Theology and Practice of Work

INTRODUCTION

Let me at the outset state that our work is the greatest blessings and challenges. For a start, work fosters life and growth. Our work, no matter how lowly it may be, provides us a means for a living – a blessing. “There must be the reason to respect whatever work you may have, because it is a gift from God,” so said Dr. Azriel R. Azarcon. (Dr. Azriel R. Azarcon’s speech on October 15, 2008 at the In Shil Chapel, Presbyterian Theological Seminary, Cavite City.) And challenge simply because, the world today is as competitive as never before and the situation would render the survival of the fittest out there. (Rex Resurreccion, Called to Excel: Developing a Passion for Excellence in your Workplace. Foreword by BJ Sebastian, (Makati City, Philippines: Church Strengthening Ministry, 2004),14.) “To avoid painful obsolescence, he (or she) must strive for professional excellence”.(Ibid) This calls for us to understand work at a deeper meaning in order to appreciate the work activities we are now involved and perhaps celebrate it at a later time “for the glory and pleasure of a loving and sovereign God.”( Sebastian, Called to Excel, 9.)

On the other hand, there is a growing desire to understand the importance of “vocation” and for that reason, the desire for pursuit of excellence. There is however, the necessity of establishing a theology of work. This lecture will help us develop a biblical foundation for our work. We will gain transferable concepts and ideas which can help us make a difference to our present ministry or in our future vocation. (Kindly take note that in this presentation I will be using the word work interchangeably with vocation, ministry, or mission.) (I acknowledge indebtedness for this usage to R. Paul Stevens, The Other Six Days: Vocation, Work, and Ministry in Biblical Perspective, (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, and Vancouver, British Columbia: Regent College Publishing, 2000). Stevens notes that a person’s calling or vocation is his or her chosen activity, and is “part of God’s order, a means of serving God and sustaining God’s world through supporting oneself, family and commonwealth.”, 77.)

BIBLICAL FOUNDATIONS OF WORK
Work is depicted as a basic dimension of human existence. As a matter of fact, its character is shaped, first, by the fact that human beings are made in God’s likeness (Genesis 1:26) with the capacity to participate actively in the wider creation. (Cf., R. Paul Stevens, Other Six Days, 113. Stevens writes, “. . . These metaphors, while limited, offer a correspondence of meanings between the work of God and the work of humankind.) They suggest that our work is a point of real connection with God and therefore a source of meaning and spirituality.” Their commission was to rule over the creation and administer God’s gifts, which include work and taking care of them.

Secondly, work acquires the character of a burdensome necessity because of the Fall. The curse which followed man’s disobedience to God (Gen. 3:17) means that human survival depends on “painful toil”. These are the twin themes of the OT view of work. Throughout, it is assumed that work is part of the divine ordering of the world. Although frustrated by human sinfulness, work is something to be accepted willingly as a means of God’s blessing (Ps. 128:1ff).

The NT values work in the same way as the OT, and sets it in the light of Christ’s ‘work’: his ministry, miracles and work of redemption (Jn. 4:34). The incarnation of God as the carpenter of Nazareth is the perfect fulfillment of the teaching that work is necessary and good. But the work of Christ takes his people beyond the mundane realm of necessity into the joy and freedom of serving God.

The gospels condemn any approach to work which would make it or its products a substitute for God’s kingdom. The epistles, as well, encourage us to treat work and everyday life as the sphere in which service to God is rendered. In this view, Christians are seen as ‘co-workers’ with God (1 Cor. 3:9) and their first priority is the furtherance of the gospel.

