Commentüs on: A Christian Education and Witnessing at Work http://timmybrister.com/2008/03/26/a-christian-education-and-witnessing-at-work/ Trusting God :: Treasuring Christ :: Triumphing the Gospel Fri, 05 Dec 2008 18:05:22 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=MU hourly 1 By: Jason Meyer http://timmybrister.com/2008/03/26/a-christian-education-and-witnessing-at-work/#comment-35178 Jason Meyer Sat, 29 Mar 2008 05:14:15 +0000 http://timmybrister.wordpress.com/?p=2132#comment-35178 Stephen, Thank you for the comment. Your first hand account illustrates what I was saying very well. Blessings as you head to Southern Seminary - I really enjoyed my time there. Jason Meyer Stephen,

Thank you for the comment. Your first hand account illustrates what I was saying very well. Blessings as you head to Southern Seminary - I really enjoyed my time there.

Jason Meyer

]]> By: Jason Meyer http://timmybrister.com/2008/03/26/a-christian-education-and-witnessing-at-work/#comment-35173 Jason Meyer Fri, 28 Mar 2008 20:20:52 +0000 http://timmybrister.wordpress.com/?p=2132#comment-35173 Hi Bryant, thanks for your comment. I think your last line is a good caution against bending this proverbial statement in order to "justify greed, coveting, and slothfulness." I can certainly say "amen" to that warning. But I think the key word is "bend," because that is not the intent of the statement. One can easily twist proverbs. We see parents do it all the time when their children are wayward and they read Proverbs 22:6 ("train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it" ) as an absolute promise that their wayward children will certainly come back to the faith. I think owning up to the fall keeps us from false expectations of ease, triumph, and prosperity. My job as a college professor has many tasks that I do not love with all of my heart (like any kind of administration, having to fail students, etc.) but I can look at the whole of the work and delight in it and not trade it for the world. That is the kind of persevering love for vocation for which I am calling. Thank you for the opportunity to clarify. May the Lord bless you and cause His face to shine upon you. Jason Meyer Hi Bryant, thanks for your comment. I think your last line is a good caution against bending this proverbial statement in order to “justify greed, coveting, and slothfulness.” I can certainly say “amen” to that warning. But I think the key word is “bend,” because that is not the intent of the statement. One can easily twist proverbs. We see parents do it all the time when their children are wayward and they read Proverbs 22:6 (”train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it” ) as an absolute promise that their wayward children will certainly come back to the faith. I think owning up to the fall keeps us from false expectations of ease, triumph, and prosperity. My job as a college professor has many tasks that I do not love with all of my heart (like any kind of administration, having to fail students, etc.) but I can look at the whole of the work and delight in it and not trade it for the world. That is the kind of persevering love for vocation for which I am calling. Thank you for the opportunity to clarify. May the Lord bless you and cause His face to shine upon you.

Jason Meyer

]]> By: Bryant King http://timmybrister.com/2008/03/26/a-christian-education-and-witnessing-at-work/#comment-35171 Bryant King Fri, 28 Mar 2008 15:49:16 +0000 http://timmybrister.wordpress.com/?p=2132#comment-35171 “Find a job you love and you will never work a day in your life.” In my mind, I can't seem to reconcile that statement with Genesis 3:17-19, 2 Thessalonians 3:6-15, or even Proverbs 6:6. I use to have a mindset that I needed to seek a job which would allow me a life of ease- either through a job I enjoyed doing, or through enough pay that I could do things which I enjoy. This was merely greed, laziness, and coveting on my part. When I was presented with the health and wealth, prosperity gospel, I didn't recognize it as a false gospel. Almost 2 years ago, I was starting a process to expand my business. My best friend did contracting work and offered to do the project at cost because I had helped him over the years and he knew of the good things I do. I thought this was provision from God for my faithfulness. To make a long story short, my best friend went off on a drug binge leaving his wife and child and my business project a mess. I was embarrassed in front of others. I got mad at God. Even when I was angry at Him, God extended His grace to me to draw me to repentance. I could also tell of jobs I quit without justification because I did not "love them." In fact, I just didn't love the rigors of work. Perhaps others would not be as prone to falling into the trap as I was, but my concern with the above piece of advice is that sinners like me can bend it to justify greed, coveting, and slothfulness. I am really enjoying this topic and am finding it fruitful. I hope my disagreement on one point does not detract from the overall helpfulness of the discussion. Bryant King “Find a job you love and you will never work a day in your life.”

In my mind, I can’t seem to reconcile that statement with Genesis 3:17-19, 2 Thessalonians 3:6-15, or even Proverbs 6:6.

I use to have a mindset that I needed to seek a job which would allow me a life of ease- either through a job I enjoyed doing, or through enough pay that I could do things which I enjoy. This was merely greed, laziness, and coveting on my part. When I was presented with the health and wealth, prosperity gospel, I didn’t recognize it as a false gospel. Almost 2 years ago, I was starting a process to expand my business. My best friend did contracting work and offered to do the project at cost because I had helped him over the years and he knew of the good things I do. I thought this was provision from God for my faithfulness. To make a long story short, my best friend went off on a drug binge leaving his wife and child and my business project a mess. I was embarrassed in front of others. I got mad at God. Even when I was angry at Him, God extended His grace to me to draw me to repentance. I could also tell of jobs I quit without justification because I did not “love them.” In fact, I just didn’t love the rigors of work. Perhaps others would not be as prone to falling into the trap as I was, but my concern with the above piece of advice is that sinners like me can bend it to justify greed, coveting, and slothfulness.

I am really enjoying this topic and am finding it fruitful. I hope my disagreement on one point does not detract from the overall helpfulness of the discussion.

Bryant King

]]> By: stephen stanford http://timmybrister.com/2008/03/26/a-christian-education-and-witnessing-at-work/#comment-35155 stephen stanford Thu, 27 Mar 2008 17:50:27 +0000 http://timmybrister.wordpress.com/?p=2132#comment-35155 Pretty good post. I have done alot of thinking over Christian higher education. I am a senior at a state university and my major is philosophy. When I first started as a freshmen all the students I knew except for two were atheist. Of the other two, one was a mormon and the other was an evangelical. As the years have rolled by my two "religious" friends have become atheist/agnostics. My philosophy of religion professor was a devout intelligent atheist. His goal was to convert theist to atheist. I would not wish upon my children the intellectual and social abuse that I recieved in my university time by both students and professors. Stephen Pretty good post. I have done alot of thinking over Christian higher education. I am a senior at a state university and my major is philosophy. When I first started as a freshmen all the students I knew except for two were atheist. Of the other two, one was a mormon and the other was an evangelical. As the years have rolled by my two “religious” friends have become atheist/agnostics.
My philosophy of religion professor was a devout intelligent atheist. His goal was to convert theist to atheist. I would not wish upon my children the intellectual and social abuse that I recieved in my university time by both students and professors.
Stephen

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