The Christian Caste System

Many of us are aware of the caste system that exists in India, tied to Hinduism, in which society is strictly ranked in four different categories. It is determined by birth and dictates work occupations.  The hereditary status in the caste system cannot be changed, regardless of personal merit, and it impacts marriage, social interactions, where one can live, and even where one can get water.  The caste system was outlawed in 1947, but its influence persists.

As DML is an organization that emphasizes that every person has been made in the image of the most high God, as co-creators, not co-laborers, this is received as good news by those who hear.  One of our teams had the opportunity to share this message in the last couple of weeks with sanitation workers, who would often be seen as the untouchables, given the most stigmatized job, and facing extreme discrimination.  Here is the story, in their own words.

Outreach among the Sanitation Workers

This Christmas season, the Lord opened a beautiful door for us to serve and honor the sanitation workers of N********* city. There are 1,897 sanitation workers across 10 zones. 

What we never imagined was that the very places where these workers gather each day would turn into places of worship. We honored our sanitation warriors, sang gospel songs, shared the loving invitation of Jesus, “Come to Me, all who are weary, and I will give you rest," and distributed gifts as a small expression of our gratitude and love.

Each gift bag carried a creative message:

        On one side: “We salute the sanitation warriors."

        Below it: “Jesus loves you.”

        On the other side: John 3:16 printed in Hindi.

Their responses deeply moved our hearts. Many said, “Nobody has ever come to meet us or thank us. Nobody even notices us. You taking the time to visit us is very special. We loved the songs and message.” 

The caste system in India has long divided people and created invisible walls that prevent us from truly relating to one another. For generations, sanitation work has primarily been assigned to those on the margins of society. These essential yet often overlooked roles are rarely acknowledged with dignity or gratitude.

This Christmas, we felt led to express love where it is most needed. We spent time with our sanitation workers, visiting them, honoring them for faithfully keeping our city clean, and sharing the message of hope with them. Today, we concluded this outreach with hearts full of gratitude.

As we ministered through songs, the Word, and prayer, we witnessed the Holy Spirit gently touching lives and hearts. 

Today, as a team, we are rejoicing in what the Lord is doing through us. Our prayer is that the message of love and hope they heard will continue to sink deep into their hearts, helping them embrace the beautiful truth that they are deeply loved by God and warmly welcomed into His family. Thank you for your prayers and support.

We are so thankful for this message to be given to these sanitation workers, who can see that their work is important and appreciated!

A businessman once said to me that they feel like there is a Christian caste system as well, in which there is a holiness hierarchy that puts pastors and missionaries at the top, then professionals, and at the bottom are the businesspeople.  He said that he felt that businesspeople are treated as the "untouchables" by the church, doing "secular" work for "dishonest gain" by "taking advantage" or "cheating" customers and employees.  

This is definitely the case in some churches.  It is often more covert than overt, with language that emphasizes a sacred/secular divide and lacks a Kingdom vision. 

As we close 2025 and look forward to what God will continue to do in 2026, we pray that it will be a year in which more and more people will be unleashed to release their potential, to the glory of God!

Despair is a Luxury of the Privileged

Advent and Christmas can feel emotionally complex.  There is joy in the coming of Jesus, but as we are between the "now" and the "not yet," it can feel perplexing to sing about peace and joy amid intense challenges. Yesterday, my pastor said, "Advent is a season of holy dissatisfaction."  I fully agree.

Recently, I was listening to a theologian talk about the complexities of the situation between Israel and Gaza, and I heard him say, "Despair is a luxury of the privileged." 

I immediately wrote that statement down and have been contemplating it since. What a powerful, thought-provoking statement. Despair described as a luxury doesn't sound right!

But giving up or feeling hopeless is a luxury for those of us who live secure, comfortable lives.  For those in the middle of desperate situations, despair is not a choice.  The fight for survival must focus on action and resistance. They don't have the luxury of sitting down and feeling hopeless, or risk things getting even worse.

In this Christmas season, my mind goes to the challenges faced by places beyond what we hear daily from Palestine/Israel and Ukraine/Russia.  From our own team in DML, we have several partners who are also in various levels of crisis.

• India, with ongoing persecution of Christians.
• Nigeria, with escalating kidnappings, violence, and the targeting of Christians.
• Burkina Faso's ongoing challenge with terrorists.
• Cameroon, with a civil war between the English and the French that doesn't feel like it will ever end.
• The Democratic Republic of Congo, with ongoing challenges that involve neighboring countries like Burundi.
• Ethiopia continues to face internal conflict as well as conflict with neighboring countries.