Therefore, the motive for working diligently and well is not merely duty or obedience to the law, but a grateful response to the work of Christ. (Sinclair B. Ferguson, David F. Wright, and J. I. Packer, eds., New Dictionary of Theology, (Downers Grove, Illinois, Intervarsity Press, 1988), 728-729.) We are taught in the New Testament about work, not in terms of fair pay but to illuminate the kingdom of God.( Stevens, Other Six Days, 116.) Dennis Bakke is confident with the thought that daily secular work is spiritually inferior comes to its ultimate destruction in the person of Jesus of Nazareth-the Carpenter.(Dennis W. Bakke, Joy at Work: A Revolutionary Approach to Fun on the Job, (Seattle, Washington: PVG Press, 2005), 250.) As a carpenter, it was most likely that Jesus,

. . . sold his products and services to people who did not recognize or acknowledge His deity. Many of them may not even have been Jews. He did what most people in the Christian church today would call secular work. (Ibid., 250-251.)

With this in mind, we will now consider the Christian’s ‘calling’ or ‘vocation’. Vocation, in the Old Testament is a call from God to a selected persons or persons such as Abraham, Moses, the prophets, the people of God. In the New Testament, vocation is a call to follow Jesus.

WORK PERSPECTIVES IN HISTORY
Medieval Catholicism (Medieval Monasticism) Monasticism elevates the monastic orders to a “divine vocation” because of the belief that “full-time pastoral or missionary service is the vocation of vocations. . . “ (Stevens, Other Six Days, 112.)

Monastic Models – The Monastic views distinction between precepts (for monks) and counsels (for laity).(Ferguson, Wright, and Packer, New Dictionary of Theology, 711.) It is characterized as “two-level spirituality.”(Stevens, Other Six Days, 111)

Lutheranism and Calvinistic and Reformed Perspectives – reasserting NT view that ordinary work is an integral part of Christian living and not a hindrance to it. The Reformers employed the concepts of profession and vocation as ‘ordinary’ stations in life which could be a means to glorify God.(Ferguson, Wright, and Packer, New Dictionary of Theology, 728-729. Cf., Stevens, Other Six Days, 111. Stevens believes that the Protestant Reformation left profound legacy by saying, “’You certainly haven’t missed your calling!’ means that work in one’s station in life sovereignly established by God himself is where one fulfills one’s Christian calling and duty. . . .”)

Wesleyan Perspective – Christian life is a joyful personal relationship with a loving Father. This relationship found expression through worship toward God and loving action toward others such as offering Christ in evangelism and social concerns such as homes for widows and orphans, free health clinic, help with food and clothing schools and Sunday school. In short, the Wesleyan perspective is actually the revival of pastoral care and the strengthening of lay ministry.(Ibid., 719-720.)

Renewal Movements (Pentecostal Movement) (Ibid., 502-505.)-The second coming of Christ is imminent, so much so that preaching the biblical gospel of salvation through faith in Christ alone. The “Pentecostals argue that the disciples of Jesus, like the OT saints, were regenerate before the day of the Pentecost.” The belief is for the disciples of Jesus to be re-generate in order to preach (as in the four-square emphases of Christ the savior, Christ the baptizer in the Holy Spirit, Christ the healer, and Christ the coming King.), heal the sick, cast out demons, and raise the dead.

Mennonites Movement (Ibid., 420-421) - The Mennonites were under the influence of pietism, where the believers’ church is separated from the world. Its effects were frequently beneficial and revitalizing especially in regard to mission and to the personal dimensions of salvation. The Mennonites theology in this view has been conservative and evangelical but the Mennonites assimilation into mainstream of the European culture also meant the abandonment of many doctrinal positions. In fact, the Mennonite theology in northern Europe is more ecumenical in its interests.

The Iona Community,(Taken from iona.org.uk.) has its mainland home in Glasgow, UK is “an ecumenical Christian community, founded in 1938 by the late George MacLeod (Very Rev. Lord MacLeod of Fuinary) and is committed to seeking new ways of living the Gospel in today’s world.” This Christian community drew its life by “bringing together work and worship, prayer and politics, the sacred and the secular.” This requires the Iona Community “the pursuit of spiritual and social concerns, the exploration of new, more inclusive approaches to worship, a strong ecumenical commitment, all integrated and underpinned by the understanding that spirituality is about engagement, rather than escape: God is to be discovered and encountered in the midst of life – and not just in solitary meditation or remote beautiful places.”

