WEDNESDAY’S WORD – MARKETPLACE – 03/28/18 – Sadell Bradley – New Life Covenant Cincinnati

My husband, Sherman recently launched GoodFit, a consulting and training company that focuses on issues of race, diversity, inclusion, and implicit bias. For decades, Sherman has championed the cause of the poor as a former Vice President of the City Gospel Mission’s homeless shelter, by sponsoring training and HopeFest events through Consider

the Poor, and as a National Trainer for Aha! Process’ Bridges out of Poverty. Of late, we both have been drawn into the difficult subject of race as changes in the climate of the US have shifted. We’ve been involved in strategic conversations with leaders in faith and secular communities (e.g. Mosaix Multi-Ethnic Church Network, and MORTAR Cincinnati) to strategize how we can ALL act to bring solutions to what seems impossible. Christ followers know that NOTHING is too difficult for God. (Jer. 32:17; Matt. 19:24-26) We choose to engage the MARKETPLACE – the arena of competitive or commercial dealings; the world of trade. One third of our lives is spent in the workplace. Most Americans invest MAYBE an hour per week in church. This Washington Post Article stated, “even on Sundays, Americans spend more time grooming themselves than they do praying or going to church.”

Contrary to popular belief, the MARKETPLACE is our Mission field. Most clergy are bi-vocational, working in secular environments. Churches with over 1,000 members are only 2% of the US Church population. The idea that all preachers have fancy homes, cars, planes and full bank accounts is false. We are committed servants of Jesus and His Kingdom…with additional jobs that may have a greater reach. The Church, or ekklesia in Greek meant the political assembly of citizens to discuss legal matters. The New Testament Church’s gatherings, or assemblies of called out believers occurred in homes or the temple courts. In the US, house churches have recently had a resurgence. “Church” was not a descriptor of a building or religious service, but of the people

who congregated to “devote themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” They saw signs and wonders, shared possessions and meals. (Acts 2:42-47) Believers in Jesus Christ are ‘called out’ or separated from the darkness of sin and the world to bring the light of Christ. (1 Pet. 2:9; Matt. 5:13-15)

God chooses MARKETPLACE leaders, to be His deliverers and disciples: tax collectors, entrepreneurs, fishermen, politicians, prostitutes, and soldiers. Certainly the LORD also called prophets and priests, but even Jesus was a carpenter and Paul made and sold tents. The ‘world’ that we are commissioned to go into (Mark 16:15) is a marketplace, full of buying, selling and engagement in issues from which we are not to shy away. Daily, ministry occurs through educators, health professionals, entertainers, scientists, financial gurus, non-profit and social sector employees. Until we embrace the value and impact of Vocational Missionary assignments the way we do Global Missions – we will not win the world for Christ.