And the list goes on.  I know there are dozens more.

How empty the words "peace on earth" can seem when we personally know those in the middle of these conflicts.  

How helpless we can feel when we can't effect change from the inside, because we are merely watching from a distance.

How guilty we can feel living in relative peace and comfort while many struggle.

But.

We must engage in the fight.

We can pray. 

We can encourage. 

We can listen to the painful stories that inform our prayers, as well as how we use our time, treasure and talent.

We can choose not to look away, not to anesthetize ourselves with distractions, and act like everything is okay.  

We can lament even in a season of joy.

Despair is a luxury of the privileged. Despair is NOT a posture to take when we know a Sovereign God who is at work in every place and space, primarily through His disciples who are acting on His behalf in every sphere of influence. 

Hope is a discipline, not a feeling.  It is a practiced commitment to action, even against the odds.

And so we celebrate the greatest gift ever given, which allows us to approach the throne of grace with confidence, with both joy and lament, thankful for the birth of Jesus many years ago, and also praying, "Maranatha, come Lord Jesus" (Revelation 22:20).

I wish every one of you a blessed Christmas week, with joy and peace in your heart and home.

With: Not Over, Under, From, or For

A few years ago, I was given a book by an elder from our church, called With by Skye Jethani, which seeks to move people beyond cultural Christianity.  I wish I had read this book earlier in life, as it would have helped me understand my own cultural posture toward Christianity and the positions of many people from different cultures across Africa.  As we seek to do discipleship, it's essential to understand the barriers people face, and this book helps us to do so. 

Jethani describes four common postures of Christianity using the prepositions of over, under, from, or for:  Life over God, Life Under God, Life from God, or Life for God.  Each of these positions has limitations and thwarts a genuinely intimate relationship with God. The author recommends that we unpack these positions in terms of our own relationship with God and move toward Life WITH God.

Life Under God is a posture that exists under the shackles of religious legalism.  In this posture, individuals strictly follow rules to appease a deity.  The goal of humanity is to appease and placate the divine by adhering to a strict code of moral and religious laws.  In this view, life is controlled by God, and believers can influence His actions, secure blessings, or avoid calamity by complying with His laws.  The relationship with God, therefore, is transactional - if I do this, God will do that.  This posture promotes a performance-based faith, which induces fear and undermines joy.  God is reduced to an enforcer of rules, and the spiritual journey is an anxious quest to avoid divine wrath or curry divine favor.  This posture gives rise to a judgmental and self-righteous demeanor toward those who struggle to follow the rules, thereby fostering division rather than unity.  This posture misunderstands God's desire for a loving relationship with his creation and misses the profound and liberating relationship that God offers through grace.

I personally find this to be a very common posture, from how I was raised as well as in many parts of Africa.  Works over grace, lots of fear and guilt.

Life Over God is a posture that gives the illusion of control by relying on divine principles and natural laws, replacing a relationship with God with self-sufficiency and formulaic living.  This posture believes that God has set the laws, humans need to reason and understand those laws, and then all is good.  God's guidance and an intimate relationship with Him are not required once these laws are figured out.  Faith is merely practical wisdom, defined by utility rather than relationship. 

This posture is often found in developed nations who have "figured things out" to the degree that God is no longer needed. 

Life From God is a self-centric faith, entrenched in consumerism, viewing God as a vending machine providing our personal desires and needs.  Faith is defined by utility rather than relationship.  God is a means to an end, and faith is fleeting and shallow in this posture.  God is often described as a loving Father, faithful spouse, and diligent shepherd, which are metaphors that emphasize God's relationship with us and care for
us.  This perspective seeks God's hand more than His face.

This posture is often found in the prosperity gospel teaching, that God is there to take care of you and provide all you need.

Life For God is activistic faith, prioritizing mission and purpose over a relationship with God.  Activism and service become idols in this posture, which can then lead to burnout and disconnection with God.  A relationship with the King is forsaken in exchange for seeking His Kingdom.  This is a performance-oriented faith that measures worth and standing with God by accomplishments and contributions, losing sight of grace.  Mission and purpose are important aspects of the Christian faith, but they should not supplant the primary call to be in a relationship with God. 

This is the posture I continue to wrestle with today, as do many church and ministry leaders. What a shame to seek the Kingdom and miss the King.

