Being Missional Disciples
AS OUR HEARTS ARE RENEWED BY THE GOSPEL, DEEDS OF MERCY AND JUSTICE SHOULD NATURALLY FLOW OUT OF OUR WORK.
Having been in the faith and work space since 2009, I have seen a consistent gap between the way churches equip people to think about integrating their faith and work as followers of Christ and the way churches encourage Christians to engage issues of mercy and justice. We are often asked to do the work of Micah 6:8, to act justly and love mercy, in volunteer efforts with local nonprofits, community board work or church volunteer activities for our neighborhoods. These are much-needed and worthwhile activities. But what if we were equipped to pursue mercy and justice all through our 40-60 hour work week? What kind of restorative presence might we be if we considered how our work is a context for bringing those on the margins of a city or community more to the center? We learn in Psalm 35:5 that “(God) loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast love of the Lord”. What if our workplaces were places we were demonstrating that same love that God has for righteousness and justice as we seek to glorify him in and through our work?
With those questions in view, the Global Faith & Work Initiative at Redeemer City to City and City to City North America created a new video-based six-week study, The Missional Disciple: Pursuing Mercy and Justice at Work. As disciples of Jesus, our workplaces provide a primary context to practice mercy and justice. The course explores how mercy and justice are not only integral to the biblical story but are also at the heart of God’s character. We created the course for group based learning and have included short video lessons, case studies, group discussion questions, simple practices and prayer prompts in order to present a holistic paradigm for faith and work’s intersection with mercy and justice.
Tim Keller says in his endorsement of the resource, "The workplace is so often the primary context in which we engage our faith, and, as such, it is crucial that Christians be missional in their work, examining the areas of brokenness they can push against—seeking to bring mercy and justice—in their respective fields. If every Christian considered how they can better love their neighbors on the margins, steward their power, and be a restorative presence in their workplace, it would be nothing less than transformational. This course shows us how to do just that. It is an important addition to Christian discipleship and will help unleash congregants more fully to love people, places, and systems to life."
Using the same framework Redeemer City to City has applied to faith and work—a heart, community, world framework, the course views this material through a mercy and justice lens.
HEARTS
When we discuss how a gospel-changed heart influences our work, we examine how our personal brokenness and sin show up at work. What are we worshiping other than Jesus that needs gospel application? Now we can also examine our heart in light of issues of mercy and justice. We can look at our hearts and ask, what idolatries or sins are keeping us from initiating love toward those on the margins? When we begin to talk about injustice or the ways that industries or companies or systems can contribute to injustice, it often generates much discomfort. When that happens, we need to stop and examine our discomfort and consider where the Holy Spirit may need to speak to, even adjust, our hearts so that we value mercy and justice. The passage that comes to mind here is Psalm 139: 23-24:
“Search me, O God, and know my heart!
Try me and know my thoughts!
And see if there be any grievous way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting!
We want to bring our hearts before God and ask him to reveal to us where our worship is misplaced and how we can be more aligned with the things he values.
COMMUNITY
When we talk about community, we typically have asked questions around gospel impact and how that changes the way we love our clients, our customers, our colleagues and even our competitors. How can we love our neighbor in and through our work? Who in our workplaces are the most likely to be unfairly treated?Now in addition to those questions, we can also , think about stewarding the power we have for those on the margins—for those who have less power than us. John 13:34-35 says,“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” Jesus loved us with a radically generous and sacrificial love and he calls us to love others as he has loved us.
WORLD
Once we have engaged in a theology of gospel changed hearts and relationships, then we consider how an industry or city might be renewed in light of the gospel. Typically we look at an industry or field and ask, “What was the original creational goodness of this industry?” We then examine how sin and the fall have tarnished and diminished that good. We might consider God’s original creational intent for education, healthcare, finance, transportation, the food service industry before examining how sin and brokenness left its mark. Additionally, in this course we want to start with asking hard questions about how a particular workplace or industry might be impacting those on the margins of a city or community in ways that need redemption. In Revelation 21’s description of the New Heaven and New Earth, we are told that God will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” We are invited as Christians to work towards this divine future where all of the wrongs of this world will be made right.
Every part of God’s creation has been marred by sin and injustice, but in the already-but-not-yet reality—between Christ’s ascension and the second coming—everything is being redeemed and restored. And God invites us into this process. May this resource help readers see how God is calling them to work alongside him to redeem and restore brokenness wherever he has placed them today.
The Missional Disciple: Pursuing Mercy & Justice at Work was created by Redeemer City to City with contributions by Abe Cho, Kimberly Deckel, Lauren Gill, Robert Guerrero, Charlie Meo, Susan Nacorda Stang, Dennae Pierre and Missy Wallace. You can purchase the book on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.