WORK AS WORSHIP
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
EMERGING TREND!
Is God at work in American business? You decide.
Are you interested in the latest trends and behaviors in American business? If so, you might find this particular subject of interest. It involves the spiritual "revival" taking place across the nation right now. Hundreds of large US corporations now have Workplace Chaplains on their payrolls, an emerging trend as caring employers strive to meet the needs of personnel desiring to have access to spiritual direction whenever it's needed.
A Wall Street Journal survey revealed a 50% dissatisfaction rate among executives and 80% dissatisfaction rate among general workplace population. A University of Michigan research study revealed that more people turn to the clergy than to any other profession whenever they need help. According to another study, released by the Harvard Business School, for every dollar spent incorporating some type of Spiritual Enrichment Program into an organization's Employee Assistance Program yields a $4 return in increased loyalty, productivity and happier employees.
Business-oriented publications have taken notice as well:
"... a mostly unorganized mass of believers--a counterculture bubbling up all over corporate America--who want to bridge the traditional divide between spirituality and work. Historically, such folk operated below the radar, on their own or in small workplace groups where they prayed or studied the Bible. But now they are getting organized and going public to agitate for change." - Fortune Magazine, July 16, 2001
"People who want to mix God and business are rebels on several fronts. They reject the centuries-old American conviction that spirituality is a private matter. They challenge religious thinkers who disdain business as an inherently impure pursuit. They disagree with business people who say that religion is unavoidably divisive. - Fortune Magazine, July 16, 2001
"Today, a spiritual revival is sweeping across Corporate America as people of all stripes are mixing mysticism into their management, importing into office corridors the lessons usually dolled out in churches, temples, and mosques. Gone is the old taboo against talking about God at work. - BusinessWeek Magazine, November 1999
BIBLICAL PRECEDENTS
From Heaven's vantage point, ministry in the workplace just makes sense. Why? It's where we spend a major portion of our lives. As spirit-beings enduring this earthly experience, we cannot separate the two and expect to employ happy, productive employees.
Jesus knew this, of course. In the New Testament, of His 132 public appearances, 122 were in the marketplace. Of His parables, 45 had a workplace context. Of the 40 divine interventions recorded in the Book of Acts, 39 took place in the marketplace. Jesus spent his adult life as a carpenter, taking orders, producing and delivering a product. He did so until age 30 before he went into His preaching ministry in the workplace. To assist Him, Jesus called 12 workplace individuals - not clergymen - to build His Church.
Work IS Worship. In fact, the Hebrew word "Avodah" is root for word from which we get BOTH the words work and worship. Work in its different forms is mentioned more than 800 times in the Bible, more than all the words used to express worship, music, praise, and singing combined.
QUOTES OF NOTE BY CHRISTIAN LEADERS
"The spiritual manifests itself in a life which knows no division into sacred and secular." -Oswald Chambers
"Spirituality in the workplace is exploding." - Laura Nash, Business Ethicist, Harvard University
"I believe one of the next great moves of God is going to be through the believers in the workplace". -Dr. Billy Graham.
"God has begun an evangelism movement in the workplace that has the potential to transform our society as we know it". -Franklin Graham
"God is marshalling his people in the workplace as never before in history. God is up to something. The next spiritual awakening could take place in the marketplace." -Henry Blackaby
"Workplace ministry will be one of the core future innovations in church ministry." -George Barna, Boiling Point, Regal Publishing
"Our surveys reveal that 90-97% of Christians have never heard a sermon relating biblical principles to their work life." -Doug Sherman, author, Your Work Matters to God.
"The church in the workplace is the purest form of the body of Christ today due to its diversity. Workplace believers are less prone to denominational differences because they have a common goal of representing Christ in their workplaces. The movement will break down denominational barriers that have been held in the past." -Os Hillman, International Coalition of Workplace Ministries
"Indeed, as with first-century Christianity, it all begins in the marketplace, where the disciples of Jesus daily rub shoulders with the lost." - Bill McCartney, Promise Keepers, Anointed for Business, Reqal Publishing
"In today's global community, the greatest channel of distribution for 'salt and light' is the business community... the marketplace." - Bill Pollard, Chairman, ServiceMaster
AN OVERVIEW OF THE FAITH AT WORK MOVEMENT
Many are referring to this workplace phenomenon as the "Faith at Work Movement." The secular media was among the first to recognize its impact.
