Most Christians think that serving in the payroll of the church is considered as a full time ministry. The truth is that God never made a distinction between sacred and secular. In fact, the Hebrew word avodah is the root word having the same meaning of “work” and “worship.” God sees our work as worship. Every person who has followed the will of God in their lives is in essence in the full time Christian ministry. The roles may vary when God calls – some to the mission field, some in the corporate, while others in the medical, construction or educational field. We have incorrectly elevated the role of the Christian vocational worker to be more holy and committed than the person who is serving in a more secular environment. Yet, the call to the secular marketplace is as important as any other calling. God has to have His people in every sphere of life. Otherwise, many would never come to know Him.
Three decades ago when I quit my administrative career in a multi national company, I enrolled in a short term bible school training. After that I thought that it was time to enter church work as a full timer. But instead God thrust me back to the corporate world for another 4 more years, where I unwillingly learned this lesson, personally wanting to go into “full-time” Christian service in church in my late twenties. This turned out to be the best thing He could have done for me because all that I experienced in my work place taught me the strategies of a start up for the pioneering work in the Ilocos ministry. We are all full time ministers because every open ground is a mission field, to reach the unreached for the Lord. The Lord has called each of us to be excellent in what we do. Those whom God used in the Kingdom as marketplace ministers in the Bible, were skilled and exemplified excellence in their field. Not only were these men skilled, they were filled with God’s Spirit. Consider Joseph, whose skill as an administrator was known throughout Egypt and the world. Consider Daniel, who served his king with great skill and integrity And Bezalel chosen as a designer and craftsman for the ark of the covenant. The list goes on and on—David, Nehemiah, Aquilla and Priscilla, to name a few. These people were not priests of temples or apostles of synogues but whatever they were called to do, they served their purposes for God excellently because of the powerful impact they made in their secular spheres.
When we yield our talents and abilities to the Lord, God can perform miracles through them. First, Moses had to yield to God what he had in his hand – a staff. God transformed his staff into a snake. Moses had never seen his staff in this way. Only after Moses viewed his staff in a different light could God use that staff. Until we come to this place with our heavenly Father, we will fail to see miracles performed in our work. He delights in showing His power through us. When we become an open vessel, we can expect to see things happen. The Lord wants to demonstrate His power in your workplace in order that others might know that Jesus is real and personal. He wants to use each and everyone of us in our called destinies. You must not consider your secular work as unspiritual or something that does not contribute to the kingdom of God. Be aware that as you give your excellence to God at whatever you do, for the glory of God, He will bring glory to Himself in ways you may not expect.