THOUGHTS ON WORK
· I love the work! In fact, how can we call serving God work. (Yvonne E. Archer in Sergio A. Rojo, Jr., “A Contextual Model of Transformational Leadership from Filipino Baptists Perspective,” D. Min. Dissertation, (Seattle, Washington: Northwest Graduate School, 2005), iv.)

· Work as a calling and take it seriously. The Christians in the marketplace are called to work there not by chance or through drift or because it is the way to wealth or to excitement, but because wants them personally, to work in that corner of his kingdom.( vocatiocreation.com.hk/products.html) R. Paul Stevens as well as thinks,

- “. . .about reconnecting ministry with spirituality. Ministry, either in the church or workplace in society, is an arena in which our spiritual life is both revealed and challenged. In the face of superficial religious piety, privatization of faith and professionalization of Christian leadership, a fully biblical theology of spirituality, ministry and work will be explored to help us live a true spirituality for the world. For those in pastoral leadership they will also find resources to equip God’s people for their service in the church and workplace. (R. Paul Stevens Marketplace Lecture and Intensive Course Ministry and Spirituality: “Theology and Spirituality of Work and Ministry for the Whole Church,” February 24-26.)
- Christian spirituality is a way of life of disciples of Christ. It is the lived experience of God, rooted in the revealed work of God, grounded in community and illuminated by the rich tradition of the church. It is both individual and corporate, churchly and worldly, inward and outward, concerned with personal relationship with God and with justice in the world.( R. Paul Stevens Marketplace Lectures on “Taking Your Soul to Work: Experiencing God in the Marketplace (Lecture Outline),” Sponsored by Vocatio Creation in partnership with EFCC Tung Fook Church & HKPES on December 6, 2007.)

· Work is God’s design for man. God purposefully designed man to work and becomes productive. . . man was designed by God to work excellently. Work excellence is creative, productive work. (Resurreccion, Called to Excel, 47)

Integration of my faith and the secular work to which I have been called. . . The interplay between my faith and my work. . . . We honor God by furthering His creation. Work should be an act of worship to God. God is pleased when people steward their talents and energy to achieve these ends. (Bakke, Joy at Work, 245-246; 248. Cf. Robert Banks, Redeeming the Routines: Bringing Theology to Life, Foreword by William Dyrness, (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2001), 16. Banks believes that Christianity should affect the whole of one’s life.)

· “But the Bible tells us that God created us to work because He Himself worked, and we are, thus, created in His worker image. May I also add that work is in itself a gift from God! The curse of unemployment is therefore, not just the absence of income but the absence of the opportunity to do meaningful work. More than just making a living, work is a means for us to find fulfillment in serving others. (Sebastian in Called to Excel, 9.)

· When we’re working well, we feel God-like in a positive way. But it becomes negative because we begin to think of ourselves as gods. I don’t think I’m overly hyperbolic when I say that work is the greatest vehicle for idolatry. If it is not rooted in a Sabbath, we miss the God-context and then we become the gods.(Eugene Peterson, “’Balanced’ Life,” Creatio: The Unjournal Vocatio Creation for Ministry in the Marketplace, August 2008, 2.)

I am convinced that every individual has a vocation, and I use the word ‘vocation’ and calling synonymously. One of the most important things as an individual is to discern that vocation, to conclude before God, ‘This is what I am called to do.’ . . . We have the extra ordinary example of Jesus in Mark 1:38 when he says, ‘that is why I have come. . . ‘. In this sense, let us affirm this sacred of all vocations, that is, we need to trust God to do His work through that call. On the other hand, we need to trust one another and encourage and enable each Christian to discern their call, so that they can embrace it vigorously and go and do it. (Gordon T. Smith in an interview with IMPACT Magazine, IMPACT, April/May 1999, 5 & 7.)

CONTEXTUAL UNDERSTANDING OF WORK
What insight and challenge can the biblical foundational views of work and work perspectives of church leaders in history offer the faith, life and practice of the contemporary church?