In November 1999, Business Week reported:
"Historically, such folk operated below the radar, on their own or in small workplace groups where they prayed or studied the Bible. But now they are getting organized and going public to agitate for change. People who want to mix God and business are rebels on several fronts. They reject the centuries-old American conviction that spirituality is a private matter. They challenge religious thinkers who disdain business as an inherently impure pursuit. They disagree with business people who say that religion is unavoidably divisive."
In 2004 and 2005, major secular media also did stories on the trend. On October 31, 2004, the New York Times Magazine featured a cover story on Christianity in the workplace entitled "With God at Our Desks." The article stated:
"The idea is that Christians have for too long practiced their faith on Sundays and left it behind during the workweek, and that there is a moral vacuum in the modern workplace, which leads to backstabbing careerism, empty routines for employees and CEO's who push for profits at the expense of society, the environment and their fellow human beings." -Russell Shorto, "With God at Our Desks," New York Times Magazine, October 31, 2004, p. 42.
Subsequent features have appeared in the London Times, Boston Globe, CBS Morning News, the BBC, Atlanta Journal, CNN, National Public Radio, CBN's 700 Club, Los Angeles Times, and the Charlotte Observer, to name a few. On March 31, 2005, CNBC aired a one-hour story on faith at work. The international media has also taken note with stories or features appearing in major media in Hong Kong, Germany, England and France.
HOW DOES A BUSINESS GET STARTED?
OK, so you've heard the reports and you agree there is a definite "need" within your own organization.
Now what?
As many can attest - and as the armed forces have known for generations - a Chaplain could be exactly what your staff is needing. Contrary to many presumptions, having a spiritual resource available to your team is NOT a threat to your workplace environment. A Workplace Chaplain won't be praying at the water cooler or preaching in the break room. In fact, whenever needed, a Workplace Chaplain will try and find Buddhists, Rabbis, and other spiritual leaders for those employees who would feel more comfortable with them, or stand by them as they seek more specialized help such a drug or alcohol treatment. Workplace Chaplains serve in every situation and serve employees with or without a religious background. They are available to deliver death or injury messages to family members after accidents, provide pastoral counseling, perform funerals and weddings, talk to employees about workplace issues, and make hospital and jail visits.
When a Workplace Chaplain contracts with a secular company, the employer informs Employees they can call on him/her whenever needed, but they are under no obligation to do so. The presence of a minister is not meant to set a religious tone to the workplace. Chaplains make ministerial visits to their designated workplaces, getting acquainted, checking in and chatting with willing employees. One Workplace Chaplain said, "As a Workplace Chaplain, one day you'll be talking to a guy about last night's game, but the next day they might seek me out to talk about his wife leaving or his cousin in the hospital." He says that the trust built makes workers feel comfortable in confiding problems, and that unexpected life events often drive workers to seek out his services. "They do it by email and Instant Message all the time. I think they're most comfortable that way AND they can remain anoymous."
Secular companies hire Chaplains because they believe it increases productivity to provide support to employees who need it, and cuts down on workplace discord. Rather than being a part of management or perceived as a co-worker who might gossip with other employees, the Chaplain is someone neutral who can listen to employees' concerns, with the assurance of confidentiality. Layoffs, downsizing and the recent publicized instances of workplace violence have contributed to increased stress in the workplace in recent years and business owners are keen to the need for this kind of spititual assistance in the workplace.
WHAT WILL A WORKPLACE CHAPLAIN COST?
The cost of this resource varies with the size of a company but the truth is, there's probably nobody on your payroll whose presence will make such an impact on your bottom line. One key to the success of this type of ministry is that an employer must allow time for relationships to be established. A Chaplain's fee is generally tax-deductible as a Consulting fee and will vary from business to business. In today's workplace environment, one thing is certain: it appears it's more expensive to an organization NOT to have a Chaplain on board.
Every blessing,
Michael Tummillo
Founder, The Church @ Work
ANOTHER STORY FROM THE WORKPLACE MISSION FIELD
Stacey (not her real name) was a pretty young lady, early 20's. She called me from the front door of her workplace as I walked toward my car, preparing to make the 3 1/2 hour drive home.
"Pastor Mike...!"