Life With God is a posture that serves as an antidote to the inadequacies of the other models, shifting from performance, principles, consumerism, and activism, to presence with God.  Each of the other methods treats God as a means to an end, for control, security, personal fulfillment, or purpose.  Instead, our identity is to be found in being God's beloved, which liberates us from the endless cycle of striving and performance.  

Skye Jethani evaluates many conversations that he has with believers through these postures, seeking to understand better the potential barriers that people face when living out these postures.  I wonder how these postures strike you in terms of your own faith, the faith of those in your culture or church, and how unpacking these postures could help people know better how to be WITH God?

I do encourage reading this book and the quote below shows how this relates to DML and HOW it is we are to work WITH God, not for, under, over, or from Him.

Letters to a Diminished Church

Dorothy Sayers, a brilliant English writer and theologian, lived from 1893 to 1957.  She was a pioneering female graduate from Oxford. She is known as a Christian apologist in an era of skepticism.  A number of her articles were compiled into a book titled

.

Letters to a Diminished Church.  

For years, I have read this quote from that book during our teachings on a theology of work:

Work is not, primarily, a thing one does to live, but the thing one lives to do.  It is, or it should be, the full expression of the worker’s faculties, the thing in which he finds spiritual, mental and bodily satisfaction, and the medium in which he offers himself to God. (page 134)

Recently, I decided that because this is such a good quote, I should go to the source and read more.  Her whole chapter on work is exceptional.  

Sayers believes that the church has had a difficult time taking the lead in economics because it is trying to fit a "Christian standard of economics to a wholly false and pagan understanding of work."  Without the proper understanding of work (as stated in the quote above), there cannot be a proper understanding of economics from a Christian perspective.

Sayers states that a "thorough-going revolution in our whole attitude toward work" needs to take place, stating that it should not be viewed as "unnecessary drudgery to be undergone for the purpose of making money," but the way in which "man should find its proper exercise and delight so as to fulfill itself to the glory of God."  Sadly, the thinking about work as something we do to make money is so ingrained in us that we can barely imagine what it would be to think of the work done.  These questions would need to be asked:

• Of businesses, not "will it pay" but "is it good for people?"
• Of businesses, not "what do you make" but "what is your work worth?"
• Of goods, not "can we convince people to buy them" but "are they useful things, well made?"
• Of employment, not "how much per week" but "will it exercise my faculties to the utmost?"

She contrasts how we feel about work with how we feel about hobbies.  With hobbies, we freely give our time for the pure satisfaction of the work.  There usually will be no economic return from our hobbies.  We do it because we find it to be very good.  We don't bargain with it.  We look forward to doing it and are willing to put in lots of time, including weekends and evenings.  Hobbies energize us.

When work is looked upon as a means to gain, it becomes hateful; it becomes an enemy rather than a friend.  We want more out of it than we put in it.  Because this is often not the case, we feel society is always in our debt, leaving us with a grudge against it for our work.  We try to get through our work to get to our leisure.  Sayers says that the "greatest insult the commercial age has offered to the worker has been to rob him of all interest in the end product of the work and force him to dedicate his life to making badly things which were not worth making" (page 137).

This needs to change.  How can we begin to change our view of work to match our view of our hobbies?

Sayers posits that it is the business of the church to help people recognize that work is sacred, that it is as sacred a vocation as a specifically religious work.  

She says, "The Church must concern herself not only with such questions as the just price and proper working conditions. She must concern herself with seeing that the work itself is such as a human being can perform without degradation, that no one is required by economic or any other considerations to devote himself to work that is contemptible, soul-destroying, or harmful.  It is not right for her to acquiesce to the notion that a man's life is divided into the time he spends on his work and the time he spends serving God.  He must be able to serve God IN his work, and the work itself must be accepted and respected as the medium of divine creation.

"In nothing has the Church so lost her hold on reality as in her failure to understand and respect the secular vocation.  She has allowed work and religion to become separate departments, and is astonished to find that, as a result, the secular work of the world is turned to purely selfish and destructive ends, and the greater part of the world's intelligent workers have become irreligious, or at the least, uninterested in religion.