What it seems clear now is the fact that “work is part of the divine ordering of the world.” This means that God is “both the source of missionary enterprise (in terms of salvafic activity) and the one who retains it in his own hands. . . he does not surrender it to any human authority.” (Josue D. Ganibe, “The Church Helping Ministries and Social Action,” Course Outline, October 1986, Asian Theological Seminary. Cf., Stevens, Other Six Days, 116. In this page, Stevens writes, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent. . . .” “. . . there is nothing to suggest that Christ has delegated his authority to certain church members who have responsibility for the ministry of others. . .,” adds Stevens, 54.)

If we have to appropriate it to ourselves, our work therefore is a partnership to the Kingdom work and is a witness to the coming of His kingdom. To Martin Luther, the Christian is called in his/her worldly station as father/mother, farmer, craftsman, teacher, soldier, judge, milkmaid, and others in order for him or her to fulfill the Christian vocation in the Kingdom of God and exercises love to neighbors in the kingdom of this world. (Ferguson, Wright, and Packer, New Dictionary of Theology, 728-729.)

In this sense, our faith is primarily directed to God and the fullness of his kingdom. Although our faith in God is essential and primary, such faith must find consequence in our involvement in the society. As a manifestation of faith in God, the contemporary Christian must get involved in the life of the world. Such involvement however, is not identical with social progress but is the motive and stance for involvement.

This makes our vocation, be it as local pastor, guidance counselor, teacher in a graduate school, school administrator, or as a businessman, an expression of our faith in the living God. In a word, a person’s work, vocation, ministry, or mission is a partnership to the salvafic activity of God in the world. It is a responsibility of bringing others to God (2 Corinthians 5:18-21) and thus joining in Jesus Christ’s priestly work of reconciling God and man (1 Peter 2:9). Work is rather of accomplishing “spiritual good, serving kingdom purposes and drawing us to God” (Stevens, Other Six Days, 117.)

Meanwhile, holistic transformation is a process of integrating one’s faith in God in all aspects of life and in all days of a lifetime. It follows that faith in Him affects every aspects of one’s life. Transformation is premised on the fact that the coming of God into one’s life impacts him or her monumentally forever. A person’s transformation can be achieved with the constant and penetrating presence of Christ.

The above-mentioned principle applies to my understanding of theology and practice of work. Firstly, this takes me to realize that no matter how mundane or creative and inspiring the job I undertake, I will do it with enthusiasm and “do all to the glory of God.” (Bakke, Joy at Work, 248-249.) After all, God “expects me to use my best efforts, talents, and skills in every task I undertake, whatever its importance.” (Ibid.)

Secondly, my understanding of vocation, ministry or mission is informed by the fact that one’s calling or ministry is not confined to the so called, clergy. I rather believe that our ministry is part of the ministry of the “one people, the true laos of God, with leaders among the people.” (Stevens, Other Six Days, 26. Chapter 2 of this book is rather exhaustive discussion on the theme.) Bakke is convinced,

Being called to work in a “secular” organization is no better or worse than being called to work in a church, a para-church organization (such as Habitat for Humanity and World Vision), or an institution run by Christians. God may call us to work for Him in any of these settings, regardless of our occupation and particular talents. Moreover, if I am called primarily to evangelism, working in a secular company or other institution might be a better fit than working in the friendly confines of a Christian setting. (Bakke, Joy in Work, 252.)

While Bruce and Katherine Epperly warn,

While we are elated whenever a seminarian proclaims words such as ‘God called me to ministry and I know God will make a way for me to serve in the future,’ we become concerned when he or she contrasts too greatly the call to ordained ministry with God’s call within the vocational calls of carpenters, computer programmers, teachers, nurses, physicians, and others. We worry that such ministers will succumb to a ministerial isolationism that separates clergy and laity in the ecology of congregational life. To be sure, ordained ministers have a unique calling within the community of faith and the overall body of Christ. This calling sets before them the diverse tasks of preaching, pastoral care, teaching, and ethical integrity. But clergy are also called to ‘equip the saints’ so that laypersons may more fully experience and actualize their gifts for ministry in their homes, workplaces, and congregational life. And at every step of the way, pastors who fulfill this calling are reciprocally nurtured and supported by a community of saints, faithful lay leaders, mentors, colleagues, and denominational officials, without which they could not labor on God’s behalf. (Bruce G. Epperly and Katheirne Gould Epperly, “Creating Something Beautiful for God,” The Alban Institute. – 2008-11-03.)

