A Consideration of a High View of God and Our Relationship with Work in a Charismatic Context
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Digital Commons @ George Fox University Seminary Doctoral Programs Theses and Dissertations 2-2021 A Consideration of a High View of God and our Relationship with Work in a Charismatic Context Andrea Lathrop Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.georgefox.edu/dmin Part of the Christianity Commons GEORGE FOX UNIVERSITY A CONSIDERATION OF A HIGH VIEW OF GOD AND OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH WORK IN A CHARISMATIC CONTEXT A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF PORTLAND SEMINARY IN CANDIDACY FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF MINISTRY BY ANDREA LATHROP PORTLAND, OREGON FEBRUARY 2021 Portland Seminary George Fox University Portland, Oregon CERTIFICATE OF APPROVAL ________________________________ DMin Dissertation ________________________________ This is to certify that the DMin Dissertation of Andrea Lathrop has been approved by the Dissertation Committee on February 11, 2021 for the degree of Doctor of Ministry in Leadership & Global Perspectives. Dissertation Committee: Primary Advisor: Russ Pierson, DMin Secondary Advisor: Jason Wellman, DMin Lead Mentor: Jason Clark, DMin, PhD Expert Advisor: Jason Wellman, DMin Copyright © 2021 by Andrea Lathrop All rights reserved ii DEDICATION This research is dedicated to the amazing ministerial leaders who work hard to advance the Gospel and help the hurting. “May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully.” Ephesians 3:19 NLT iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to acknowledge my husband and two children, who lovingly bore with me through this process. Your support of me means more than I can possibly express. I want to thank my closest friends, especially Kristi and Nina, who have listened, prayed and pressed me as I wrestled with the structure and content of my thesis. For years, God has used you to shape me and I am eternally grateful. Specifically, I would like to acknowledge my spiritual mentor, Alicia Chole, who’s influence on my journey is not easily quantified. I am indebted to you all. I would like to thank Dr. Clark, the Portland Seminary team, and Drs. Pierson and Wellman for answering my questions, soothing my doubts, and calling me up to completion. The LGP9 cohort I journeyed with is part of my story forever and I am deeply grateful for the deposit of each one. I adore you all. The love of God has changed everything for me, and I pray it would continue to do the same for you. iv Table of Contents DEDICATION ...................................................................................................... III ACKNOWLEDGMENTS .................................................................................... IV LIST OF FIGURES ............................................................................................. VII ABSTRACT ....................................................................................................... VIII SECTION 1: THE PROBLEM .............................................................................. 1 PERSONAL CONTEXT ............................................................................................ 3 PRODUCTIVE PAIN ............................................................................................... 6 CONTRIBUTING CULTURAL FORCES ..................................................................... 9 Consumerism and Technology ........................................................................ 9 Burnout and Anxiety ..................................................................................... 12 Church Leadership Culture .......................................................................... 15 THEOLOGICAL FOUNDATION SKETCH ................................................................ 17 The Triune God ............................................................................................. 18 Creation Account .......................................................................................... 18 The Life of Moses .......................................................................................... 20 Ezekiel 34 ...................................................................................................... 21 The Life of Christ .......................................................................................... 23 SUMMARY .......................................................................................................... 26 SECTION 2: HISTORICAL SOLUTIONS......................................................... 28 PATRISTIC PERIOD ............................................................................................. 28 MONASTICISM & MIDDLE AGES PERIOD ........................................................... 32 THE RISE OF EVANGELICALISM & WORKING HARD .......................................... 36 Protestant Reformation ................................................................................. 36 Evangelicalism .............................................................................................. 37 Puritanism ..................................................................................................... 39 WEBER’S THESIS: CAPITALISM & WORK ETHIC ................................................ 44 PENTECOSTALISM .............................................................................................. 47 20TH CENTURY WORK THEOLOGIANS: BARTH & VOLF ...................................... 50 CURRENT CONTEMPLATIVE SPIRITUALITY SKETCH ........................................... 52 SUMMARY .......................................................................................................... 54 SECTION 3: THESIS .......................................................................................... 56 MAP-MAKING METHODOLOGY .......................................................................... 56 SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINE OF HOLDING TENSION .................................................... 58 Mandorla as a Map ....................................................................................... 61 Pentecostal Soteriology as Mandorla ........................................................... 63 THEOLOGY OF CONTEMPLATIVE ACTIVISM ....................................................... 65 Benefit of Better Motivation .......................................................................... 66 CHURCH STAFF DEVELOPMENT ......................................................................... 69 Staff Development as Personal ..................................................................... 72 Staff Development as Inclusive ..................................................................... 72 v Staff Development as Boundaried ................................................................. 73 Staff Development as Phased ........................................................................ 75 SUMMARY .......................................................................................................... 77 SECTION 4: ARTIFACT DESCRIPTION ......................................................... 79 SECTION 5: ARTIFACT SPECIFICATION ..................................................... 82 SECTION 6: POSTSCRIPT ................................................................................ 86 APPENDIX A: ARTIFACT ................................................................................ 88 APPENDIX B: RESOURCES ........................................................................... 104 BIBLIOGRAPHY ............................................................................................... 105 vi LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1-Mandorla ................................................................................................ 61 vii ABSTRACT This research explores the connection between the theological truth that God is not a user and how charismatic Christian ministerial staff change the world without exhausting themselves. Burnout and experiences of being "used" in fast-paced charismatic ministry is a reality that needs addressing with theologically sound ways of working and resting. It is not suggested that God does not use us to change the world, but that God is not an exploiter. There is great work to do and, concurrently, God is interested in us for far more than what we can produce. The first section describes the problem, suggests contributing factors from culture that exasperate the problem, and offers a consideration that a high view of God from Scripture is the antidote. Section two provides an overview of the Church’s historical responses to work and rest. Jesus lived the perfectly integrated life. But from the Patristic period on, Church leaders wrestled with whether the active or contemplative life is superior to the other. This section includes the unique contributions that Puritanism, capitalism and Pentecostalism bring to the tension of work and rest. In the thesis, I offer the solution that the ministerial leader needs to inhabit the tension of action and contemplation instead of resolving it. The beliefs and practices charismatics bring to working for God make it difficult to imagine themselves working with God, but a theology of contemplative activism could alleviate this difficulty. I explore ways in which ministerial staff teams can experience this, believing that a theology of contemplative activism for the charismatic Christian leader would result in less burnout, better action organizationally and deeper joy individually. viii 1 SECTION 1: THE PROBLEM This research project explores the connection between the theological truth that