"But is it astonishing?  How can anyone remain interested in a religion which seems to have no concern with nine-tenths of his life?...Let the church remember this - that every maker and worker is called to serve God in his profession or trade, not outside it...The Church wastes time and energy and moreover commits sacrilege in demanding that secular workers should neglect their proper vocation in order to do Christian work - by which she means ecclesiastical work." (page 138-140, emphasis mine)

But she then gets even bolder:

"It is your business, you churchmen, to get what good you can from observing his work - not to take him away from it so that he may do ecclesiastical work for you.  But if you have any power, see that he is set free to do his own work as well as it may be done.  He is not there to serve you.  He is there to serve God by serving His work...If work is to find its right place in the world, it is the duty of the church to see to it that the work serves God and the worker serves the work." (page 142, emphasis mine)

These are powerful words.  The faith/work integration movement has side-stepped the church in many ways, but Dorothy Sayers is bringing it directly to the church. 

How I wish the church had heard and acted upon these when they were written.  What would be different in our world today if the 2.4 billion Christians had consistently heard a different message about work, along with specific discipleship for their workplace?

Thankfully, we are starting to see a small change, as some denominations are beginning to have workplace discipleship ministries, and pastors are getting out of their offices and visiting people in their workplaces, encouraging them and teaching about the goodness of work. We continue to pray for this message, through the words of apologists like Dorothy Sayers will find a home!

Nurturing the Offspring of God's Imagination

I heard or read that line from somewhere a long time ago, and it has stayed with me. 

"Nurturing the offspring of God's imagination." 

What a beautiful way to capture the beauty of what we see in our world through innovation and work.

In this week of Thanksgiving, I am so thankful for the gift of imagination and creativity that God has generously shared with all humanity.

God delights in planting ideas, dreams, and holy possibilities within His people. Often these show up in our work—through a burden to solve a problem, a vision for a business, a new way to bless a community, or a longing to create something that brings life. These are not random thoughts. They may be the offspring of God’s imagination—seeds of His creative work entrusted to us.

But like all living things, God-breathed ideas must be nurtured if they are to grow. For this, we must:

1. Notice the Holy stirring. Many divine ideas begin quietly: a persistent thought, a growing burden, a gentle nudge. Pay attention. God often whispers His callings before He declares them. Look for ideas that align with God’s character—ideas that serve, heal, restore, create, or empower.
2. Surrender the vision back to God. Once an idea takes shape, the temptation is to run ahead. But God asks us to hold His ideas with open hands. Surrender means letting Him guide the pace, shape the purpose, purify motives, and define success. This is not passive—it’s partnership.
3. Protect what is still growing. Early visions are fragile. Not everyone will understand them. Some will dismiss them. Others may discourage them. Our role is to steward the vision faithfully, then release the results to God.  Wisdom is knowing when to share the idea, who can help nurture it, and what boundaries are needed to protect its integrity and focus. Some dreams grow best in quiet, steady faithfulness.
4. Nourish the idea through obedience. God’s visions mature through ordinary practices: learning, prayer, skill-building, planning, and daily obedience. Small steps—taken consistently—feed the dream God has planted.
5. Persevere through the hard seasons. Every God-given idea faces resistance, slow growth, and moments of doubt. These are not signs of failure—they are signs of formation. God shapes us as He shapes the vision. Perseverance is often the difference between a seed that dies and a seed that bears fruit.
6. Release the vision for God's glory. As the idea grows, it may bless more people than you ever imagined—creating opportunity, bringing hope, strengthening families, or pointing others to Christ through your work.

God is still creating—through us. God invites us into a sacred partnership: He conceives the vision, and we nurture it through obedience, faith, and love. 

When we cherish the offspring of God’s imagination, we participate in His ongoing creation — renewing culture, redeeming work, restoring communities, and revealing His heart in every sphere of life.

The world needs what God has placed in you.
Your calling is not to force it, but to nurture it.
To carry it faithfully.
To nourish it diligently.

To release it courageously for His glory!

What a Shame

What a shame to seek the Kingdom and miss the King.  

These words were spoken to me as I was on my way to my silent retreat this past February by a long-time prayer partner.  He added that it would be a shame to waste time licking envelopes instead of sitting at the feet of Jesus. 

Those words came back to me on the silent retreat that just ended yesterday.  

I spent the first hour of my silent retreat rereading my silent retreat journals from the last several years and came across that very statement.  I then looked up to see a stack of envelopes on the desk in my room at the Hermitage that I had snuck into my backpack (so that my husband wouldn't see and tell me to leave them at home) for a mailing that I hadn't quite finished before I left.

I was here to seek the King.  But as is not atypical for me, I get distracted by seeking the Kingdom.

