There is a common — but completely untrue — idea floating around Christian circles that a few pastor-type people do “full time ministry” while everyone else just has normal, non-ministry jobs. (Some even call them “secular” jobs.) But this couldn’t be farther from the truth. If you follow Christ and are filled with the Spirit and love for God and the world, then you are in full time ministry! You are God’s hands and feet on planet earth…as a dentist, stay-at-home parent, sales-person, or second grade teacher. You, exactly you, are part of God’s good plan to redeem and restore all things in your specific context, family, and job.
But how do we do this? How can we align even the most mundane aspects of our daily lives to Christ’s unforced rhythms of Grace?
For the next three weeks — January 10, 17, & 24 — we will dive deeply into a THEOLOGY OF VOCATION, begining with the big invitation and vision, and then moving into profoundly practical nuts and bolts. Because we are, after all, The Practice. At the end of these three weeks, may every single one of us have a renewed vision for how God wants to move in/through our vocation, and daily practices to align with that vision.
On January 10th, we are thrilled (and really lucky) to have the brilliant Dr Steven Garber with us. He has given his whole life to studying and teaching a theology of vocation, and leads The Washington Institute of Faith, Vocation, & Culture. If you can only attend one Sunday this month, please make sure it’s this one. After an expansive opening liturgy, Steven will teach out his deeply held belief: Vocation is integral, not incidental, to the Missio Dei of God. And then we’ll have a time of Q&A to begin fleshing this out in our actual lives. From this holy place of vision and possibility, we’ll end the night gathered around Christ and His communion table. Please join us!
Can’t wait to see what God does in and through us this month.
Grace and peace,
Aaron and The Practice Team
P.S. Here’s a little more about Dr Garber…
