Tag Archives: Bivocational

Culture, Discipleship, Faith, The call of God, Work, Work life balance, Worship

A new perspective to start your week

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A review of Thank God it’s Monday by Mark Greene

Have you ever found yourself lying in bed on Monday morning wishing that you had one more day of lockdown before heading back into the office? Wishing that you didn’t have to face the world of half asleep, mask wearing commuters on their way to another dull day in the office or factory?

Not many of us bounce out of bed on a Monday pumped full of delight at a new week at work. For the Christian this can present a dilemma – we know that we should be thankful for, and serve God, in everything, but why is it so hard to be satisfied in our efforts to serve God at our workplace? How can we flourish in the workplace?

This book from Mark Greene is the metaphorical light switch to help illuminate our thinking. If you want to see your work from God’s perspective and how we can thrive at work you will love this book.

Central to the book is establishing a new context for our service, using real life stories told with Mark’s irrepressible wit and charm. It’s a funny, compelling, warm-hearted exhortation to see the kingdom of God as it touches every aspect of life.

Can we see with new eyes what God wants to do through us?…through you…with that difficult to deal with boss, or dismissive colleague? Or lonely neighbour. This easy to read book is littered with real examples to connect what we think with how we act.

Mark’s aim is to not to give us a new To Do list everyday, but a fresh way of approaching our everyday lives. One of the key questions it raises is: Who are our hero’s? This book is jam packed with real heros from the Frontline, people who won’t have their biographies on Christian bookshelves, but who have their deeds etched in heaven’s annals.

If we are willing to see it, God is inviting us to bring His peace, His Shalom, to our broken world, and this not through perfect people but through the frail and faltering steps of His children who really do thank God it’s Monday, and Tuesday, and Wednesday…

This book review series is in anticipation of the Thrive Scotland conference in September.

Reviews of this book from other Christians in the workplace can be found here

Bivocational

Bivocational Ministry Conference in Dundee

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Bivocational ministry describes someone with a secular job and also loves to preach and teach God’s word in the local church. They may be a Pastor of a church, a leader, or an itinerant preacher visiting a number of different churches. Also known as lay preaching, bivocational ministry is a key part of the Baptist Church in Scotland where a number of churches have no permanent, full-time Pastor. It also provides a training ground for equipping future preachers and leaders in the church – a way of testing their calling to word ministry.

On 12th May the Scottish Baptist Lay Preachers Association has its annual conference. I am helping to organise the event as it is in my home church of Central Baptist Church in Dundee. The conference will run from 10am until 4pm, with two sessions by the Baptist Union of Scotland General Director, Alan Donaldson. The theme is that of Discovery after Captain Scott’s famous ship, anchored in Dundee.

As someone who is learning how to balance a demanding secular job, young family and commitment to ministry of the word I find that being bivocational brings great challenges and rewards. In our secular, often anti-Christian society in the UK, I believe it is one of the most effective means of reaching our generation with the gospel. I’m looking forward to hearing more about this  at the conference.

So, if you live in Scotland and want to join other bivocational ministers for a day of encouragement, edification and challenge, or simply want to find out more about what it means to be bivocational, then come along. Further details are available here.