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A ninetyandnine.com Special Feature:
Work Issues: Religion and Reality
An Apostolic e-Panel - Part I
As churchgoers, we weekly hear from the ministry. Rarely do we get a chance
to hear from the careerists sitting across the pew-the very people who have the
real-world experiences we relate to most. Over the past five weeks, ninetyandnine.com
has addressed the work attitudes prevalent among Apostolics and offered
solutions. This week, we paneled a diverse group of professionals who voice
their opinions and share their experiences with issues like witnessing, business
partnerships, missing church, ministry and misconceptions within the church.
If you’d like to add your opinion to this discussion, send us a letter
or email us at editor@ninetyandnine.com.
Your voice matters.
The Panel:
Lance McElhaney has a Master’s in Electrical Engineering from Georgia
Tech. He is the Senior Process Control Engineer for Eli Lilly and Company in
Indianapolis. He has been in the full-time workforce 14-plus years, the last 10
with Lilly.
Amy Merk is a wife and the mother of three teenage boys. She considers
her career to be making the best home for her husband and sons that she possibly
can. If they grow up to serve the Lord and their fellow man, then she considers
that success. She works as a medical secretary part-time.
Sharenda Holland Barlar lives in
Chicago, Ill., with her husband Jonathan. She is an assistant professor in
Spanish at Wheaton College. Sharenda received her B.A. from Union University in
1995 and completed her M.A. and Ph.D. at Vanderbilt University. Sharenda attends
Bartlett United Pentecostal Church, where she teaches Sunday School and coaches
the Senior Bible Quiz team.
Paul Goff pastors the United Pentecostal Church of Villa Park, IL. He has
owned his own general contracting business for 17 years. He does work for such
clients as Blockbuster Video, Tudor Time, Lincoln Properties, Public Storage,
and the Marriott Hotels. He has always applied the lesson of Matthew 6:33 in his
business practices and has seen mighty results.
Glenda Moehlenpah , a
Missouri-licensed CPA, is finishing a Masters in Science Business Administration
- Financial and Tax Planning at San Diego State University. She currently
interns at two financial planning firms. She has been Audit Manager at Price
Waterhouse and worked in private accounting in Germany, Georgia, and Wisconsin.
Mark Perkins works the assembly line for DaimlerChrysler. He is part of
the prayer team leadership for New Life Pentecostal Church in Bridgeton, Mo.,
teaches Sunday school and wins co-workers to the Lord.
Justin Walker attends the United Pentecostal Church in Johnston City,
Ill. The 21 year old is a part-time sportswriter for The Southern Illinoisan.
Phillip Hampton works in the Information Technology (IT) field and owns a
technology consulting business. His company provides technology consulting
services to small to medium-sized law firms as well as litigation support
services, and has some nationally prominent attorneys as clients. He is also an
executive editor of ninetyandnine.com.
1. Should an Apostolic work ethic be enough of a
witness to win the lost?
Perkins: “In certain situations, but one must be prepared to go beyond
the comfort zone to do what the Lord would have us to do."
McElhaney: “I don't believe it is. I know many agnostics who have a
stronger work ethic than I. A better witness would include how you treat
co-workers and handle adverse situations. Personally, I always look for
opportunities to profess Christ's prominence in my life. And you don't have to
push Christ onto your co-workers to be a witness of your faith.”
Merk: “A true work witness is one who is always dedicated to doing the
best job they can do, the right way, not the easiest way.”
Barlar: “Yes, I believe it should. We as
Christians should be examples and be diligent workers. However, I also feel that
we should be spiritually sensitive and look for ‘doors’ in conversations.”
Goff: “Although your work effort is very important to your overall
witnessing, your personal testimony, plus a good work ethic would be very
effective in winning a lost soul.”
Moehlenpah: “I
seem to think it should, although, I haven't yet had any of my co-workers come
to the Lord as a result of my Apostolic work ethic. Of course, CPA's are held to
a pretty high work ethic anyway. I've had co-workers visit church.”
