Reprinted from the Chalmers Center; part six of a series. Building God’s kingdom community means working to replace destructive formative practices with those that lead to true flourishing. The Ministry Design Principles we’re highlighting this week focus heavily on the relational aspect of poverty alleviation. After all, we are each innately relational beings with minds, affections, wills, and bodies, and we…
By Brandon Beck, reprinted from Living God’s Mission. In 1924, British author AA Milne published a collection of poetry – When We Were Very Young – animal tales for his son Christopher Robin. His friend EH Shepard illustrated them. Number 38, “Teddy Bear,” was about a stuffed animal Milne had bought at Harrod’s as a gift for Christopher Robin after he and…
By David Gill, reprinted from the Bay Area Center for Faith, Work & Tech. This question comes up all the time: what kind of work should I do, especially if I want to honor God and be a faithful follower of Jesus Christ? Yes, we should pray for guidance and listen to the counsel of our brothers and sisters. We…
By David Williamson, part six of a series. Genesis 5 begins by repeating the assertion that Adam, humankind, is made in God’s likeness, bears the “imago Dei,” both male and female. Here that honor, that identity, is transmitted from the first man to all successive generations. A similar expression is used in the birth of Adam’s son, Seth, who is “in…
Reprinted from the Theology of Work Project, lead contributor Wayne Kirkland. God intends for everyone to thrive economically. He wants us to find provision (basic needs) for our daily life. He also desires for us to enjoy the wealth (abundance) of his generosity. Furthermore, God’s world has ample resources to provide all we need. However, in the fallen world we…
By Chris Armstrong, reprinted from Humanism as a Way of Life. Part two of a series. I believe there are at least three idols today that get in the way of a higher understanding of ordinary work. Each of these idols has its own cult – that is, in the older sense of that word, its own way of being worshiped…
By Ken Benjamin, reprinted from the London Institute for Contemporary Christianity. …so that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, as you bear fruit in every good work and as you grow in the knowledge of God. Colossians 1:10, NSRVue It’s just possible that LICC’s emphasis on whole-life discipleship could be misinterpreted. Given that we so…
By Zachary Ritvalsky, reprinted from the Oikonomia Network. The Economic Wisdom Project is best known for our Economic Wisdom Project Talks, which are short, accessible, engaging and rich presentations suitable for use in classrooms and group discussions. But the EWP also features print resources, including our vision paper and our twelve elements of economic wisdom. Economic Wisdom for Churches, our…
Reprinted from the Chalmers Center; part five of a series. Material poverty is complex and not reducible to a single cause. Healthy, sustainable poverty alleviation ministries need to address all five root causes of material poverty—individual brokenness, systemic brokenness, false stories of change, broken and destructive formative practices, and demonic forces. Over the last few weeks, we’ve looked at Ministry Design…
By Pam Tinsley, reprinted from Living God’s Mission. Almighty God, you have so linked our lives one with another that all we do affects, for good or ill, all other lives: So guide us in the work we do, that we may do it not for self alone, but for the common good; and, as we seek a proper return…
The Green Room 