This means that there are no marked hierarchies in terms of ministry expressions!

Thirdly, a person’s “station in life”, be it in churches, home, and in any workplace, or field, is his or her calling-partnership to the mission of God. Stephen Green is persistent in treating work as a calling when he was quoted saying, “. . . Christians in the marketplace are called to work there, not by chance or through drift or because it is the way to wealth or to excitement, but because God wants them, personally, to work in that corner of his kingdom.” (Stephen Green as quoted by Dr. Siu-fai Leung (Professor of Economics, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology) in his book review of Serving God? Serving Mammon? Christians and the Financial Markets,(Harper Collins,1996) in Creatio, August 2008, 7. Stephen Green is an experienced senior executive with an international banking group (HSBC Chairman) and is also an ordained non-stipendiary minister of the Church of England.)

Resurreccion affirmed this belief when he aptly says,

Money is important to him, too (because everyone needs to eat to survive), but it is not his main reason for performing excellently. Instead, he is driven by a sense of mission- to serve God by being of service to his fellowmen. Serving others is the excellent person’s avenue to serve God. Thus, for him, work goes beyond mere financial considerations. (Resurreccion, Called to Excel, 43.)

This would allow us to carry out our ministry or calling in a variety of settings and organization.

An finally, compare this with Gordon Smith when he expresses it well,

Conversion enables us to be in the world, in business, the arts, education- indeed in every sphere and sector of society- as those called to live our lives in Christ and under Christ. Rather than viewing church ministry as superior to the so called “secular” vocations, the ministry of the church is precisely one of equipping disciples to be fully engaged with the world into which we are called. (Gordon T. Smith, “Conversion, the Church and the Marketplace,” in Creatio: The Unjournal of Vocatio Creation for Ministry in the marketplace, September 2008, 4.)

In a nutshell, we take up any particular work as a sphere of service in direct response to the work of God!

MANAGING RELATIONSHIPS

Introduction:
Most often, we tend to be preoccupied with or to focus on the theology of a certain theme in the Bible, forgetting the fact that we need to turn such theology into practice. Robert Banks would strongly argue that the Christian has a responsibility to bring his or her deepest convictions into contact with his or her most everyday concerns. (Banks, Redeeming the Routines, 16.) While Charles Ringma is most convinced that,

Christian community actualizes and authenticates itself in a life of service both within and outside of the community. And these acts of pastoral care, witness, and the work for justice, in turn call us back to the banquet table for God’s nourishment and sustenance. [Charles Ringma, Whispers from the Edge of Eternity: Reflections on the Life and Faith in a Precarious World, (Manila, Philippines: OMF Literature, 2005), 80. Ringma was also quoted saying that relationships form the very fabric of our existence. “In all of these relationships we both give and receive and the quality of this receiving and giving weaves the very texture of our being.”]

My concern in this section is to find an area in human activity whereby we can put our theology of work into practice. And I am convinced that the most appropriate way of turning theology into practice is in the area of managing human relationships. There are a number of considerations I need to put forward along this way.

· Ministers sometimes lack some of the basic leadership skills. . . They need to know how to work with people and understand the power structure in the church. (Bob Perry, Congregation Health Team Leader for the Baptist General Convention of Missouri, in Jennifer Harris & John Hall, “Gap between dreams, reality often cause of pastors’ wounds,” in Associated Baptist Press, July 15, 2008. Internet. Accessed on 7/30/2008.)

