The Hebrew word avodah translates both as “work” and as “worship.”
Darrow Miller · Occupy Till I Come
Darrow Miller, from “Work and Worship” (Darrow Miller and Friends)
The Journey Ahead
1. Your calling is comprehensive—God cares about every aspect of your life, not just about your “spiritual” activities. 2. Your influence is strategic—God has positioned you exactly where you are for kingdom purposes in this generation. 3. Your faithfulness matters—Small acts of obedience in your sphere create ripples that can transform nations. 4. Your community is essential—Kingdom advance requires unified action across diverse spheres and callings.Occupy Till I Come
The Call to Action
The question is not whether you’ll occupy—you’re occupying something right now. The question is: Are you occupying for the kingdom or for lesser kingdoms? Are you trading for eternal treasures or temporal trinkets? Are you stewarding your influence for Christ’s glory or for your own comfort?Occupy Till I Come
The Call to Vocational Ministry
This understanding does not necessarily mean that when we become Christians we must leave our present occupation to do “spiritual things” like becoming missionaries or pastors. We are, however, to discover God’s calling upon our lives, including our occupational calling, and renew our minds regarding our vocational purpose. As Brother Lawrence wisely observed, “Our sanctification does not depend upon changing our works, but in doing for God’s sake what we commonly do for our own.”Occupy Till I Come
This brings new meaning to Paul’s exhortation: “Present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship” (Romans 12:1). We are to offer up our lives—our daily lives—to God and behold the glorious significance He has bestowed on every moment.Occupy Till I Come
Do Business Until Christ Returns
We, the image bearers of God, are co-creators with God. What God made was perfect, but it was not yet finished. We are to finish it! We cannot create something out of nothing, as God does. Still, we can co-create with God by utilizing the physical capital He has provided and exercising our governance, using the metaphysical capital of our hearts and minds to discover and create new things that never existed before.Occupy Till I Come
Wealth is primarily the product of the mind, not the ground. Physical resources play second fiddle to metaphysical resources as a source of human flourishing.Occupy Till I Come
The Sacred Nature of Work
Avodah appears 289 times in the Old Testament and is translated variously as “worship,” “serve,” and “work.” In some verses, avodah means physical work; in others, it means worship of the Lord.Occupy Till I Come
The Monday Church
Monday church: The concept that our work and daily activities from Monday through Saturday are forms of worship and kingdom service, not separate from our spiritual life.Occupy Till I Come
From the study guide
Chapter 25 · Doing Business for the Kingdom
Christians are called to be co-creators with God, using the resources He has invested in us through biblical economics (oikonomia) to contribute to building His kingdom on Earth through creative, productive work, recognizing that avodah (work) and worship are inseparable and understanding that we will give an account when Christ returns.
Genesis 2:15—The Lord God took man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it (avodah) and keep it (shamar). Reflection: How does understanding that work and worship share the same Hebrew root (avodah) transform your perspective on daily labor? What does it mean practically to approach your job as an act of worship and stewardship of God’s creation?
Chapter 23 · Christ’s Command to Occupy
Colossians 3:23–24—Whatever you do, work heartily as for the Lord and not for men, knowing you will receive your inheritance as your reward. Reflection: How does understanding your daily work as service to Christ rather than just employment transform your approach to excellence, integrity, and purpose? In what ways can your occupation become a platform for kingdom influence and witness?