I love the calling.  But I also need to love the Caller.

But as I began to process, I wondered: Licking envelopes / Being WITH God. 

Two opposite things?  Or two sides of the same coin?

At first, I thought that the behaviors of Mary and Martha are actually two sides of the same coin.  It's not an either/or.  It's not a good versus bad. 

If we live our lives only as Mary, nothing gets done.  

If we live our lives only as Martha's, we miss being with the King. 

But then I realized that there is a third option. One MUST come before the other. First I love the King and spend time WITH the King. And from there, I work to seek the Kingdom. The order matters.

Of course, I know my prayer partner understands the need to lick envelopes and appreciates that all work can be done as an act of worship.  

But he also knows my tendency to be Martha rather than Mary.  My tendency to want to get "stuff" done BEFORE I sit at the feet of Jesus.  My "what's next" approach to life can generate good work, but it can also be problematic.

My tendency is to do life "for" God instead of life "with" God.  And the danger in that is that the work becomes an idol.  It puts God's mission before God Himself. You become so busy SERVING that you miss BEING.

I know that I have to be intentional to listen. 

At my retreat, I spent a considerable amount of time in an amazing labyrinth that took me forty minutes to complete. I focused on being quiet and listening as I walked. What a delight to be silent and just be with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  What a joy to lie on the ground at the center of the labyrinth and just view the sky. What a joy to be reminded of the call to joy.

What a gift.  I call silent retreats my vacate-tion.  They are the gift of no obligations, no shoulds and oughts, no talking...just being.  True rest for soul and body. I highly recommend them.

Indeed, it would be a shame to go through life seeking the Kingdom and missing the King.

I do desire His Kingdom to come and His will to be done, but not as an end in and of itself.  The goal is the fellowship and community with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  To know Him better.  To love Him better.  

I asked Him to show me where I need to improve to be a better disciple, and He graciously showed me three areas. He thankfully stopped at just three... for now... enough for me to work on, yet not be overwhelmed.

I didn't miss the King on this retreat. But because I love the King, I also seek His Kingdom. 

Oh, and just in case you are wondering, I did finish the mailing while on the retreat and then drove to the nearby town's post office to mail it out. But as soon as I got back, right back to silence.  I can do both.  But the order matters.

What about you? How do you make sure that you are not missing the King while seeking the Kingdom?

How to Watch Your Language Regarding the Sacred-Secular Divide

This week, DML is hosting its annual summit.  In even-numbered years, we gather in person, and in odd-numbered years, we gather virtually.  This year's retreat will be virtual, with every team gathering in their own country for a week-long retreat. We will meet together daily for four hours via Zoom.  

In total, we will have 220 people gathering from 25 countries.  We covet your prayers.

Our theme is "Whole Life Disciples," where we seek to make "whole-life missionary disciples, who are learning to live the way of Jesus in their context, at this moment."

Part of learning how to make whole-life disciples means learning to watch our language.  

Specifically, we have to learn to watch our language regarding the sacred-secular divide.

It's remarkable how often we use language that emphasizes a church vision rather than a Kingdom vision, subtly reminding the majority of believers that they are second-class Christians because they are not in "full-time" ministry.

So we work hard as a team to watch our language.  Here are some specific things that we pay attention to and seek to help our church leaders pay attention to:

(Table taken from BAM Global's BAM and the Church paper.)

When someone says:	What it might imply (not biblical):	Better words or concepts to use:
Called	Only some Christians are called, which sounds mysterious.	All Christians have a calling to serve in God’s kingdom and be salt and light in their daily lives.
Full-time ministry	Ministry is within a certain time rather than a lifestyle	Use an adjective prior to 'ministry.’ For example, ‘pastoral
Clergy/laity	Some individuals have a more important role than others.	‘Pulpit pastor’ and ‘marketplace minister’. We are a kingdom of priests.
Go to church	The church building is the primary place to worship God.	‘Church gathered’ (when in the church building), 'church scattered’ or ‘church sent out’ (when not in the building, but being the church every day).
Missionary	Special people, while other Christians are exempt from God’s mission.	We are all on a mission, though some are “Cross-cultural gospel workers.” Others go to their own workplace locally.
Worship	Often refers only to the songs we sing during the service when the church is gathered.	Worship is to be all of life. We do work as an act of worship, raising children as an act of worship, doing chores as an act of worship, etc.
‘The ministry’	Only one, and it is only within the church building.	Living a life on mission, ministry is a natural part of everyday life.
Evangelism	It is an event with a program.	Life-on-life evangelism in every place and space.
Discipleship	A program about doctrine for new Christians.	Lifetime learning to apply God’s work and be obedient to Him.
Money as the root of evil	Implies that money itself is evil, but money is actually neutral.	We can worship God through how we use our money. Wealth creation is part of the covenant.
Commissioning	Sending out a few people who are selected to work for God.	All Christians are sent by God to be on mission every day.
‘I’m not gifted in evangelism.’	Used as an excuse to not share Christ with others.	All Christians are called to share Christ with others, but we need to understand that there are different ways to do this.

