Seek To Keep The Peace, Or BE Peace

“When we seek peace with people who don’t know peace……there is no fruit.”

For decades, people have been challenging the Biblical basis of America. If we just try to keep “peace” with them, the truth will not be known.

Did Elijah seek peace with the prophets of Baal? The status quo in Israel was going to lead to destruction, yet he challenged the false priests and put their “gods’ to the test, and Truth prevailed.

I recently read “Transforming Culture with Truth” by Len Munsil, and was reminded of Proverbs 29:2

When the godly are in authority, the people rejoice. But when the wicked are in power, they groan.

If Jesus Followers rise to authority in such places as government, classrooms, media, sports, and every work place – the people will rejoice!

If we just keep the peace, the status quo, the days of our great nation are numbered. NUMBERED. Like Babylon the Great in Revelation chapter 18, we are likely to fall in one day because of our evil influence in the world. However, just like in Nineveh, if the people of this country hear the TRUTH, the real Jesus, they may repent, too.

YOUR workplace is a mission field of epic proportions. Be Peace and share the TRUTH that heals all. Let Him work through you today and let the people REJOICE.

Finding peace in your home can start by investing in your marriage. Join us Oct. 5th for our S’more than a feeling marriage retreat!!

About the Author, Jim Brangenberg

Jim's Mission: We are called to be examples of Christ to those around us. With that in mind, Jim is passionate about helping Christ followers connect their faith to their work!

Why Was "Cheers" So Successful?

Imagine a place where everyone knows your name.

They care about you. Everyone is nice to you. Everything around you is being perfectly orchestrated to bring you a little happiness. I know, its sounds like Heaven or the opening to the old hit TV show "Cheers" that I've been watching lately. I believe this idea might be key to experiencing a little bit of Heaven here on Earth. Read on.

What is your workplace like for you? Do people know your name? Are they nice to you and care about your happiness? Do you know their names and welcome them into a non-judging environment?

Imagine if every person who calls themselves a Christian actually saw their workplace as more than an income stream, but a place of ministry. Imagine if every Christian saw their workplace full of hurting people who need to meet Jesus, as an opportunity to get paid to do mission work every day. If we love everyone, even the grouchiest people, and do excellent work, our workplace will be magical, almost like Heaven.

The show, “Cheers”, resonated with so many people over the years because everyone was welcome, their name was known, and they were served kindness. Love breaks down the largest barriers and bridges gaps. You do not need to quit your job in order to "Go" into ministry, all you need to do is shift your paradigm. You already are on mission and in ministry. Love the people around you in your workplace and serve them kindness. Check out the iWork4Him Nation today. It can be a great step in shifting your paradigm.

Jim

iWork4Him exists to transform the workplace of every Christian into a mission field.

About the Author, Jim Brangenberg

Jim's Mission: We are called to be examples of Christ to those around us. With that in mind, Jim is passionate about helping Christ followers connect their faith to their work!

Please Stop Using This Word

"Jim, you're not cut out to be a pastor. You could never handle having 400 bosses. It's ok, you can be a lay minister. The church needs lots of volunteers."

Oh, my church pastor missed a huge opportunity to send me in the right direction there on that day.

Read on.

On July 13, 1979 I committed my life to full-time Christian Ministry, so did Martha on that very same day (3 years before we met). Now, naturally, I thought that meant that I would be working within a 4-walls church because that is what I grew up hearing.

When I finished college, Martha and I settled in a little town called Lakeville, MN. We joined a local church and we immediately got involved in the youth ministry as volunteers. After Martha finished college, I enrolled in Seminary to get my master's degree so Martha and I could fulfill my commitment to the Lord. My church pastor found out and he spoke those words above to me. I unenrolled in seminary and resolved to be just a lay minister.

UGH! The lies spoken into me that day crippled my attitude towards my work for 16 more years. If only there had been a different approach. Maybe I wasn't cut out to be a church pastor, but I could have been encouraged to be a pastor in my workplace.

What if I had been commissioned to see my work as my mission field and my place of ministry?

I could have grasped my daily work as a high calling on MY life and that I should take it very seriously.

