Transcript Motivated by Faith: Working in Secular and Faith

Motivated by Faith: Working in
Secular and Faith-based
Environments
Ray Martin, Nick Henwood
1: Where are you between A and B?
• A - I love participating in active workshops at
the CCIH conference.
• B - I hate active workshops where I’m not
sure what to expect next!
We welcome you to our workshop - which will
be quite conventional - but we hope everyone
will participate in a practical activity for the first
5 minutes.
2: An organisation’s philosophy…
• A - I'm not very concerned about the
philosophical principles of my work-place,
rather, my goal is to be salt and light for
Jesus wherever I am.
• B - I am keen to work where I fully agree with
the organization's aims and values.
Well-discerned Christian calls do include
service in a variety of settings, but it is well to
ascertain the level of integrity of institutions that
you could associate with.
3: Christian fellowship
• A - Close Christian fellowship is very
important to me - I need to spend time with
Christian brothers and sisters every day.
• B - I can survive, and even flourish through
times when the fellowship is just God and me.
In order to live out a call faithfully and
wholeheartedly, Christians need to identify
structures of support and accountability (the "2
or 3 gathered in my Name") but practicalities
will vary among settings.
4: At Nick’s interview for a secular organisation,
the interviewer suggested that he should limit
the expression of the ‘faith side’ of his life to
evenings and weekends!
• A – I am happy for my faith to take a low
profile at my work-place – I can show Jesus
through the integrity of my life.
• B – I want to be permitted to be explicitly
Christian – perhaps praying, or sharing a
verse of scripture with someone – at any
time.
Know yourself and the expectations / openmindedness of an organisation.
5: Long-term / Short-term?
• A - I'm interested in the long haul... getting
engaged with language learning, and serving
in a place for 10 years or more.
• B - I'm interested in variety, in working
alongside lots of different people, perhaps
serving in several different locations over one
or two years.
Some Christian organisations have short-term vision,
some secular organisations make long-term
commitments. However the Christian organisation Nick
worked with gave time for language learning and
encouraged long-term thinking, while the secular one
did not.
6: Just a job… or more?
• A - I am primarily looking for an organisation
to employ me in a job. I can take care of my
family’s needs, plan our involvement in a
local church, and explore possibilities for
Christian service myself.
• B – I am looking for an organisation that will
support my whole family, and help us to link
in with a church and find our roles.
Christian organisations often give more
attention and support for your wider life and
family than secular organisations.
7: Consider your main workplace today:
• A – I work for a secular organisation that
frowns on overt expression of faith.
• B – I work for a Christian organisation that
encourages overt expression of faith.
We wonder if you will opt to work with a similar
organisation in the future – or are you ready for
a change?!
This is what we aim to explore in this seminar.
Buzz in pairs
• Tell your partner one thing that’s struck
you from the exercise.
Ray Martin
• Experiences of different work
environments
Nick Henwood (Nepal)
• Contrast between United
Mission to Nepal (Christian
umbrella agency) (1995-1999) Rural Community Health and
Development work.
• And Medecins du Monde
(Secular Humanitarian aid
agency) (2000-2004) Community / government
health-post TB / HIV support.
UMN
• Time to learn about Nepali culture.
• Emphasis on language learning.
• Encouragement towards involvement with the
Nepali church.
• Like minded colleagues.
• But… I never had my own bank account.
• I never bought a stamp at a post office or spoke
with customs or visa officials.
Medecins du
Monde
• I was the only long-term expatriate in the project.
• Hands-on role with government negotiations for
M.o.U.s, visas, etc.
• Poor pastoral support, my family were ignored.
• However, great opportunities for independent
action.
• We thrived… on the foundation we’d laid when
working with UMN…
A biblical model…
Sent by their church…
• In the church at Antioch there were prophets
and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called
Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen and Saul.
While they were worshiping the Lord and
fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me
Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I
have called them.”
So after they had fasted and prayed, they
placed their hands on them and sent them
off. Acts 13:1-3 (NIV)
…but engaged in a
commercial enterprise in their
new context
• After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth.
There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of
Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his
wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all the
Jews to leave Rome.
Paul went to see them, and because he was a
tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked
with them.
Acts 18:1-3 (NIV)
Futher examples…
Discussion in pairs
• Where are you now?
• How will you decide what kind of
organization to work with in your next
cross-cultural assignment.
• One thing you’ve learned from this
workshop.