As you enter this week, may you remember that when God created the world, He declared that all of it, in beautiful synergy, was very good.  When we participate in God's creation and do it for His glory, there is no distinction between sacred and secular.  So together, let's break it down - watch our language as we speak!

A Forgotten Truth Rekindled in Trinidad and Tobago

Last week, I had the privilege of being on the beautiful island of Trinidad and Tobago, located approximately 7 miles off the coast of Venezuela.

The week started a bit rocky with Americans being warned about going to Trinidad, as some Trinidadian fishermen had been killed by American drones a few days earlier. Thankfully for us, that unrest died down fairly quickly, and we were able to travel without too much worry.

The goal of the trip was to share the theology of work with the New Testament Church of God, in partnership with the Network for Christians in Business. We have been partnered with this organization for just over a year.  The Executive Director is Ladi Franklin, and I have known her for some years, back to my time with Partners Worldwide.  She is a follower of Jesus, a businesswoman and entrepreneur, and has served Trinidad very well over the years.  She has had a hunger for the church to engage with the marketplace for some time, so last year I went there for the first time to introduce a theology of work for churches.  

This visit was a fruit of that seed planted, as the New Testament Church of God responded to the message and has been seeking, over the last year, to begin discussing it more and disseminate it further within their denomination.  Key leaders from both denominational and marketplace leadership were gathered for this foundational workshop, and the dialogue was vibrant.  It is so important, we are learning, to have both groups in the workshop, as they help to bring a reality of both the challenge and the opportunity that exists for the church to engage the marketplace.  As is usual, we heard the same lament, this time by the head of the denomination, who said, "I wish I had known about this twenty years ago."  

While this is a statement of regret, it is also a statement of understanding and comprehension, especially that this is not a DML-thing...it is a God-thing. It is Biblical.  It is a forgotten truth.

Please pray for the New Testament Church of God as well as for the Network of Christians in Business as they seek ways to impart this message to all of their pastors and members throughout Trinidad and beyond. 

The extra fun part of this trip was that three others joined me: Dr. Colin Watson, who serves as the Vice-Chair of the DML board, and Lacey and Mike Faieta (Lacey serves on the DML board).  It was nice to see DML's work through the eyes of board members and to spend a good deal of time debriefing and processing our work in real time.  

We also had (for some of us) the first time experience of a 5.2 earthquake while we were there - it was over before we really realized what it was, and we were thankful for all those in the area that it wasn't worse!  

Reciprocity: The Work of Gifts

I know what you might be thinking...this title has an error!  Normally this blog is about the "gift of work" rather than the "work of gifts."  

But no!  This was not a mistake!  This post is about the WORK of GIFTS. 

Let me explain.

The best gifts I've received in my life have evoked an emotion of some sort (a memory) OR they have unleashed my potential, stoked my curiosity, or prompted me to interact with the item in some way.  Consider books, musical instruments, gardening tools, kitchen tools, and gifts that lead to hobbies, among others.  These gifts lead to work in some way.  And this is good!

There's an episode from a comedy show that illustrates this connection.  The main character laments about a gift that he received, saying, "I know you think you are being generous, but the foundation of gift-giving is reciprocity...You haven't given me a gift. You've given me an obligation."

I believe the same is true of the gifts the Father has so generously given us - gifts of time, treasure, and talent.  When God gives us these gifts, there is an implied expectation of reciprocity - using them for the flourishing of this world for His glory.

This is shown very clearly in Ephesians 4:11-13, where gifts are given to the church:

11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. (Emphasis mine.)

These gifts are not to be confined to offices, titles, or positions, but rather are for the equipping of the body of Christ. These gifts grow as they are given away (learned with practice).  Some of you may remember that two years ago I did a series of blogs on these five-fold gifts, as I believe that every believer needs to "work these gifts/muscles" in all five areas, regardless of where they work, so that they are ready when the time comes to use it  These gifts are not to be held but to be given away.