· One of the particular skills that leaders are required to exemplify in practice is the indispensable knack for building and nurturing relationships. To a greater degree than ever, we all live and work in interdependent groups and organizations. Very few of us in today’s society work alone. This means, of course, that the exercise of our special gifts and specialization will be affected by the presence of the gifts and skills brought to our lives by the people with whom we work. . . Human relationships, as you know, are primarily a matter of the heart. (Max de Pree, Leadership in an Art, New Foreword by the Author, (New York, NY: Doubleday, 2004), x-xi.)

None of us has gotten on our own. We may have busted our butts, worked extremely hard, made lots of personal sacrifices, and brought some talent and ability to the table. I believe all that is true, but we didn’t do it alone. We’ve all had people who have been there either directly or indirectly and made a difference. (Bruce G. Gordon in Price M. Cobbs, and Judith L. Turnock, Cracking the Corporate Code: Revealing Success Stories of 32 Afro-American Executives, (New York: American Management Association, 2003), 101.)

· We all need assistance, and along the way you find people who are able to provide the guidance and analysis you need. (Ibid., 118)

· We live in one world in which the competing faiths, no longer separated and insulated by distance, jostle one another in every city and even in the minds of ordinary Christians. Today the question of the theology of the Christian mission is a question that —whether recognized or not—knocks at the door of every congregation. (Lesslie Newbigin, in his Foreword, Gerhard H. Anderson, The Theology of the Christian Mission, (New York: McGraw-Hill, 1961), xiii.) Whereas, R. Paul Stevens is convinced that “Adaptability has become one of the most important qualities for survival in the workplace.” (Stevens, Other Six Days, 107.)

The underlying goal therefore, especially in managing relationships in an organization is to achieve a greater impact to the furtherance of God’s works. Such works, no matter how deferring they may be, which will bring glory to God.

1. Dual Nature of the Church
Since we have chosen to respond to God’s calling mainly in the context of the Church (I suppose), let us understand the nature of the Church.

The church is both organism – the body of Christ – living, changing, and supernatural in its very being. But it is also organization or the English language means nothing. Pushing either one of these, to the exclusion of the other leads to the denial of the reality of the church. This body of Christ, this living dynamic organism, functions as a group of people who operate according to by-laws, write objectives, own property, elect officers, and prepare budgets. By any definition of the word, the church is an organization. (Kenneth O. Gangel, Feeding & Leading, (Wheaton, IL: Scripture Press Publication, 1989), 57-58.)

1.1 Church as Organism
- It is an organism because the Church is the body of Christ, a spiritual and eternal entity not hinged to earthbound restrictions and guidelines.
-An organism is a complex structure of interdependent and subordinate elements whose relations and properties are largely determined by their function in the whole. The Church, as an organism, is a basic unit constituted to carry on the activities of its life by means of parts separate in function but mutually dependent . . .

1.2 Church as organization.
- An organization is a group of people bound together for distinct purposes, led by appropriate officers handling sufficient funds and budgetary commitments to carry their tasks, owner of such properties as are deemed necessary, transacting business with other organization. (Ibid., 9-11.) It implies each member has a place.

2. Managing Organizational Relationships

Introduction (& 2.1.2; 2.2.2): (Cobbs and Turnock, Cracking Corporate Code, 102-128.)
· A key aspect of managing relationship is learning to trust the organization and the individual within it.

· Potential allies appear in as many different human beings can conceive and can be found at any level and at any time in the organization. How to go about cultivating relationships then?

2.1.1 Providing organizational development leadership (James Anderson and Ezra Earl Jones, Management of Ministry, (New York, NY: Harper & Row Publishers, 1978), 78-105.)
· Providing efficient organizational management. The brick-and-mortar, bureaucratic aspects of church life demand careful, efficient administration and execution.
· Providing effective guidance for the gathering church, helping the membership clarify directions and associate together with a free commitment to the mission of the church.
· Providing authentic spiritual directions-congruent, authoritative teaching, preaching, counseling, and witness in order to help the eyes of faith.

