Motivated by Faith: Working in Secular and Faithbased Environments

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Motivated by Faith Working in Secular and
Faith-based Environments

• Ray Martin, Nick Henwood

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1 Where are you between A and B?

• A - I love participating in active workshops at
  the CCIH conference.
• B - I hate active workshops where Im not sure
  what to expect next!

We welcome you to our workshop - which will be
quite conventional - but we hope everyone will
participate in a practical activity for the first
5 minutes.
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2 An organisations philosophy

• A - I'm not very concerned about the
  philosophical principles of my work-place,
  rather, my goal is to be salt and light for Jesus
  wherever I am.
• B - I am keen to work where I fully agree with
  the organization's aims and values.

Well-discerned Christian calls do include service
in a variety of settings, but it is well to
ascertain the level of integrity of institutions
that you could associate with.
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3 Christian fellowship

• A - Close Christian fellowship is very important
  to me - I need to spend time with Christian
  brothers and sisters every day.
• B - I can survive, and even flourish through
  times when the fellowship is just God and me.

In order to live out a call faithfully and
wholeheartedly, Christians need to identify
structures of support and accountability (the "2
or 3 gathered in my Name") but practicalities
will vary among settings.
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4 At Nicks interview for a secular
organisation, the interviewer suggested that he
should limit the expression of the faith side
of his life to evenings and weekends!

• A I am happy for my faith to take a low profile
  at my work-place I can show Jesus through the
  integrity of my life.
• B I want to be permitted to be explicitly
  Christian perhaps praying, or sharing a verse
  of scripture with someone at any time.

Know yourself and the expectations /
open-mindedness of an organisation.
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5 Long-term / Short-term?

• A - I'm interested in the long haul... getting
  engaged with language learning, and serving in a
  place for 10 years or more.
• B - I'm interested in variety, in working
  alongside lots of different people, perhaps
  serving in several different locations over one
  or two years.

Some Christian organisations have short-term
vision, some secular organisations make long-term
commitments. However the Christian organisation
Nick worked with gave time for language learning
and encouraged long-term thinking, while the
secular one did not.
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6 Just a job or more?

• A - I am primarily looking for an organisation to
  employ me in a job. I can take care of my
  familys needs, plan our involvement in a local
  church, and explore possibilities for Christian
  service myself.
• B I am looking for an organisation that will
  support my whole family, and help us to link in
  with a church and find our roles.

Christian organisations often give more attention
and support for your wider life and family than
secular organisations.
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7 Consider your main workplace today

• A I work for a secular organisation that frowns
  on overt expression of faith.
• B I work for a Christian organisation that
  encourages overt expression of faith.

We wonder if you will opt to work with a similar
organisation in the future or are you ready for
a change?! This is what we aim to explore in this
seminar.
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Buzz in pairs

• Tell your partner one thing thats struck you
  from the exercise.

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Ray Martin

• Experiences of different work environments

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Nick Henwood (Nepal)

• Contrast between United Mission to Nepal
  (Christian umbrella agency) (1995-1999) - Rural
  Community Health and Development work.
• And Medecins du Monde (Secular Humanitarian aid
  agency) (2000-2004) - Community / government
  health-post TB / HIV support.

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UMN

• Time to learn about Nepali culture.
• Emphasis on language learning.
• Encouragement towards involvement with the Nepali
  church.
• Like minded colleagues.
• But I never had my own bank account.
• I never bought a stamp at a post office or spoke
  with customs or visa officials.

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Medecins du Monde

• I was the only long-term expatriate in the
  project.
• Hands-on role with government negotiations for
  M.o.U.s, visas, etc.
• Poor pastoral support, my family were ignored.
• However, great opportunities for independent
  action.
• We thrived on the foundation wed laid when
  working with UMN

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A biblical modelSent by their church

• In the church at Antioch there were prophets and
  teachers Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius
  of Cyrene, Manaen and Saul.While they were
  worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit
  said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the
  work to which I have called them.So after they
  had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on
  them and sent them off. Acts 131-3 (NIV)

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but engaged in a commercial enterprise in their
new context

• After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth.
  There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of
  Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his
  wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all
  the Jews to leave Rome.Paul went to see them,
  and because he was a tentmaker as they were, he
  stayed and worked with them.Acts 181-3 (NIV)

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Futher examples
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Discussion in pairs

• Where are you now?
• How will you decide what kind of organization to
  work with in your next cross-cultural assignment.
• One thing youve learned from this workshop.

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