Likewise, think about these examples:

• The greatest gift we have been given is salvation through Christ.  But upon receiving this gift, we are then compelled to give it away.  We are not simply recipients of this gift.  What we are saved FROM, we are then saved TO!
• God blessed us by entrusting the earth to us in Genesis 1:28. He blessed us and then commanded us to cultivate it.  The blessing in this verse is an equipping.  He gave a gift and then told us to get to work!

The mistake we make when receiving a gift is to keep it for ourselves or do nothing with it.

I know that sometimes in my life, I received a gift that I was unsure about.  I didn't think it was a good fit for me.  I believe that many of us do the same with some of the gifts from the Father, like the gifts of growing our ability to be an apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, or teacher.  Maybe I don't feel like a prophet or evangelist - I'm not sure those are a good fit for me.  But these aren't optional - they are what is needed for us to reach unity and grow in maturity.  The Gift-Giver, God, is the giver, and He will now ask us to do something and then not provide the means by which to do it. 

Ultimately, the main gift that we are given and that we are to give away is love.  We love people by being pastoral, teaching, speaking truth (being prophetic), sharing about Christ (evangelism), and living as ambassadors (being apostles/disciples).  Whatever we do and how we do it (like the packaging on a gift) doesn't matter, as long as the gift is received for what it is, and the person learns how to use that gift by giving it away.

The work of gifts.  

Indeed, it is an obligation.  But it is good.  We have been loved so much, and because of that, we are compelled to love others.  Let's keep the cycle of gifts going by giving them away.  Let us not hold onto gifts or blessings, acting as the only recipient, thereby stopping the cycle.  Let us not hold on to things, protecting, keeping, and preserving them, rather than giving them away.  Giving them away is risky.  It takes work.  It takes energy.  

But it is what we have been made to do.

The work of gifts.

May God help us.

Conversational Stickers: Work as Worship

One of the great joys in 2025 has been the DML team's crisscrossing of countries and borders.  While I was out on my recent trip to Tanzania, Zambia, and Ethiopia, our partner from Burkina Faso (Pastor Theo) was bringing the message to Chad and to the DRC.  

Upon his return, he sent the following piece to the rest of the DML team regarding the "Work as Worship" stickers that we share to remind people to do their work "as unto the Lord."  We have these stickers in French, Spanish, and English, and when put on phones or computers, cash registers, or desks, they serve as a good reminder of the opportunity to live our lives as an act of worship, but they also serve as a conversation starter.  

I thought that Pastor Theo's examples and encouragement of how he is doing this were too good not to share.  And if you would like to have some stickers to carry in your wallet to pass out, please email me (renita@dmleaders.org) and I would be happy to send some to you!

I wanted to share a little experience on another way we could utilize the “Work as Worship” stickers.

I used to struggle with starting a spiritual conversation with people seated next to me on my various trips. The challenge lies in how to just start it.

But with the stickers of “Work as Worship”, it is becoming easier.

I will start by asking about how the fellow is doing, and our conversation will naturally lead to sharing the purpose of our travel. Typically, before I even ask about his profession, he will inform me, as people often travel with a purpose related to their profession.

That opens a great door for me. I will pull up my stickers and tell him that I am travelling to speak to people on how they should do their work.

Note that I will not mention that I am a pastor, because when you say that, the person might not be free to continue the conversation.

Here are three cases I wanted to share from my recent trips.   

1.  At the airport in Addis, I met a young man as I was waiting for my next flight. He is from DRC. I told him that DRC is the most blessed country because God, by His handiwork, has put everything there. But for the people to enjoy that blessing from the Lord, they need to join God in His work. That young man became so engrossed in the conversation, and he confessed to me that he had just been released from prison in India after years of incarceration. He is also a smoker, and he desperately wants to break free from it so that he can be a blessing to his country. I shared some testimonies with him about how God has delivered people from those challenges, and he confessed his faith in the Lord at the airport. I then prayed with him. He was so glad afterward, and we exchanged phone numbers. I am entrusting him to a pastor in DRC.