Walker: “Winning the lost should have the label ‘whatever it takes’
attached to it in any situation. Just doing your job well, and assuming that's
enough to win people, is just plain lazy. And it won't work. It's a good start
though.”
2. What is a true work witness?
Barlar: “I
think it's much more effective to be a casual witness than to beat scripture
over someone's head. Coworkers usually discuss what they did that weekend or
hobbies and I've found it easy to talk about church, and fellowship with
friends.”
Goff: “Your life lived before your coworkers. None of our lives are
perfect. We make mistakes in our Christian walk, and we will make mistakes in
front of our coworkers. The most important thing is to realize our shortcomings
and to handle them in a Christian manner.”
Moehlenpah: “I
believe you live a Christ-like life as a witness. And when the opportunity
presents itself, you witness about your relationship with Christ.”
Perkins: "Being mindful of God's mercy and grace, and where he has
brought you from. And always be ready to give and answer to this hope."
Walker: “Honesty, integrity, humor, generosity, intelligence, and
simple attentiveness in any occupation will make everyone happy¾including
the worker. Then before you know it, ‘You know, whatever is making Frank so
happy, I need it in my life.’ When people start to notice, that's when action
must be taken.”
Hampton: “… True Christianity marks us in the workplace so that
instead of stepping on others to get ahead, true Christians are respectful and
deferential to others. Instead of being puffed up by success, true Christians
are humbled by the goodness of God. As prosperity increases, true Christians
will be drawn even more to help the poor and needy instead of becoming more
isolated from them.”
3. Why do the great Apostolic workers/careerists seem
so little involved in ministries?
McElhaney: “It takes a tremendous amount of dedication to excel at any
one thing in this world. Becoming very involved in a career can use up a
significant amount of one's time and passion. If I spend a full work day filled
with mental challenge, all I want to do when I get home is play with my three
year-old. I'm really not mentally equipped to study for a Sunday school lesson.”
Merk: “Careerists are so little involved in ministries because they are
so focused on achieving success in their field that they become blind to what is
going on around them.”
Goff: “When you place your career above the things that you've promised
to do for God, then you've compromised your Christian walk with Him. God knows
the pressures that you find yourself under. Just remember that He's the one that
allowed you the opportunity to have the career in the first place. By giving him
the first fruits of your time your career can be, and will be, more successful
than if you were to try to do it by yourself.”
Moehlenpah: My church involvement has varied
over time with my career. For the first year at Price Waterhouse, I was almost
as involved in church as ever. I then began traveling sometimes up to 75 percent
of the time, and couldn't make it to mid-week church at home since I was out of
town. At first, I made some attempt to go to out-of-town mid-week services, but
that soon became difficult too, since out-of-town work generally also involved
long hours.
I was just establishing my "career" and I probably placed greater
emphasis on that, than on remaining involved in ministries.
In Germany, I lived 1 1/2 hours (on the Autobahn) from church (each way), so
mid-week (and ministries) was out of the question. But I didn't miss many
Sundays.
In Georgia, (as a reaction) I was super-involved in church ¾Board
member, choir member, Sunday School teacher, Quiz coach (junior and senior),
involved with Youth activities, Treasurer/Secretary, praise singer. And yet, I
worked many long hours and traveled some, too.
At present , I've been less involved, but am currently increasing
ministry involvement.”
Perkins: "Perhaps they have lost their first love, or they're just
not kingdom-minded."
Walker: “This is an assumptive, subjective question. (Even if it's
true.) But the answer is simple: Money really is the root of all evil. Although
it's deeper than that, because someone in a 'career' usually loves what they do.
What they do becomes who they are. But, I know plenty of folks with fine careers
that are deeply involved in ministries.”
Barlar: “I
disagree with this statement wholeheartedly! Many of my friends are very
successful in their careers and they are also involved in many ministries. I'm
involved in several ministries at church (choir, Sunday School teacher, Bible
quiz coach, ensemble leader) but I still see myself as a professional woman.”
Next Week In Part II: Missing Church for work, misunderstood career
issues and how local church’s respond to work issues.
ã 2000, ninetyandnine.com
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