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FAITH & WORK

Faith & Work 2

TENSION POINTS AROUND FAITH & WORK

Faith & Work 3

WHAT IS THE CORE ORIGIN OF ALL THESE

TENSIONS?
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DUALISM
DUALISM IS THE FALSE IDEA THAT ALL OF LIFE 5

CAN BE SEPARATED INTO TWO MAIN

CATEGORIES

SACRED VS SECULAR

WORK VS MINISTRY

SPIRIT VS MATTER

SUPERNATURAL VS NATURAL
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DUALISM LEADS US TO BELIEVE THAT

SOME PARTS OF CREATION ARE
INHERENLTY GOOD

AND SOME PARTS ARE INHERENTLY EVIL

(OR NOT SO GO0D)
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DUALISM

CELEBRATING ONE AND

MARGINALISING THE OTHER

HIGHER EMPHASIS ON ONE

AND LESSER ON THE OTHER

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CREATION MANDATE

AND

REDEMPTION MANDATE
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DOES THE REDEMPTION MANDATE

MINIMISE THE CREATION MANDATE?

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THERE IS A LITTLE BIT OF A DUALIST

HIDING INSIDE EACH OF US…
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EMPLOYMENT

VS

WORK
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DOES THE BIBLICAL DOCTRINE OF

VOCATION

MAKE ANY DISTINCTION BETWEEN

EMPLOYMENT AND WORK?
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HIERARCHY OF VOCATIONS
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DON’T WE ALL HAVE A FALSE HIERARCHY

OF PROFESSIONS BASED ON THE
ECONOMIC VALUE OF WORK?
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ONE WAY TO OVERCOME DUALISM IS

BY LOOKING AT HOW OUR WORK IS
INTEGRATED INTO GOD’S GRAND
REDEMPTION STORY
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STORYLINE 1: DUALISM

SACRED MINISTRY SECULAR WORK

STORYLINE2: THE GOSPEL

CREATION FALL REDEMPTION RENEWAL NEW CREATION

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STORYLINE 2: Work is woven deeply into the Gospel story of redemption

CREATION FALL REDEMPTION RENEWAL NEW CREATION

Work was Work was Work and all We are The original
a creation cursed of creation agents of call of
purpose because was God’s ruling over
of the fall redeemed by renewal creation
Christ’s through our through our
sacrifice church work is
Col 1:15-20 ministry restored
and work
ministry
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Colossians 1:15-20
15 He (Jesus Christ) is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all
creation. 16  For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth,
visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities
—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all
things, and in him all things hold together. 18  And he is the head of the
body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in
everything he might be preeminent.19  For in him all the fullness of God
was pleased to dwell,
20 and through him to reconcile to himself ALL THINGS, whether on earth
or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

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STORYLINE 2: Work is woven deeply into the Gospel story of redemption

CREATION FALL REDEMPTION RENEWAL NEW CREATION

Work was Work was Work and all We are The original
a creation cursed of creation agents of call of
purpose because was God’s ruling over
of the fall redeemed by renewal creation
Christ’s through our through our
sacrifice church work is
Col 1:15-20 ministry restored
and work
ministry
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A DISCIPLESHIP FRAMEWORK THAT FULLY

INTEGRATES OUR FAITH AND OUR
WORK…
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THE DISCIPLESHIP CHALLENGE

CREATION FALL REDEMPTION RENEWAL NEW CREATION

CREATING COVERING SAVED BETTER GREAT CAREER

MY IDENTITY MY FLAWS BY WORK JOB/MONEY DREAM

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THE WRONG SOLUTION

STORYLINE 1: SACRED VS SECULAR

CREATION FALL REDEMPTION RENEWAL NEW CREATION

CREATING COVERING SAVED BETTER GREAT CAREER

MY IDENTITY MY FLAWS BY WORK JOB/MONEY DREAM

THE RIGHT SOLUTION 23

STORYLINE 2: THE GOSPEL

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A SIMPLE TOOL TO HELP PEOPLE

INTEGRATE FAITH AND WORK…
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THE FAITH & WORK INTERVIEW

CREATION FALL REDEMPTION RENEWAL NEW CREATION

How does your How is your work A recent example of How are you able How do you connect
work connect with making you aware how the Gospel made to love and serve your work here to the
God’s original of your brokenness. you a better worker? others through longing for a perfect
creation plan and the brokenness your work? world that Christ will
for humanity? of the world? bring when He
comes again?
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You are not oiling the wheels of a machine that’s about to roll over a cliff. You are
not restoring a great painting that’s shortly going to be thrown into the ire. You
are not planting roses in a garden that’s about to be dug up for a building site.
You are—strange as it may seem, almost as hard to believe as the resurrection
itself—accomplishing something that will become
in due course part of God’s new world.

NT WRIGHT

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