Church in the Marketplace

I(Kyle) have been reading a book called Transformation by Ed Silvoso. The things I'll share about it are concepts that I hope to encourage Zambian businesspeople with and it might be difficult to take from me since I'm somewhat of a 'missionary' myself. Anyway, it is an exciting and challenging book that calls people in the marketplace (business, education, govt) to be ministers where God has put them. Instead of seeing your job as just a means to income, see it as a platform that God has given you to pray for and reach out to your employees, co-workers and customers. The book gives numerous testimonies of businesses and whole cities being transformed when people in the marketplace give their business or job to God. One such story is of a bank in MN. The night before it opened the VP and CEO prayer walked the facility and committed it to God. They offered prayer to their employees and it wasn't long before they all received Christ. The VP explained to his employees that they are all ministers to their customers and they all began offering prayer to their customers as a 'free service.' In about two years, more than 60 miracles were recorded during business hours and more than 100 people received Christ at the bank. As a result the NY Times did a story on it and it became worldwide news.

So it all starts with prayer. Set aside time to pray for people that are in your sphere of influence especially if they do not know Jesus. The book combats the mentality that only pastors and missionaries are called to pray and share the gospel. We are all called to do this as we are all a part of the priesthood of believers. See yourself as a pastor of where you work and redeem the marketplace around you. I share this with you to encourage you to ask God how He wants to use you in your job. Commit your job/business to God and look for ways to pray for people around you. When people's needs are met by God they will want to know this God that you believe in.

Another concept that Silvoso stresses is that Church does not mean a Sunday service in a building. In the Greek Church simply means an assembly or gathering. So there needs to be more of the Church in the marketplace. Wherever there are two or three gathered in Jesus' name, God is present and Church is happening. As the Church and body of Christ we have been given authority through Jesus to reclaim what Jesus has already redeemed and bring Light into the darkness.

Jesus replied, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven."Luke 10:18-20. More to come on this passage.