Vocational Discipleship

Dr. Mike Business & Faith ,
“And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” Luke 9:23 ESV

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What is your favorite church program? Sunday school, women’s ministry, choir, praise band, small groups, bible studies, missions, etc. My answer may surprise you. The reason why may even challenge your #1 choice.

Of all the programs I have been associated with over the last forty plus years, the one with the greatest impact in my life and in the life of many others is discipleship. Not just being mentored on how to live in Christ, but how to live each day in the workplace with, in, and through Christ. So when we speak about vocational discipleship, we are emphasizing how to integrate faith with our vocational calling.

The reason vocational discipleship rates so high in my book is it takes every area of one’s life into consideration. Most of us will spend more than a third of our waking hours working in the marketplace. When one practices the discipline of following Christ through mutual submission with another believer who likewise has surrendered his business kingdom to our Lord, personal and cultural transformation is exciting to witness.

Through discipleship one learns and puts into practice leadership, serving, giving, loving, communicating, and over one hundred other attributes that imitates our Triune God.

So when vocational discipleship is the prime program of every church, members exercise their gifts and talents for God’s glory and for the sake of others in the immediate church community as well as outside their four walls. Church becomes more relevant when one sees how God is involved in everyday life within the marketplace. In addition, vocational discipleship lays the ground work for saints to capture more ground for God’s Kingdom. Church becomes a 24/7 activity.

The believer grows to trust and rely everyday on God’s faithfulness and grace through the challenges and opportunities presented in the marketplace. When You see God move through the workplace each day, your faith and witness becomes stronger. You learn leadership by following your King’s lead. As you follow the Spirit’s lead, you relate with others by how God relates with you.

So if you have time to become involved with only one church program, my recommendation is vocational discipleship. If your church doesn’t have such a program, maybe the time has come to start one.

Rooting For You in Christ!

Dr. Mike

Founder & Executive Director
Marketplace Bible Institute
& Resource Center, Inc
Author of e-Books:
 *  Great Business Emulates a Good God
 *  Be Radical…Follow Christ!
 *  Simply The Messenger
 *  Unequally Married

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Infectious

Dr. Mike Kingdom Paradigms , ,
“And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” John 20:22 ESV

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C. S. Lewis once stated that we can’t teach the Divine life, it must be caught. It took me many, many years to realize what he meant.

Like oxygen, we need to breathe it in to catch it.

Jesus stated it in another way. We need to be born again (Jn. 3:5). He also prayed that we would be one with him and his father (Jn. 17:11). Again, indicating that something must happen first before we can truly experience the divine life.

When one catches this divine virus, one’s heart begins a process of renovation. The Jeremiah heart of stone (Jeremiah 17:9) turns into a Spirit infected heart (Romans 5:5). The mind begins a transformation to rethink its position in the world (Romans 12:2). One’s perspective of reality shifts into a Triune God worldview.

Life takes on a new purpose. Meaning & values become align with the work of the Great Designer. The divine infection leads to a divine marriage relationship between the universe’s Greatest Lover and yourself.

You can’t teach this via rules, principles, or lectures. It is only caught when you hang out with the Creator of your soul. How about making today one of those days?

Rooting For You in Christ!

Dr. Mike

Founder & Executive Director
Marketplace Bible Institute
& Resource Center, Inc
Author of e-Books:
 *  Great Business Emulates a Good God
 *  Be Radical…Follow Christ!
 *  Simply The Messenger
 *  Unequally Married

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Why Make The Commitment?

Dr. Mike Kingdom Paradigms
Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” Luke 9:62 ESV

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Without commitment, rarely anything good happens for the long term.

Without commitment, there is no personal growth.

Without commitment, trust is questioned.

Without commitment, goals are only dreams.

Without commitment, love doesn’t bloom.

Without commitment, friendship is shallow.

Without commitment, a business is surely to fail.

Without commitment, a marriage is only a negotiable contract.

Without commitment, God is only an idea.

Without commitment, treaties between countries is a fantasy.

Without commitment, laws are only a suggestion.

Without commitment, excellence is never obtained.

Without commitment, accountability is waived.

Without commitment, faith is an illusion.

Our Triune God sets the standard for commitment. He made the commitment before the foundation of the world to birth a new humanity (Ephesians 1:4). No matter how often mankind messes up the process, He is always faithful. His commitment for us is revealed each day. How about you? What is your commitment level?

Rooting For You in Christ!

Dr. Mike

Founder & Executive Director
Marketplace Bible Institute
& Resource Center, Inc
Author of e-Books:
 *  Great Business Emulates a Good God
 *  Be Radical…Follow Christ!
 *  Simply The Messenger
 *  Unequally Married

Encourage your friends…share this with them.