We all have different work to do. Yet, no matter what our particular calling is, we share in the general vocation of Christ. We Christians have been placed in the service of Christ. He has taken us into his life and work. The general vocation to which we are called is to bear witness with Jesus Christ to God's salvation. We bear witness to Christ in word and deed; proclaiming the release of captives, the recovery of sight for the blind, the rescue of the oppressed, the favor of the Lord. We call all people to repentance for the forgiveness of sins in his name. We summon the world to faith in Christ. We proclaim the bearing away of sin which he has accomplished. We oppose the forces of evil and injustice.

In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus sent his disciples out to proclaim in word and deed what he himself proclaimed. He told them, "Whenever you enter a town…heal the sick in it and say to them, 'The kingdom of God has come near to you.'" This is a summary of the ministry of Christ. The first disciples were called to participate in Jesus' mission, not their own, and so are we. In this respect, the whole community of faith has the same vocation as witnesses to Jesus Christ.

In obedience to God through Christ, our lives are lives of love for the world. God loves the world, and scripture tells us that Christians are to walk in love, love others, and, above all else, put on love (see John 3:16; Eph. 5:2; Gal. 5:14; Col. 3:14). The basis for this love is the self-sacrificial love of God in Jesus Christ. As the hymn in Philippians says:

If there is any encouragement in Christ, any incentive of love…Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross (Phil. 2:2-8).

God's love in Jesus Christ is for others. Therefore, the Christian life is a life of love for others. The Lord gives to Christians a general vocation, but he also gives to each of us special vocations. Lately, Christians have wondered how they can serve God. Often a new Christian, full of excitement, wants to serve the Lord and decides that he or she must find a job in a church or on the mission field. Today, it seems, so many Christians think that they must have some kind of “ministry,” a specialized kind of service which is dedicated to “spreading the gospel” or helping others know Christ better. Most of these people have regular jobs as computer technicians, receptionists, engineers, mothers raising their children, nurses, doctors, business owners, and the like. However, they consider these jobs as encumbrances, or as means to the end of their “real” ministry.

Calvin and the other reformers help us to understand that we do not need a special ordination, or Christian classification, for our work to be in service to God. Therefore, we pursue the knowledge of our work as far as we can, and perhaps discover new knowledge. We work with creativity. We seek to do our work to the best of our ability, not trying to slide by in order to receive a pay check. We do not neglect our particular employment in the name of some more “spiritual” work, or some other preferred work. God has given us a particular work to do and we serve God by doing that work. Calvin did not believe it was wrong to be wealthy, to benefit from the productivity of our work, or to enjoy the things that we have been given. However, he did believe that our work is done for others more than for ourselves. Our work is to be done for the welfare of others. We do our work so that we might have more to share with others who are in need, and that society may function and be improved. We do our work for the provision of our families, not primarily so we ourselves can have more toys. In all of our special vocations we serve God.::

What We Believe about: Community | Worship | Christian Vocation