7/7 Discipleship Being a Christian in our working lives Session 2

What is work for? A God’s eye view

The Work Questionnaire How did you get on with filling in the questionnaire? Were there any parts of it that you found difficult or impossible to answer? Why? Did it prompt you to any new thinking with regard to your work and/or the way you use your time? In what way?

Comments on work Browse through the statements about work that are in the booklet. Pick out two or three that speak to you most strongly. In pairs, share your reasons for picking the ones you did. Do you have any perceptions/experiences in common? What (if anything) does this reveal about the way we think about the interface between faith and work? Is your faith ‘only’ a ‘leisure-time’ activity? Where is your Sabbath time?

What does the Bible say? In groups, read and discuss the suggested passage(s). Be prepared to feedback briefly to the whole group.

These questions may help.. But they are not prescriptive! Does this Bible passage encourage us to think of work as divine-human collaboration? How? Does the passage help us to understand work and Christian stewardship? What do we learn? How does this passage teach us to respond to the world and the local community? What can we learn from this passage about mission and discipleship?

Can we summarise? Is there an overall message that we can take from the Bible’s teaching on work? What are the characteristics of Christian work? Creation, transformation, redemption? How does our view of work and rest interact with the views of non-Christians in the world around us?

A God’s eye view of work ………… Divine/human collaboration? Creation, transformation, redemption? How do we, corporately and as individuals, cooperate with God in his transformative/creative/redemptive purposes?

Can you think of a symbol for your work.. Your collaboration with God? On the page in your booklet draw (roughly!) one or more symbols which, for you, indicates the way in which you, personally, co-operate with God in his creative, transformative or redemptive purposes. Spend a few moments explaining your symbol(s) to your neighbour.

Suggestion for the week Spend some time studying and praying with the Bible passages that you have not had time to look at in this session. Reflect in your journal on whether your study or prayer has brought you new insights into the way you approach your daily work.

Closing worship ….