Do You Like Your Job?
Think of being at a party full of people you’re meeting for the first time. After your name, what’s the most common question you’ll hear?
“What do you do for a living?”
What would you say? How much does your job title define you? How much does it affect your self-image? If you don’t have a “title,” how does it feel when people ask you that question? If you had your title taken away today, how would you feel?
From Ecclesiastes 2 we can infer that if Solomon had been at the party he might have answered, “Well, I’m king! And by the way I’m also rich and accomplished and have a lot of women fulfilling my every fantasy.”
However, even if he put up a good front at the party, we know from Ecclesiastes that his job and accomplishments left him feeling empty and like life was meaningless. Why? Perhaps it was because he was looking to his work to supply his identity . . . an identity that can only come from God.
This is something the apostle Paul learned. Although he had tons of credentials which he listed in Philippians 3:5-6, in verses 7 and 10 he writes, “But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ . . . I want to know Christ”
Peter says it like this, “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:9).
With our identity firmly rooted in Christ we have nothing to prove and nothing to lose. However, we may want to add some to our job description as we live out our identity in our workplace – whether you are washing dishes, teaching kids how to read, or arguing a court case. Things like . . .
- value people above things
- do my work with excellence as for God
- serve others, putting their interest before my own
- bring kingdom values to my cubicle
LAURA CROSBY serves as Director of Spiritual Formation for The Table at CPC
Leadership and Prayer
The other day I was reminded of a leadership lesson from my mom. She told me that their church has an interim pastor and he had emailed her and my dad recently. He said he had set aside a day a month to pray for people in the church and he would be praying for them on this day, this month. He asked if there was anything he could pray about for them and if not he would still be lifting them up before God. My mom said that in over 50 years of membership in their church this was the first time a pastor had told them he was praying for them. It was so meaningful to her that not only would he do this, but that he would care to ask how he could pray.
It reminded me of another ministry couple who used to save the Christmas cards they received, pick one out of the pile each morning, pray for them and write a note. What a powerful ministry!
As God brings people to mind, or the Holy Spirit prompts us, my husband John and I pray for people in our community and often write a note, but I was struck by the power of commitment, intentionality, and discipline in the modeling of these other folks. I’ve decided to make a list of leaders and put them on days of my calendar to pray for. Are you praying for the people you lead? Praying for those who lead you? Do you do it regularly and systematically?
-LAURA CROSBY serves as Director of Spiritual Formation for The Table at CPC
Thoughts on Ecclesiastes 1
After the service Sunday night, I was stopped by someone who had actually read the whole book of Ecclesiastes that afternoon! As we talked, we agreed that the book can be a bit of a downer at times. There is this ongoing theme that Solomon thinks that everything -- and I mean everything -- is truly meaningless (hebel). My goal in this series is not to get everyone depressed but for us to name those places in our lives where we think things are meaningless -- and have them actually point and guide us to the gospel.
I believe with all of my heart that Solomon’s main issue is a problem with misplaced priorities. He is staring at everything that he deems meaningless through the lens of that very thing (e.g. work, family, etc.). But the beauty of the gospel is that if we look at our lives through the lens of Jesus things become full of meaning.
Here are some of the questions and statements I threw out Sunday night. I would love to hear your feedback around them:
- How am I responding to the people in my life? Am I being short with them? Am I overly anxious about the circumstances in my life? Have they become more important to me than Jesus? Am I looking at them through a lens of wanting them to complete me...?
- What brings meaning to my work, family, fun, etc.?
The resolution is this: Jesus is the King that wants to lead our lives. He wants to infuse all the stuff of our life with meaning. It’s not okay to live in Ecclesiastes; God is calling us to something new and fresh – the love of Jesus Christ in everyday life.
I encourage you to read Ecclesiastes 2 this week, and join us Sunday night as we continue our summer series in Ecclesiastes.
Peace,
Brad Jackson
-BRAD JACKSON serves as Pastor for The Table at CPC
Breathe!
Some of my favorite summer memories are of driving the four hours in the car with our kids to my family’s lake home in Wisconsin. Amidst the pine trees we would pile out of the car into the muggy summer heat, rush to get into swim suits, and jump into the cold clear water. Ahhh…refreshment!!
Every afternoon at 4:00, when there was a “no wake” rule for boats, all the aunts and cousins and uncles had the tradition of swimming across the lake (it was not a large lake ☺). I would do a little breast stroke, flop around a little, float on my back, get off course a little sideways . . . But two of my cousins are state champion swimmers. They would take strong, sure, graceful strokes. They would get into a rhythm, breathing, gliding, stroking, straight and sure.