I wheeled around and saw her slowly walking toward me, looking a bit apprehensive, tears already welling up in her eyes.
"Can I talk to you?" she sighed. "I've been wanting to talk to you for three months," she said, with a desperation in her voice - one I've become all too familiar with. Seems most people are feeling quite desperate when they finally come to me for prayer or counsel.
We went back into the building and her Supervisor, a Christian man I knew well, based solely on the looks upon our faces, said, "Why don't y'all use my office?" as he stepped out into the hall. I nodded in gratitude.
Stacey began sharing her story. Three years earlier, while driving with her brother in the passenger's seat, they were hit by another car. He was killed.
"I feel like I murdered him," she cried as she dabbed her eyes with a tissue.
He'd been a star athlete at the high school and the whole town turned out for the funeral. The burden she'd been carrying since that day was unbearable. Everywhere she went, she felt people were talking about her. Blaming her. She even stopped attending church and, when no one from church reached out to her, that inactivity only confirmed her suspicions.
As I spoke with her, comforting her, she sobbed deeply. She acknowledged she'd probably been listening too much to the devil's voice and not enough to the Holy Spirit. We prayed and she cried some more. It was a 3-tissue session, for sure.
As time went on, she left that workplace. She moved on to attend college and her Supervisor let me know how she'd been progressing.
I've thought about that meeting quite often over the years. I wonder how many people have experienced trauma they haven't dealt with. How many had giants they hadn't yet slain. How many will carry their burdens to their graves as they ignored the elephant in the living room and re-played the video they wish they could forget?
Help is available. If nothing else - if you can't open up to anyone you know where you live - send me an eMail at miketummillo@me.com. I'm here to help.
Every blessing,
Michael Tummillo
Founder, The Church @ Work
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Workplace Stress: top cause of workplace sickness dubbed Black Death of 21st century!
According to an article in the UK DailyMail, stress has become the most common reason for a worker taking a leave of absence, a report reveals today.
Experts said the psychological condition had become so widespread that it was the "21st century equivalent of the Black Death."
Stress has even eclipsed stroke, heart attack, cancer and back problems, according to the report from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.
Jill Miller, an adviser to the institute, says the report "highlights the heightened pressure many people feel under in the workplace as a result of the prolonged economic downturn."
Cary Cooper, the co-author of a recent book about stress, "The Science of Occupational Health," drew a distinction between pressure and stress. He says the former is "stimulating and motivating" but becomes stressful when "it exceeds your ability to cope with it." The example I often use is this: "Stress is the term applied to the point at which a bending pencil or twig snaps."
Professor Cooper, who is based at the Lancaster University management school, said stress was signalled by changes in behavior. Typically, these include finding it difficult to focus, losing your sense of humour or losing your temper more quickly than normal. In later stages, stress can manifest itself in over-eating or under-eating as well as smoking or drinking to excess."
Cooper said, "Short periods of it are manageable, but it can lead to serious health problems, such as heart disease or stomach and bowel problems, if it persists. Given the fact we are in a downturn, workers have an intrinsic job insecurity. There are fewer workers doing more work,’ added the professor. People are suffering from presenteeism [working long hours simply to impress the boss], which affects their home life. Stress is the 21st century equivalent of the Black Death."
SICK, SICK OF WORKING, OR SICK FROM WORKING?
The most common causes of stress for workers are an excessive workload, the management style of a boss, restructuring in the workplace, and problems at home.
The CIPD report shows that a typical worker has 7.7 days off each year due to sickness, typically from minor illnesses such as colds, flu, stomach upsets, headaches and migraines. State workers, who make up one in five of the workforce, take two more sick days on average than private sector workers – 9.1 days compared with 7.1 days.
A separate report, from accountants KPMG and the Recruitment and Employment Confederation, warns that the jobs market is set to nosedive. Bernard Brown, a partner at KPMG, said: "It is only a matter of time now before we move from a growth position to one of a contracting jobs market."
According to the American Institute of Stress, job stress costs U.S. businesses “more than $300 billion annually due to increased absenteeism, employee turnover, diminished productivity, medical, legal and insurance expenses and Workers’ Compensation payments.” That’s ten times the cost of all strikes combined, the organization says.
