Investing & the Pyramid of Christ
If God has called you to business, don’t lower yourself to become a pastor! What? Can you say that? Well, we often tend to grade professions in higher or lower spiritual levels. It is quite universal. Many even use the term ‘full-time ministry’ for some people and categories, like missionaries and pastors. Thus, we implicitly say that the rest of us are not fully serving God.
This kind of thinking, and categorization, comes from the mental paradigm that divides the sacred and secular. It compartmentalizes the ‘spiritual work’ we do, from our daily jobs and activities. Thus, it is ‘more spiritual’ to evangelize than to do dishes, and Sunday is more important than Monday.
But Jesus didn’t have this split idea or practice. He didn’t change hats or persona when he proclaimed or demonstrated the Kingdom of God. No, it was an integrated whole. It was not two disconnected categories: evangelism and social concern.
Most of us are quite familiar with the Biblical concept of the Body of Christ. We have different callings, talents and roles, which are good and complementary, under the Lordship of Christ.
But we tend to think, talk and act as the Pyramid of Christ. I have shown the following graph on all continents, for thousands of leaders, in business, church, missions and academia. Nobody has ever seen it before, but all recognize it. How come? It is a deep-rooted mental (and wrong) paradigm.
Pyramid graph designed by Roudha Munawar, Pakistan
On the top of the pyramid, we have those in “full-time ministry”, pastors and missionaries. But if you can’t make it to the top, it is good if you at least can work for a charity or Christian organization. Next level down are the ‘nice people’, those in people caring professions, like doctors, nurses, teachers, and care givers.
But the vast majority can be found at the base: janitors, web developers, housewives, students, CEOs, and all the others who just get on with life and work.
However, then we have the ‘worst’ of all: the business people and their cohorts. They are not even on the pyramid; they are under it! They are dealing with ‘Mammon’, they operate in the marketplace where there is greed and corruption. But lo and behold, we will forgive them (and not ask any questions!) if they give a lot of money to folks on the top of the pyramid. (Please note the irony, which will continue a little bit more)
Then we may organize a church or mission conference, and we challenge people to climb the pyramid, to really serve God in full-time ministry, which you do on the top.
Do you recognize this? I am not asking if you agree or approve.
Now, the good news is: there is no pyramid to climb. Whatever God has called you to do, is your highest calling. That’s why we tongue in cheek can say: if God has called you to business and investing, don’t lower yourself to become a pastor.
“Whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord.” (Col. 3:23, NKJV)
Let’s be the Body of Christ. Let’s connect Sunday with Monday. Investing as mission is taking our Sunday talk into a Monday walk. It is about proclaiming, demonstrating and extending the Kingdom of God, to all peoples and all spheres of society. To the ends of the earth. To the greater glory of God.
Mats Tunehag
