WORK AND VOCATIONDEEPER LEARNING TRACK

“FAITH AT WORK: MADE TO FLOURISH”

DR. CONSTANTINE CAMPBELL, DR. GARY HOAG,DR. DONALD GUTHRIE, AND REV. TOM NELSON

Overview: Three Parts

1. Top Ten List: Faith and Work in the NT – Ten Christ-followers who

integrated their faith and work in the early church.

2. Two Grant Opportunities: “Grants for learning” Knowledge Building

Grants (up to $5k) and “grants for doing” Church Implementation

Grants (up to $20k): go.efca.org/faithandwork

3. Ten EFCA Examples – Hear how EFCA pastors / leaders are rallying

congregations and reaching communities (FWE).

Part #1 – Top Ten List: Faith and Work in the NT

Characteristics of these Christ-followers:

• Their NT portrayal exhibits the integration of faith and work.

• They reflect the range of occupations in the NT world.

• Mentioned in history and correspondence of mission in the NT.

• As they are “known” for their work, we can deduce they

discerned work had both intrinsic and instrumental value.

• They align with Christ and help their churches / cities flourish.

• These early church examples inspire people today!

#10 – Saul of Tarsus: Tentmaker

If God can transform a tentmaker named

Saul of Tarsus into the Apostle Paul (Acts

9), He can inspire any businessperson to

live and work on mission!

How is God calling you to serve in the

Kingdom, not by abandoning your skills by

living and working on mission?

#9 – Joe of Cyprus | Barnabas: the Landowner

Barnabas did more than sell a piece of land

(Acts 4:36-37), his “all-in” support

encouraged the saints and helped shape the

early church.

How might the Spirit be leading you to

deploy yourself and the assets you possess?

How might your encouraging service and

sacrificial giving make a difference?

#8 – Tabitha of Joppa Dorcas: the Clothing Maker

Like Dorcas (Acts 9:36-42), those who

work with their hands, can do more than

make products. They can touch lives!

Do you manufacture something with

excellence? How might your work touch

lives and show God’s love to the world?

#7 – Simon of Joppa: the Tanner

Simon extended hospitality to Peter (Acts

9:43). “Hands-on” people like to engage with

mission so show them ways to do that.

How might your business intersect with

mission while providing important products

made with your hands?

#6 – Luke of Antioch: the Physician

Luke put his scientific education to work

(Luke-Acts) and used it to engage in service

while also making known the good news.

Are you well-educated and equipped for some

aspect of missional service, such as medical

care, Bible translation, or some other aspect

of mission?

#5 – Lydia of Thyatira: High-end Fashion

Lydia was a seller of fine cloth (Acts 16:11-

15, 39-40) who traded where it was closed

to the gospel but open for business.

Do you work in high-end retail? Do you do

business in places where it is closed to the

gospel but open to business that could help

facilitate mission?

#4 – Tertius: the Publisher

Like Tertius the publisher (Romans

16:22), people with writing and business

skills can package the gospel for the

world to come to faith.

How might your business skills, your

writing ability, or your speaking talents

help package the gospel for the world to

know the good news of Jesus Christ.

Erastus, Olympas, Rhodion, Sosipater, Quartus and Tertius in Menologion of Basil II (c. 1000 AD)

#3 – Zenas: the Lawyer

Zenas the Lawyer (Titus 3:12b-14) would

have been trained in matters of law,

argumentation, and rhetoric.

Do you have legal or technical skills for

helping your church and your community? Are

you positioned to use these talents alongside

ministry leaders and in the public square?

#2 – Erastus: the City Treasurer

Erastus the City Treasurer (Acts 19:22;

Romans 16:23; 2 Timothy 4:20), had

administrative skills that blessed the city

and were put to service to provide

strategic leadership for mission.

Has God given you administrative skills to help your city flourish and help provide administrative leadership for mission?

#1 – Priscilla and Aquila: the Tentmakers

They were expelled from Rome, met Paul

in Corinth, and agreed to serve in

Ephesus (Acts 18:2,18,26; Romans 16:3;

1 Corinthians 16:19; 2 Timothy 4:19).

They were flexible to move and serve on

mission.

Do you have skills that you can do

anywhere while engaging in God’s work?

Top Ten List

Part #2 - Two Grant OpportunitiesBackground – “Faith, Work, and Economics Initiatives” (FWE)

• Modern day “Barnabas” – Bob Kern / Kern Family Foundation:

http://www.kffdn.org/programs/faith-work-and-economics

now branded as “Made to Flourish”: www.madetoflourish.org

• May 2014 pilot group event – “TIU/EFCA Pastoral

Collaboration” 20 pastors/20 lay leaders explored FWE. Kern

announced pastors could apply for two grants:

go.efca.org/faithandwork

Knowledge Building Grants(1) Knowledge Building Grants “grants for learning” (up to

$5k)

Knowledge Building Grants empower church leadership

teams to learn about the integration of faith, work, and

economics (FWE) to produce human flourishing. This

learning takes place through a process you design with

guidance from our grant administrator.

Grants for LEARNING are for LEADERSHIP TEAMS.

Examples of KBG funded activities:• Attend a conference about faith, work, and economics

• Study resources related to faith, work, and economics

together with your pastoral staff or congregation leaders

and discuss the implications for your church and

community on a retreat

• Visit another church that is integrating faith, work, and

economics into its ministry

• Preach a sermon series on God’s plan for work or the

economy

Writing a KBG proposal

Completed proposal = about 3-6 pages and answers 12

questions

1. How did your church become interested in submitting a Faith,

Work, and Economics Grant?