With its change of pace, summer can be a great time for refreshment. We often get physically refreshed and a breather from leadership responsibilities can be much needed. But what about our spiritual rhythms? Sometimes the change of pace and lack of routine can leave us “swimming” a little sideways.
As you enjoy the summer, what are you doing to refresh yourself with God? Taking a bike ride while meditating on a scripture verse? Joining in our early morning study of Psalms (Wednesdays at 7:00AM at CPC)? Enjoying coffee and devotions outside in the morning? Taking a walk and thanking God for His creation as you do? What is refreshing you as a leader this summer? How are you breathing in God’s goodness?
-LAURA CROSBY serves as Director of Spiritual Formation at The Table
Reason for Hope
Last night we wrapped up our five-week series on "Reason for Hope.” Our hope for this series was to wrestle with some deeper questions in life and walk away -- not necessarily with all the answers -- but with a better sense of how to enter into the conversations. Our other goal was that, in the midst of these conversations, our faith and trust in Christ would be deepened.
Last night was such a good and powerful close to the series. I gave a short talk from Acts 16 as we examined the question, “Where is God in tough situations?” I believe the answer to that question is that God is working in you and me. We are the presence of Christ in the tough situation…whatever it may be. Our challenge is to be sensitive in our relational world and in the broader world (like Sharon talked about with Zambia) to actually stop and be the presence of Christ to those we meet. At the end of my message we spent about 20 minutes in a conversation with Paige Backenstose and Tim Geoffrion, as they tried to address more of your specific questions on this topic. I was moved by their honesty and sensitivity in answering these questions from a place of such deep, profound faith in Christ.
If you missed last night, check out the MEDIA section of this website for the audio from both the sermon and Q&A time, as well as a video story from Paige Backenstose on her story of finding hope in loss.
My prayer walking away from this series is that your relationship with God through Jesus Christ has been strengthened and deepened.
-BRAD JACKSON serves as Pastor of The Table
In Perspective
In several conversations with leaders this week it struck me that one of the things that sets apart a great leader from the rest is his or her accurate view of reality. What a challenge to achieve accurate self-perception, honest estimation of the different elements of leadership challenges, awareness of God, and understanding of others!
For most of the great leaders I know – both living and dead – one thing they have in common that I believe helped them in viewing reality is the practice of journaling.
My brother used to coach high school football. It drove my sister-in-law crazy that he had to spend hours watching game films to look for the team strengths weaknesses and identify what they could correct.
Similarly, journaling helps us look at the events and relationships of our day to reflect on where we saw God at work, what we need to change or confess, how we can understand ourselves and others better. Kind of a post-game analysis.
It also helps us keep things in perspective. Morton Kelsey wrote, “The journal is like a little island of rock on which we can stand and see the waves and storms for what they really are, and realize how hard it is to be objective when one is tossed by them.”
If you haven’t tried journaling before, you might start by just writing the word “Yesterday…” Write about a couple of highs and lows. Reflect on how Scripture might inform your interpretation of the events or relationships. Write out a prayer…See what works for you.
I know some people really resist journaling. Are there other practices that help you understand yourself and others better?
LAURA CROSBY serves as Director of Spiritual Formation for The Table
A Gospel of Division? Blog
Last night, you asked questions about the gospel and its implications in our lives and world. One question, in particular, was difficult and thought-provoking: “Can the gospel break relationships and hurt people and turn them from God? Seems that way sometimes.”
In Luke 12, Jesus addresses a large crowd, while His disciples stand by His side. He speaks hard truths about hypocrisy and the futility of worrying. But perhaps His most difficult truth is when He says, "Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division. From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three. They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother" (Luke 12:51-53).
What does this mean? What about the peaceful, bucolic Jesus who only speaks words of hope and reconciliation? Many of us have heard stories of people who become Christians, later to be disowned by their families. There are couples who face division when one is a believer and one is not. Because of my conversion to Christianity at 23, one of my friendships suddenly became very heavy and even taxing.
So, in a very real sense, the gospel of Jesus Christ is divisive. Why? Because Jesus Christ Himself is divisive. He challenges us to live differently than the world (one “must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me” - Mark 8:34). He asks us to love our enemies (Matthew 5:43). Instead of self-preservation, He says that the greatest thing a person can do is to lay his life down for his friends (John 15:13). This doesn’t mean that Jesus is all doom and gloom; after all, peace is His ultimate goal and the reason He died. But it does mean that in order to arrive at reconciliation (word origin is “to bring together with force”), tough things are inevitable. Have you experienced the gospel as divisive? Why do you think this happens?
