TheJewishPhenomenon(MindShiftSeries)

..thereforeifwehaveapostlesandprophetsinthenuclearchurch,welikewisehavethesentonesin theotherandperhapsbiggerchurch,whichholdshermeetingsfromMondaytoSaturdayinthemarket place.ThesearethosewhohavebeencalledintotheministryofAPOSTLESOFTHEMARKETPLACE. Theyarenotlessspiritual,lesscompetent,lesspotentorlessstrategicastheirpeersinthenuclear church OneofthesubjectsIenjoyedinschoolwasTechnicalDrawing.Iparticularlylikeddrawingorthographic projectionsof3Dobjects.Atypicalprojectionconsistedof3viewsorperspectivesfront,sideandplan viewswhichwhencombinedtogether,couldbeusedtoreconstructtheoriginal3Dobject.Asingle viewofanobjectwouldconstituteapartialtruth,whichisoftentimesmisleading.Thissimpleanalogy providesgreatinsightintooneofthemostsignificantchallengesfacingthesoldiersofGodskingdom today. JohnBeckett,inhisbookLovingMondayidentifiedtwodifferentmindsetsbywhichGodspeople approachedlifeGreekworldviewsandtheHebrewMindset.BeckettarguedthattheGreekscouldnt getawayfromtheconceptofdualism,theideaofhigherandlowerplanesofideasandactivities.Plato (AforemostGreekphilosopher)wasoneoftheclearestonthis.Hesoughttoidentifyunchanging universaltruthswhichheplacedinthehigheroftwodistinctrealms.Thehigherrealmhecalledform therealmofeternalideas.Thelowerrealmhecalledmattertherealmofthetemporalandphysical. TheproblemstartswhenPlatodecidestoplaceworkandoccupationinthelowerrealm. Thisishowmanyofusregardwork.Weseeitasanecessityoflifeforearningaliving,butalsoseeitas somethinginferiorincomparisonwiththehighroadofChristianministry.Manyhavebeen programmedtomakecleardistinctionsbetween:Spiritualvs.Worldly,Sacredvs.Secular,Churchvs. World,Clergyvs.Congregation. However,whatwemaynothaverealizedisthatthebiblewasnotwrittenfromaGreekworldview,but fromaHebrewone!Greekthinkingtendstocompartmentalizeandstratifyalloflife.Ontheotherhand, Hebrewthinkingtendstoconnectandintegratealloflife.Greeksseelittlerelationshipbetweencosmic forces(spiritual)anddailylife.Hebrewsthinkspiritualforcesanddailylifeareconstantlyinteracting. TraditionalChristiansbelievetheHebreworientedbible,butourGreeksidewantstoseparatesecular fromspiritual.Indoingso,workfallsintothesecular,whileChristianministryfallsintothespiritual. ForHebrewsontheotherhand,bothworkandChristianministryhonorGod.Interestingly,theHebrew wordforworship,Avodah,isalsotranslatedworkinthebible.Imaginetheconceptofworkbeinga formofworship! StevenSilbiger,inTheJewishPhenomenonpointsoutthatforJews,wealthisagoodthing,aworthy andrespectablegoaltostrivetoward.Whatsmore,onceyouearnit,itistragictoloseit.Judaismhas

neverconsideredpovertyavirtue.ThefirstJewswerenotpoor,andthatwasgood.TheJewishfounding fathers.Abraham,IsaacandJacob,wereblessedwithcattleandlandinabundance.Asceticismandself denial(inthesenseofstarvationandlack)arenotJewishideals.Withyourfinancialhouseinorder,itis easiertopursueyourspirituallife. ThisideaisvastlydifferentfromtraditionalChristianattitudestowardswealthandbusiness.Infact,I believethebodyofChristingeneralhasbeenunderthespellofaperniciousspiritofpovertythathas beenpassedthroughthegenerationssincethemonasticmovementofthemiddleages.Wemaynotbe abletograspthedignityofwealthandworkuntilweredeliveredcollectivelyandindividuallyfromthis evilspirit. HereareremarkablestatisticsonJewishAmericans,whocompriseonly2%oftheAmericanpopulation. 45%ofthetop40oftheForbes400richestAmericansareJewish(2006) 20%ofprofessorsatleadinguniversitiesareJewish 40%ofpartnersatleadinglawfirmsinNewYorkandWashingtonareJewish. 25%ofallAmericanNobelPrizewinnersareJewish. Lessthan0.1%ofAmericanprisoninmatesareJewish. The%ofJewishhouseholdswithincomegreaterthan$50,000isdoublethatofnonJewsintheUS Dataliketheseforceustoaskquestionslikehowdidthiscomeabout?TheansweristhattheseJews thinklikeGod!Inorderwords,JewshaveaHebrewmindset.Theyarenotundertheoppressionofa GreekorientedmonasticheritagelikemanyofusgentileChristiansare. Romans12:2makesclearthatwecanbetransformedbytherenewingofourminds.Weneedtothink differently.WeneedtostartbyshiftingoutmentalparadigmfromtheGreekworldviewtotheHebrew worldview. OurGreekmindsethascausedustofallintothetrapofwhatEdSilvoso,theauthorofAnointedfor Business,callsthe4lethalmisbelievesconcerningchurchministryandbusiness.Theyare: 1. 2. 3. 4. ThereisaGodordaineddivisionbetweenclergyandcongregation Thechurchprimarilyoperateswithinthetemple(churchbuilding) Peopleinvolvedinbusinesscannotbeasspiritualasthoseservingintraditionalchurchministry TheprimaryroleofmarketplaceChristiansistomakemoneytosupportthevisionofthosein theministry

AsweengineerandpropagateaMindShiftintofullviewandperspectiveofGodsintensedesirefor kingdominfluenceintheworkplace/governance/business,wewillfurtherdistanceourselvesfrom sucheviltraditionalbeliefsandembraceTrueKingdomideals.

ThekingdomofGodincludesbutisnotlimitedtoourcurrentideaofthechurch.Thekingdomexists wherevertherearethoseforwhomChrististheirKing.Ithasnogeographicalorpolitical boundaries.ThatswhyJesussaidthatthekingdomofGodiswithinyou(Luke17:21).Everysingle ChristianhasamandatetoadvanceGodskingdominhissphereofinfluence.Idaresaythatsome ofwhatwedoinadvancingGodskingdomwouldbedoneinthenuclearchurchbutmuchofit wouldbedoneoutsideofthe4wallsofthenuclearchurch.i.e.inthemarketplace.Thereisachurch onSunday(thenuclearchurch)andthereisChurchfromMondaytoSaturday(theextended church).Thesearenottwochurches.TheyarejustinstancesandmanifestationsofGods communityondifferentplatformsbutwiththesamemandateandrulebook.Christsdefinitionof theChurch(Mt16:18)isEkklesiawhichsimplymeansthepeopleofGodnothingmore,nothing less! Thereforeifwehaveapostlesandprophetsinthenuclearchurch,welikewisehavethesentonesin theotherandperhapsbiggerchurch,whichholdshermeetingsfromMondaytoSaturdayinthe marketplace.ThesearethosewhohavebeencalledintotheministryofAPOSTLESOFTHE MARKETPLACE.Theyarenotlessspiritual,lesscompetent,lesspotentorlessstrategicastheir peersinthenuclearchurch. AdetayoBamiduro bamtayo@gmail.com @adetayobamiduro(Twitter)