2.     The second person is a Kenyan woman athlete going to compete in Malaysia.

Our conversation began when I told her that I am from Burkina Faso, and I asked her where she is from. When she told me from Kenya, I shared that I have been going around speaking to people about something that started in Kenya: Discipling Marketplace Leaders, and then I pulled out the “Work as Worship” sticker. I started sharing with her on how Christians are called to do their work or compete in a running race as an act of worship. She told me that she heard about Work as Worship in Kenya, and then I prayed for her as she is going to compete.

3.     The third meeting was with two policewomen at the airport who were trying to get some money from me. I was even amazed that one policewoman said I should bring the receipt for the projector, and I tried to explain that it is a working tool, as I use it with my laptop to project my presentations. She said she did not know about projectors. Well, after these two women said I should bring 20 USD, which I did, I noticed that they were Christians. I then pulled out the stickers and began explaining how Christians are to do their work as an act of worship. They became mild with a sense of regret when I started sharing.

The task is great, but we need to push back the darkness in the marketplace through Christians who become really light.

God bless you. 

Thank you, Pastor Theo, for these examples and for your willingness to share in so many situations!

From Workbenches to Mission Fields: The Ethiopian Church on the Move

Greetings from Asheville, North Carolina, where I'm attending the forum for the Global Alliance for Church Multiplication, part of Campus Crusade for Christ.  This is a network of more than 110 global church planting organizations.

The last stop of my recent trip to East Africa was in Ethiopia, with most of my time in Wolayta Soddo, about 320 km outside of Addis Ababa.  Our relationship with the Ethiopian Kale Heywet Church (EKHC) goes back to 2016, as the first formal denomination with whom we partnered.  At the time, they had 10,000 churches, 10 million members.  Today, they have approximately 14,000 churches and more than 12 million members.  

The DML leader for EKHC, Yoseph Bekele, had a marketplace ministry on his heart for years before meeting DML, and because of this calling from God on his life, the ministry has flourished.  Yoseph travels to more than 70+ villages and towns every year - that is more than one per week - to share the message that work should be done as an act of worship.  He hosts a TV show for EKHC twice per week to teach this message.  He has brought the teaching to the youth ministry, men's ministry, women's ministry, and family ministry.  He teaches that poverty is not the lot of Christians and that our generous God seeks for his people to flourish and to be generous as well.

And that message is landing with changes that are noticeable.  

Last week we met with newly elected leaders of the denomination (who supervise 10,000+ fulltime ministers and 30,000 elders) to ensure that they also have an understanding of the theology of work and to hear many testimonies of believers and church leaders who are seeing the impact of working "as unto the Lord."

In Wolaita Soddo alone, there are 48 EKHC churches.  Together, the business people have formed an association that numbers more than 3,000, gathering regularly to encourage, equip, learn, and share.  They are seeing business growth and jobs being created.  

And they have planted 155 churches, sent 370 missionaries (with a goal of reaching 500 missionaries), and built seven homes for widows.  

Amazing.  

When the church is unleashed from the building, it's amazing what can happen.

When people are affirmed that their work is part of the mission of God - that their role is not limited to paying for and praying for the "real" work of the church which happens in the building - it's amazing what can happen.

Thanks to the partnership of many of you, we placed four additional fulltime DML leaders in four regions of Ethiopia, and with God's help, we hope to add seven more next year.

I can't even share all the testimonies and stories that we heard, but I will share one more.

In several countries now, a theology of work has entered into prisons, and Ethiopia is one of those countries.  Most prisoners are expected to work and there are sometimes opportunities for them to earn some money by doing so.  When the message reaches these prisoners that their work matters to God, and that they can contribute by doing their work as an act of worship, things begin to change.  Work gets done with excellence, with joy, and with integrity.  And one person shared that the prison where they are serving has now sent six missionaries.  The prisoners are pooling their limited resources, seeking to be a blessing for others, and are coving the costs of these missionaries.

Absolutely amazing.  Only God.

It's how He made us to work in harmony and cooperation for the building of His church, to His glory.

What a joy to watch, listen, learn, and participate.

The visit in Ethiopia ended with meeting with two other denominations who want to get started with DML.  Up until now, the EKHC has consumed all of Yoseph's time, but the pressure has been increasing, and we think the time has finally come for him to share some of his time with other churches.  

As always, we ask for your prayers in this!

Lastly, we also ask for your prayers for Ethiopia.  Inflation has been very significant in the last few years (resulting in EKHC just approving a 100% salary increase for their staff!), and democracy is also struggling.  You can read more about this in this article but it is worrisome for the citizens who experienced a few good years of change and now see that slipping away.