Jennifer Johnson serves as Publications Coordinator at CPC and is part of the Table Team
Golf, Expectations, and Leadership
In my world, having fun playing golf is all about managing my expectations. This past weekend I was out on the golf course and apparently my expectations were really low because I was having fun. But walking between shots I was thinking back over my week and I realized I had made a leadership mistake regarding expectations.
John and I are leading a small group this summer. We had a great time at our first gathering on Thursday. We had dinner together, asked questions to get to know folks, watched the video, looked at some Scripture, had a good discussion, talked about a serving opportunity . . . We did a lot of “right things,” but I realized we left something out. We never asked our new friends what their expectations were for our group. We didn’t ask, “What are you hoping for? What are you looking to find this summer in this group? What are you asking Jesus to do in your life?” One of my weaknesses as a leader is to map out a plan and then just barge ahead, checking things off a “to do” list instead of carefully listening to others around me, adjusting my plans to their realities and hopes. What about you? Several times in Scripture we see Jesus asking someone, “What do you want me to do for you?” (see Mark 10:46-52). He took the time to ask. And listen! So, what are your hopes for this summer? What are the hopes and expectations of those you lead? Have you asked? For those of you leading groups, what have you learned this week?
Laura Crosby serves as the Director of Spiritual Formation at The Table
What is God Like: 2
"There are two kinds of people: those who say to God, 'Thy will be done,' and those to whom God says, 'All right, then, have it your way.'" - C. S. Lewis
Just a reminder as we try to give some thoughts about the GREAT questions you raised on Sunday . . . We believe God’s Word is inspired and infallible . . . we are not. We’re just fellow companions on the journey offering what we can for you to consider. So, here are a couple more questions . . .
Is there anything God won’t forgive?
There are many verses in the Bible that talk about God’s patience and grace. It says if we turn to Him and ask forgiveness, nothing can separate us from His love. If we are willing to repent, He is willing to forgive (1 John 1:9).
However, some people raise the issue of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit as the “unforgivable sin” (Matthew 12:31-32, Mark 3:29). Blasphemy against the Spirit appears to refer to an on-going attitude of rebellion – a deliberate, unrelenting rejection of God’s Spirit. Jesus is not just talking about rejecting Him, but rejecting the power behind Him. In Mark, the teachers of the law had attributed the power by which Jesus did miracles to Satan. Many people express honest uncertainty about Jesus, but in the end we have a choice. The Holy Spirit reveals the truth. To blaspheme Him is to reject all that God is doing to bring us to salvation through Christ.
Why does the Holy Spirit of the early church seem to be more vibrant than the Holy Spirit of today? Are the stories in the Bible fake?
Some people believe that God has worked in more dramatic ways at different times in history when He is initiating a new thing. Although He may work differently at different times, His power and character are unchanging (James 1:17, Hebrews 13:8).
We believe the Bible is the true, inspired, authoritative Word of God (2 Timothy 3:16), but there is the danger of abusing Scripture by neglecting to consider the historical and literary context of certain passages. We need to take into account the different types of literature that make up the Bible – history, parables, poetry, letters . . . And we need to consider the rules that apply to interpreting each of these genres. You don’t read the newspaper through the same lens as you’d read poetry or a love letter.
Laura Crosby serves as the Director of Spiritual Formation at The Table
What is God Really Like?
We had a ton of very good and extremely challenging questions on Sunday night. It was hard trying to sift through them up front and choose which ones to talk about on the spot. We want to make a shot at continuing the conversation that we started on Sunday night. If you were not there, our conversation was around the question, “What is God like?” My proposal is that what we know of God is the way God revealed Himself in Jesus Christ (John 1, Philippians 2, Colossians 1). What is God like? Jesus Christ!
I believe with all that I am that this really is the best way to answer the question. I also believe that this resolves our questions around the Old Testament/New Testament God but it does not make them obsolete or easy. Why would God send His people to kill other nations is still tough even when we understand that God is like what we see in Jesus Christ.
Challenging questions like this mean that we have to do some very astute reading and interpreting of Scripture such as looking at the whole context, understanding the genre, knowing the culture, etc. I still think that the biggest one is that we keep in mind that all Scripture is inspired (from God through human writers) but not all of Scripture is equally authoritative for all time. We talked about this on Sunday night when we looked at John 5.36 where Jesus is claiming authority or more importance over what John had said and done. The revelation of Jesus trumps and should give us a lens into all previous revelations of God.
The reason I wanted to recap is that over the next few days, we are going to take a stab at continuing the conversation around some of the questions from Sunday night. We won’t be able to deal with all of them but if we have ways to think and talk about them then we are off on the right foot.
God Bless,
Brad Jackson
Brad serves as Pastor for The Table at CPC
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