2. Who are the direct beneficiaries/participants of this project?

3. Describe the project(s) you would like to pursue (Take as

many pages as you need to answer this question.)

4. What are the deliverables you hope to produce (materials:

action items, strategic plan, mp3 audio, reflection paper, etc.)?

Writing a KBG proposal cont’d

5. In what ways is your proposal biblically and theologically

grounded?

6. What long-term impact do you anticipate this project having?

7. Why do you believe this project will have long-term impact

and/or sustainability?

8. How does the proposal reflect an interest in integrating FWE

in church ministry for the purpose of human flourishing?

9. Does the proposal articulate a vision for local and/or regional

collaboration? (Optional)

Writing a KBG proposal cont’d

10. What leaders are involved in the process of developing

your proposal, and who/how will they be involved in the

project execution?

11. Are you committed to satisfying the foundation’s

requirements for accountability by providing timely

program and financial reports?

12. Outline the budget for this project and note how much will

be supported by the foundation.

Church Implementation Grants(2) Church Implementation Grants “grants for doing” (up

to $20k)

Church Implementation Grants empower church leadership

teams to put what they know about faith, work, and

economics to work in their churches and communities. These

grants are an investment in church leadership teams with

creative ideas focused on human flourishing.

Grants for DOING are for CONGREGATIONS.

Examples of CIG funded activities:• Host events where professionals in your church mentor

teenagers and young adults entering the workforce

• Organize a job fair to help unemployed or underemployed

individuals connect with potential employers

• Tap the work skills of your congregation to help launch or

grow businesses in your community

• Redesign your church’s food or clothing ministry from a

focus on relief to a focus on relief and personal

development

What’s in a CIG proposal?

12 KBG questions + 3 more and an Executive Summary (1 page)

1. Tell us what you hope to be the outputs of this project.

2. Tell us – as succinctly as you can - what you expect your project

to achieve. These are meant to be outcomes of your activities.

3. What objective outcome measures will be used to determine the

degree to which your project was successful and at what

point(s) do you anticipate evaluating the results? When will you

report these results to us? How will you establish a baseline for

use in measuring progress?

Part #3 - Ten EFCA Examples

Hear how EFCA pastors / leaders are rallying congregations

and reaching communities (FWE). Consider these examples:

1. Jim Thulson, Cañon City (CO) – KBG. “For the Life of the

World” videos, Toxic Charity (Lupton). Group to Christian

Community Development Conference. Prison

town/unemployment issues.

2. Randy Discher, Constance (MN) – KBG. Integration of

FWE in sports. Work Matters (Nelson), Inside Out

Coaching (Erhmann).

Ten Testimonies: EFCA (cont’d)

3. Kurt Trucksess, CrossWinds (IA) – KBG. “Close the Gap”

Study Work Matters (Nelson); focus on FW language (“Call

to ministry is applauded…Call to the workplace is notably

absent.”)

4. Bob Nienhuis, Liberty Bible (IN) – KBG. Twelve

Foursomes = 48 (12 Pastoral Staff + 12 Lay People) + (12

Elders + 12 Lay People) Three Books: Vision of Vocation

(Garber), Work: The Meaning of your Life (DeKoster), Work

Matters (Nelson). Retreat.

Ten Testimonies: EFCA (cont’d)

5. Steve Mathewson, CrossLife (IL) – KBG. Suburban

church / blue collar and white collar. Interview (starting

theology). Read Every Good Endeavor (Keller), Work

Matters (Nelson). Meals for discussion and Lake Geneva

leadership retreat for planning.

6. Steve Ratliff, Faith EFC (KS) – KBG. College town – 12

pairs of mentors and mentees. Read Every Good Endeavor

(Keller) Work Matters (Nelson), and RightPath (Path4 and

Path6) Profiles.

Ten Testimonies: EFCA (cont’d)7. Steve Mathewson, CrossLife (IL) – KBG. Suburban church / blue

collar and white collar. Interview (starting theology). Read Every

Good Endeavor (Keller), Work Matters (Nelson). Meals for discussion

and Lake Geneva leadePeter Fiorello (FWE Pastor’s Conference -

Camp Spofford, NH) CIG. Two retreats: (8/31-9/2 and 11/2-4)

Read Every Good Endeavor (Keller), Work Matters (Nelson), The

Pastor’s Guide to Fruitful Work & Wisdom (the Kern Foundation). No

cost, application discussions, and EFCA teaching and coaching.

8. Ray Chang (Regenerant Network, CA) 2 CIG – Church planters.

Retreats. Every Good Endeavor (Keller), Work Matters (Nelson),

Visions of Vocation (Garber), Kingdom Calling (Sherman).

Ten Testimonies: EFCA (cont’d)

9. Rick Thompson (Great Lakes District) KBG. GLD pre-

conference seminar and conference workshop

“Discipleship as Vocation” coaching pastors on integrating

FWE as a pathway for disciplemaking. Resource: Every

Good Endeavor (Keller).

10. Alejandro Mandes (Hispanic Initiatives, TX) CIG.

Convene Hispanic American ministry leaders from around

USA. Survey and explore available resources. Read Work

Matters (Nelson), The Pastor’s Guide (the Kern

Foundation). TIU facilitator.

Where to go from here?

1. Preach: Highlight the faith and work of NT Christ-followers

2. Visit: go.efca.org/faithandwork

3. Start: the KBG/CIG proposal process (submit online form)

Pathway for engaging people with the EFCA Vision:

We are praying that God will raise up one million disciplemakers,

impacting millions with the gospel and transforming entire cities

and regions globally.

Questions: gary.hoag@efca.org