It’s not often (in fact I can’t ever remember doing this!), that I write a sermon and then change it the day before. In this case, same title, just a different emphasis. Yesterday, I shared the abbreviated version of what I preached Sunday. Today, I’ll share the abbreviated version of what I didn’t preach – it will make a good sermon for another day.

It starts the same:

Let’s flip the script, and instead of talking about taking our faith to work, let’s think about bringing work to our faith.

By that I mean, “church” often carries a different set of rules from “work.” People can walk into a church on Sunday morning, turn off their brains, zone out, and walk out an hour later. That sort of behavior wouldn’t go over well at work. When folks work, there is…

• Commitment, which leads to…
• Competence, which isn’t sufficient without…
• Character. We develop Competence and Character through…
• Companionship (meaning one person “trains” another, but “training” doesn’t start with “C”!)

…and all of those things need to characterize our walk with God.

This story captures the essence:

George was a house-builder in Montgomery, AL, and by his own admission, life wasn’t going well for him. In July 2001, a friend, in the time-honored tradition of that part of the country, invited George to church. George wouldn’t agree to go until he found out that he didn’t have to wear a tie or sit in a comfortable pew where he might fall asleep! The service was a newly offered “contemporary” service, meeting in a fellowship hall furnished with the world’s most uncomfortable folding chairs.

George listened to the sermons, came back for more and started attending a men’s Bible study meeting at the church on Tuesdays at 6am. In December, at the Tuesday morning study, we presented the gospel clearly: “You can’t be good enough to earn God’s favor, but Jesus died on the cross so you can share his life. ‘The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.’ Romans 6.23.” George formally committed his life to Jesus and continued his commitment, bringing work to his faith. He grew in competence as he learned more about scripture and put it into practice. And his character improved to the point that his subs, the guys he built houses with, noticed that George was nicer, not so short-tempered as he was.

About a year later, in January 2003, I said, “George, you need to think about passing on what you’re learning to others.” In the language of this outline, “Be a companion!” His immediate response was that he wasn’t a public speaker. I explained that he didn’t need to be a public speaker; he just needed to share what he was learning over a cup of coffee.

So George went to a Christian bookstore, purchased some Bible study books, went to Hardy’s for some breakfast biscuits and invited his sub-contractors over to his house for breakfast and Bible study.

The last time I saw him, after we’d already moved back to Colorado, it was 8am on a Tuesday morning, George was meeting with 25 men in a clubhouse that they built. Of course, he’s not a public speaker! But he is a companion. He also prays with subs and employees in his office when they need it.

When Jesus said, “The harvest is plentiful and the laborers are few,” I think he’s saying, “Where are my Georges?” Jesus is looking for men and women who will bring work to their faith and then, of course, take their faith to work!