Monthly Devo - Making Tents and Disciples

“After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them, and because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them.” – Acts 18:1-3

We have been trained to categorize things in life as sacred or secular. Sacred things include: attending church, bible reading, prayer, preaching, and teaching etc. Secular things include: housework, cooking, manual labor, most forms of work, sports etc. There is a growing opinion that the dichotomy between sacred and secular is a false one. Perhaps a better way to think about the things we do in life is to reflect on how we are approaching it. Is Jesus in the center of what we do? If Jesus is in the center of all we do, that changes everything.

In his popular book “Practicing the Presence,” Brother Lawrence writes about experiencing God’s presence and love while doing kitchen tasks, like cutting vegetables and washing dishes, just as deeply as when he is in prayer.

This conversation is complex, but the main point is that God can and does show up where ever he is welcomed.

When Paul went to Athens he began working with other tentmakers named Priscilla and Aquila. What went on in the days that he worked with them isn’t recorded, but we can assume that as Paul worked with them he shared the good news of Jesus and discipled them as he was working with them. For Paul it did not matter if he was making tents or preaching in the synagogue — he was always making disciples. Priscilla and Aquila became some of the most important people in the New Testament, helping plant and shepherd churches and accompanying Paul in some of his journeys, and this relationship happened through business!

In One Collective we engage in social enterprise because we believe it is a powerful tool to give people access to jobs and dignity, but also because we believe, like Paul, that it can give people access to Jesus and lead to true transformation.

Derrick

One Collective Disciple Making Strategist