The very term "LAY" minister implies that there are two tiers in ministry. Those who get paid to do minister, and then everyone else: the Lay ministers. This word derives negative feelings in me about a two tiered system of importance in the kingdom. IT IS A WORD I WILL NOT USE ANY MORE. What about you? Would you stop using it too? We need to let everyone know that your work in your office/field/parking lot/warehouse/ hospital - all of that is ministry.

You are not a second tier citizen in the Kingdom because you don't get paid by a 4-walls church organization.

Please encourage your pastors to recognize the hurt and harm that this word causes. It also causes a bunch of confusion, which is why I wrote last week's blog that you can read HERE.

So please STOP using the term "Lay Minister" and START recognizing that you are a minister in your work, which is your mission field. You have been assigned there by God and its not by chance.

I'm grateful to now understand that I am a minister in my work and you are too!

Col 3:23 23 -

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters

Jim

About the Author, Jim Brangenberg

Jim's Mission: We are called to be examples of Christ to those around us. With that in mind, Jim is passionate about helping Christ followers connect their faith to their work!

Something That Really Irks Me

I’ve got something on my mind. Something that really irks me.

Sometimes “Christians “quit a perfectly good job, so that they can go and do full-time ministry work. It’s crazy. Where did we get the idea that we HAVE to quit our job in order to be in ministry? I almost did it several times early in my career. Now, of course some are truly called to preach and teach, but most are called to create, design, manage, organize, and so on.

There is good news. Keep reading…

Let’s shift the paradigm of our thinking within the world of Christianity. Part of being a Jesus follower means living in the world but not being of the world any longer. Our thinking should be different than the worlds thinking.

The world says = ministry is done in the “church building”

Jesus says = ministry is everywhere – to GO

You do not need to quit a perfectly good job that uses your skills, pays the bills, and fills a need. You do need to make a change in your thinking - to recognize that your workplace is your place of ministry. It is full of people who don’t know Jesus because they will won’t go to church to hear about Him. If you quit your job you will be alienated from the very people who actually need to meet Jesus. Your workplace is full of people who need to meet Jesus and you have been placed there on purpose so they can see you live out your faith in Christ.

If you ever really want to know the solution to the problems in the United States of America, look in the mirror. You, as a Jesus follower, are the solution that God brings to earth each and every day. Jesus living through you, powered by the Holy Spirit, is the plan to transform our world. Don’t quit your job just quit your wrong thinking. I REPEAT “DON’T QUIT YOUR JOB! Thanks, I feel better now 😊

Proverbs 8:12 -

For I am Wisdom, and I am shrewd and intelligent. I have at my disposal living understanding to devise a plan for your life.

About the Author, Jim Brangenberg

Jim's Mission: We are called to be examples of Christ to those around us. With that in mind, Jim is passionate about helping Christ followers connect their faith to their work!

SHARE - Part I

Over the last 4 weeks we have talked through the strategy behind the iWork4Him Nation Covenant.

It's all about developing a lifestyle of Prayer, Care and Share. We have talked through PRAYER and CARE. If you have missed those blogs, CLICK HERE to catch up.

This week and next we talk about SHARE.

To be honest, this is where most Christ Followers get hung up. We have been taught that in order for us to be effective, we need to have some routine and 16 scriptures memorized.

It is REALLY important that we realize that we will not be SAVING anyone. We will not be leading them to Christ. That is the work of Holy Spirit.

You are never going to argue someone into following Jesus. We just need to be willing to share our Jesus story, realize the hopelessness of our own lives without Jesus, recognize our need to get rid of our sin through repenting, (turning 180 degrees) and start walking down the narrow path with Jesus.

We just need to get our story down.

• How did you realize your need for Jesus?

• What was life like without Him?

• What was rampant sin doing to you and those around you?

• How hard was it to surrender to a Lord who was all loving, all forgiving, all merciful and also full of grace?

Then you need to tell them what life has been like since you surrendered from living your life your own way to walking with Jesus His Way. Please don't make this more difficult than it needs to be. When you are sharing your story, you are sharing the Truth and how the Truth set you free, once and for all.

Next week, I am going to share with you a few methods that I have found to keep the scriptures straight in my mind, as we take the conversation from sharing our story to sharing about Jesus and what He said when He was here.

If they know you CARE, they will allow you to SHARE.

About the Author, Jim Brangenberg

Jim's Mission: We are called to be examples of Christ to those around us. With that in mind, Jim is passionate about helping Christ followers connect their faith to their work!