yourself no slack” (p. 101)(p. 101)

12. Poverty is a spiritual disease more than anPoverty is a spiritual disease more than an
economic condition. Put more precisely, it iseconomic condition. Put more precisely, it is
an inner disease of soul and spirit thatan inner disease of soul and spirit that
manifests itself in the natural outer world bymanifests itself in the natural outer world by
a scarcity of resources.a scarcity of resources. (p. 105)(p. 105)
How can I experience the way to God’sHow can I experience the way to God’s
covenant promise if you don’t let me live outcovenant promise if you don’t let me live out
the consequences of my failures? Failuresthe consequences of my failures? Failures
instruct me on the way and in the way.instruct me on the way and in the way.
Without the possibility of living in myWithout the possibility of living in my
failures, I’ll never grow up. ALMIGHTY &failures, I’ll never grow up. ALMIGHTY &
SONS is built on risk taking.SONS is built on risk taking. (p. 106)(p. 106)

13. Man is not created for eternal retirement; heMan is not created for eternal retirement; he
is created to steward God’s Cosmos as anis created to steward God’s Cosmos as an
inspired landscape architect under theinspired landscape architect under the
general orders of God-the –Land-Owner….general orders of God-the –Land-Owner….
Man is not going back to Eden; rather, he isMan is not going back to Eden; rather, he is
going forward to an unfinished canvas ofgoing forward to an unfinished canvas of
unbelievable dimension and potentialunbelievable dimension and potential (p. 129)(p. 129)
Human government has five jurisdictions:Human government has five jurisdictions:
individual, family, church, commercial orindividual, family, church, commercial or
voluntary associations, civil government.voluntary associations, civil government.
Each has specific duties and powers, and allEach has specific duties and powers, and all
are to function in mutual submission to Godare to function in mutual submission to God
and serve each other. All of them haveand serve each other. All of them have
limited power, and all of them have rightslimited power, and all of them have rights
which are God-ordainedwhich are God-ordained
(p. 141.And drawing on p. 142)(p. 141.And drawing on p. 142)

14. On imbalances: when the individual becomesOn imbalances: when the individual becomes
the focus of human government we havethe focus of human government we have
anarchy; when the family becomes theanarchy; when the family becomes the
centering focus we have tribalism; when thecentering focus we have tribalism; when the
ecclesiastic order becomes the center weecclesiastic order becomes the center we
have religious wars; when the commercialhave religious wars; when the commercial
order becomes unbalanced, we have cut-order becomes unbalanced, we have cut-
throat monopolies or some form of fascism;throat monopolies or some form of fascism;
and when the civil government becomes theand when the civil government becomes the
power center, we have statism. When anypower center, we have statism. When any
sphere is out of place or balance, we havesphere is out of place or balance, we have
the loss of liberty, the increase of tyranny,the loss of liberty, the increase of tyranny,
and the suppression of the human element ofand the suppression of the human element of
God’s Cosmos.God’s Cosmos. (p. 143)(p. 143)

15. Hierarchy is a fact of God’s creation.Hierarchy is a fact of God’s creation.
Hierarchy is essential for order, protection,Hierarchy is essential for order, protection,
and the development of humility. Aand the development of humility. A
hierarchy, in order to lead in a godly fashion,hierarchy, in order to lead in a godly fashion,
must endeavor to develop each person undermust endeavor to develop each person under
its authority to their greatest potential. Inits authority to their greatest potential. In
essence, the leaders must get “under” theiressence, the leaders must get “under” their
people and push them up to success.people and push them up to success.
(p. 145)(p. 145)