Though there are no cookie-cutter methods for reducing workplace stress, a University of Michigan study revealed that employees would rather talk with a clergyman than a therapist or psychologist. I still marvel that, although many companies are reluctant to allow a Workplace Chaplain onto their campuses to serve the needs of their Employees - an act that is proven to reduce stress, increase loyalty, and reduce absenteeism - they don't hesitate to request Chaplaincy services during a disaster such as a stressed Employee who "goes postal" and murders a handful of coworkers before killing himself.
Could YOUR organization utilize the resource of a Workplace Chaplain? Whether it's a monthly visitation, or a quarterly in-service presentation, let me know if I can be of service to your personnel.
Every blessing,
Michael Tummillo
Founder, The Church @ Work (TCAW)
Saturday, May 26, 2012
THREE QUESTIONS...
1) Do you know anyone ELSE who has, or anyone who WANTS, a job? What if YOU were the conduit God wanted to use to get His message from Heaven's throne to mailboxes across the globe?
2) Do you know anyone who could use some encouragement regarding their spiritual purpose for clocking-in every day?
The odds are, yes, you do!
3) Do you know any Christians who are wondering what their role in the Kingdom really is? Sadly, many actually believe they were blessed with a job merely so they can out more in the Offering Plate!
God is looking for willing vessels. He's looking for Kingdom-Builders, individuals who really "get it" and want to be part of what the Holy Spirit is doing in the place we spend SO much of our time. He can do great things simply through one person willing to click their mouse for the Kingdom's sake.
So, Click for the Kingdom! Join the Kingdom Clickers RIGHT NOW!
HERE'S HOW IT WORKS...
STEP ONE: Send a eMail with the word "CLICK" in Your Subject Bar to miketummillo@me.com
STEP TWO: When you receive a message from THE CHURCH @ WORK, send it FORWARD to others! TAH DAH! Mission accomplished!
With over 13 years with an Internet Ministry, I can assure you, there is ALWAYS someone in Cyberspace who desperately needs a particular message. This give ALL OF US an opportunity to change lives with the click of a mouse.
No special training!
No special skills required!
No age requirements!
JOIN US NOW!
Every blessing!
Michael Tummillo
Founder, The Church @ Work
Friday, May 25, 2012
She was a high-powered executive, with a corporate office located in a ritzy north Dallas location. She'd built a vast business empire in the property industry.
One of her properties was a185-unit mobile home park south of Dallas in no-man's land. I was that Park's Manager.
Once monthly, I would travel to the corporate office for a meeting with this woman to go over my property's records, etc. The last time I was ever there, her pretty, 20-something daughter came in and handed her some papers. As the young lady turned to leave the room, two men entered, introducing themselves as Detective So-n-so and Detective What's-His-Name. The placed her daughter in handcuffs, read her rights and dragged her off. Stunned, when my boss asked the detectives why this was happening, she was told, "Check forgery."
In an instant, this tough business woman was transformed into a weak, pitiful, dazed and confused mother.
She plopped down in her big leather chair and, with a blank stare, looked at me through tears and said, "What would you do, Mike?"
I encouraged her.
I prayed for her and her daughter.
Not only was I never called to the corporate office again, but I was favored by my boss when an employee from another property called her to complain about the "revival" that was happening among her staff members at the various properties throughout the city. This was before eMail and texting so all my communications with coworkers were by phone and Fax, mostly questions they had when they needed some answers after a staff Bible study on their property they'd taken part in that day, or something they heard from their church's pulpit that didn't sit right with them. By phone, I was warned about this employee's complaint by a friendly coworker who said our boss would be calling me about the complaint.
Her call came while we were still speaking.
She greeted me, asked how things were going and said "good-bye."
That was it.
We weren't on the phone 30 seconds.
I know what it's like to allow the Holy Spirit to move within the workplace.
I understand the challenges and the resistance that can arise as a result of lifting up the standard on the job.
I can attest to the good and the bad - and the THRILLING results -
of allowing Jesus Christ to be Lord of the place we spend the majority of our day.
I have experienced the vitally important ministry of blending secular and sacred in the workforce
and seeing lives changed as a result.
Does the Lord desire to work with and through YOU, too?
I guarantee it!
Are you available?
Every blessing,
Michael Tummillo
Founder, The Church @ Work (TCAW)
miketummillo@me.com
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