2.1.2 Instilling values-driven atmosphere at work (Bakke, Joy at Work, 18-40.)

· Identifying organizational core values and mission.

· Developing a collegial, values-driven atmosphere at work and to live these values off the job too.

· Treating co-ministers as adult

· Workplace freedom must be balanced by accountability and feedback on performance.

· Leading by being transparent to those around us

· Distinguishing organization’s unchanging principles from its constantly changing strategy.

· Leading with passion, integrity and justice.

2.2.1 Managing your boss. Building relationship with person to whom you report to:
- Look at your boss as a person
- Find out what is his or her management style
- How does he or she arrive at the ingredients for decision?
- How does he or she communicate his/her decision?
- How does your boss define successful performance?
- Does your work match with his or her criteria?

2.2.2 Cultivating a more complex and effective network to support your rise in an organization:
- You are frequently judged by supporters on how you handle disappointment
- Demonstrate to them maturity and balance, as your ability to be a good team player
- Performing well in unplanned, spur-of-the-moment situations

This renders managing relationships indispensable. Max de Pree aptly says,
In our effort to understand corporate life, what is it we should learn from this story? In addition to all of the ratios and goals and parameters and bottom lines, it is fundamental that leaders endorse a concept of persons. This begins with an understanding of the diversity of people’s gifts and talents and skills.

Understanding and accepting diversity enables us to see that each of us is needed. It also enables us to begin to think about being abandoned to the strengths of others, of admitting that we cannot know or do everything. (De Pree, Leadership in an Art, 9 )

2.3 Stress Dealing and Emotional Coping: Constructive Thinking Inventory (Seymour Epstein, (Constructive Thinking: The Key to Emotional Intelligence, (Westport, CT: Paeger, 1998), ix-xii; 36-42.)

Seymour Epstein’s book focuses on how to deal with stress and coping up with emotions. The idea is to gain active mastery of our emotions. In doing so, one could not only gain such control but such mastery of a technique would change a person for the better. The theory goes this way,

- Our thoughts shape our feelings. They are automatic and preconscious. They happen to be automatic thoughts of which you normally are unaware, but nevertheless they are thoughts.

Ex., If someone steps on your toe, and you think it was a deliberate act of provocation, you feel angry, but if you think that it was an accident resulting from the person’s muscular dystrophy, you will very likely feel sympathy.

- Emotions are determined by how one interprets events, not by the events themselves.

- There are techniques for gaining control of one’s emotions.

In the Constructive Thinking Inventory (CTI), a person can see how he or she typically thinks, feels, and acts in life. The CTI provides scores at three levels of generality, a global scale and six main scales that are further divided into subscales. As well, the CTI has been demonstrated to be reliable and valid measure of the constructive and destructive thinking in which people tend to automatically engage. The CTI works because people are very much aware of some of their experiential mind’s reactions.

The CTI version that you are going to take will capture the basic ingredients of the constructive versus destructive thinking. By doing this exercise, you will familiarize yourself with the components of constructive thinking and learn your strongest and weakest points.

2.4 Valuing Difference (Not Indifference)
Group Dynamics on “Kite Strings and Clotheslines”[1]
- Recognize differences and understand those differences at deeper levels, steps towards valuing and celebrating differences
- Experience emotional responses to differences and reflecting on them, which is a key component in the journey toward multiculturalism

SUMMARY
This presentation sought to understand the theology and practice of work. We have gone through the biblical foundational views of work and went on presenting the work perspectives of church leaders in history. We have also presented thoughts of contemporary Christians on work or ministry and finally came up with a contextual understanding of work.

In the second part of this paper, we found out that managing human relationships is an area where we could put, at least, our theology of work into practice. The idea was to build and nurture stronger relationships in order to attain a greater impact to the furtherance of God’s works with the endview that our work, vocation, ministry or mission would bring glory to God.

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A Lecture presented by Rev. Dr. Sergio A. Rojo, Jr., President of Bacolod Christian College of Negros, on October 13-15, 2008 at the Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Dasmariñas, Cavite City.)