Date of Award

8-2019

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Ministry (DMin)

Department

Seminary

First Advisor

Jeffrey Savage, DMin

Second Advisor

Arthur Sposaro, DMin

Third Advisor

MaryKate Morse, PhD

Abstract

The workplace is an essential environment to lead people into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ. Due to the impact of postmodernism, fewer and fewer people are going to church; yet the Church (the Body of Christ) can take the message of Christ to the workplace. The workplace is where most people spend most of their time; therefore, it stands to reason that the Christian could have ample influence with their unchurched or dechurched coworkers. An unbeliever could take steps toward Christ because of the relational evangelism conducted by believing coworkers.

Educating church staff and laity on evangelizing wherever they are is needed. The biblical metanarrative that God wants to restore the broken relationship with God’s lost children—and its direct implications in the here and now to carry the Great Commission forward into the world—has to be addressed as an immediate ministry need, and spiritual formation around this initiative needs to be developed. Inspiring Christians to be more proactive and effective in evangelizing their unchurched coworkers will first require a paradigm shift in the way pastoral leadership thinks. Most church efforts are focused within the four walls of the church: specifically on Sunday events, sermons, and services. A shift to outreach requires a radical change in church programming, where church staff leadership will need to champion workplace ministry. As the church staff disciple around work/faith integration and evangelism, the laity will be better equipped to understand the theology of work and understand how to be more effective when evangelizing unbelievers in the workplace.

The name of the recently launched ministry at North Point Ministries is ReWork, with a mission to inspire people in the workplace to follow Jesus. The strategy is to build a community of irresistible missional lay leaders in the workplace.

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