For many Christians, 60% of our lives are spent in the workplace. With this significant time investment, our work matters, and how we choose to invest that time is critical.
At Resource Global, we seek to see more and more Christ-following professionals inspired and equipped to live out their faith in their workplaces, and we think growing the conversation around faith and work is a key step towards that goal.
So, Resource Global recently led a panel discussion of pastors, marketplace leaders, and academics at the Global Proclamation Congress in Bangkok, Thailand, titled Pastoral Training and Faith and Work. Tommy Lee, Executive Director at Resource Global, facilitated the discussion around the importance of deepening the Church’s understanding of why our faith must impact the workplace, and how pastors specifically can support and equip their churches around the world to serve God through their work.
The audience was composed of over 300 pastors and leaders from all over the world, and we developed one question that served as the theme of our time together:
“Historically the church has seen marketplace leaders as merely funding sources or volunteers in church initiatives. How can pastors be trained to equip them to excel in their spheres as platforms for spiritual presence and effective ministry?”
We had a vibrant and productive discussion on both the successes and the growth areas of the Church. Yet James, a pastor who represented French-speaking African pastors, shared insights that particularly surprised us. He shared:
All of our lives, we as pastors have been told and trained that money is bad. We do not encourage people to make money but to see it as something the Lord does not want us to have. We tell people they are to live a life of poverty, and if they are truly followers of Christ they are to go into ministry.
You are now telling us something different.
You are telling us it is okay to be business leaders. And as business leaders, you can be just as impactful in the kingdom as a pastor. How do we continue to share and train other leaders on this topic?
This catalyzed many more questions from the audience who were wrestling with this same question. James then came to us at the end of the meeting and asked to hold a follow up discussion with all of the French-speaking African pastors to discuss this further within their context.
As Resource Global continues to grow the network of young professionals seeking to be equipped to apply their faith to their work, we’re learning that growing the conversation with pastors around the world is critical. As we seek to establish cohorts in global cities, pastors are often the first group we encounter in a country. It is vital for us to continue working with pastors to continue the conversation that took place at this panel discussion, and discover together how to equip and support professionals in their church for Gospel impact in their cities.
To learn more about the faith & work conversation and to stay up to speed on Resource Global's work around the world, be sure to sign up for our updates here.
The panel consisted of the following individuals:
Darrell Bock - Dallas Theological Seminary
Dean-Paul Hart - Compac Industries
Gary Brandenburg - Fellowship Bible Church
Ryan Richard - Lindell Foundation
David Tjokrorahardjo - Sovereign’s Capital
William McClure - Masterworks
Krishna Dhanam - Speaker, Trainer, and Consultant