Dallas Seminary's Dr. Bock interviews Steve Ramseur about the theology of work which informs and leads to living for the Lord in business or the workplace (i.e. the 9-5) as 'ministry.' Steve had been a bi-vocational pastor in Seattle for 5 years before transitioning "full time" to business. From this, Steve provides helpful insights for pastors to learn, preach, and train people to know that working for the Lord is not confined to helping during a Sunday service or "serving the church" in various capacities and that it includes working jobs throughout the week.
Many of us ask questions about work: Is this a waste of time? Does my work matter at all to anyone? How to I relate to others as a Christian in a "secular" work place? Should I pastor or go into business? How do I pastor people in business or preach on Sundays about work?
Steve along with Dr. Bock provide the biblical foundation for theology of work by pointing to the Bible's Old Testament passage of Genesis 1-2 where God instructs mankind to manage, work, and enjoy the world he created for them. By finding our identity in God, we learn the value and virtue of work. As Steve points out, anyone from a plumber to a real estate investor learns to love people with words and work. Steve says, "Your life has meaning. Your work has meaning." And then, business just becomes a life context to follow the Lord to love people and be unashamed of the gospel, "I'm dealing with this in the context of the workplace."
Steve opens up real examples of how he has had the opportunity to be a greater influence now that he has ever been, meeting real times needs, involved with real people, and even how he had been challenged by a friend with the gospel in the workplace just 29 years ago. Steve's demeanor through the chapel interview provides a brief window into how God has worked in him over the years. Furthermore, Steve dives right into specific theological topics, passages, quotes, and professors that have had even current influence to better equip him to understand the clarity of the gospel's impact on relationships.
Steve provides insight in discerning between how to discern and decide where God wants you to work whether pastoring or in the business context by providing these three categories: Calling, Commission, and Community. Steve explains each one with giving the commission category dual-definitions of God's commission to work and make disciples in the Bible's Old and New Testament passages of Genesis 1:26-28 and Matthew 28:18-20.
We are thankful for this timely interview to become a helpful resource for others to hear from Steve, and how he has learned that God is his "telos" of life and working to God's end, unashamed of the gospel that builds godliness -- God's work in us that works out in real life for others to taste of him.
