Workplace Ministry (Market place ministry) is another expression of Tentmaking Missions.

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Johnny Chun / Executive Secretary of TI

   Lausanne’s Global Workplace Forum was held in Manila, Philippines last week.  About 900 delegates from

more than 100 countries attended the Forum and heard, studied , talked and discussed on the issue

“ Workplace Ministry.” Knowing that “Tentmaking Missions” actually came from the second Lausanne gathering

in Manila 1989, I was deeply moved and touched by the same or similar topic“ Workplace or Marketplace

Ministry” at the same city.

   Apostle Paul was a tentmaker, making real tents and selling them to provide for His ministry and his own financial

needs. In his workplace he was an effective and fruitful witness to the Good News of Jesus Christ. According to his example. a tentmaker is

a missions-committed Christian who works at a market place in order to reach another people group with the Gospel of Jesus.  
   We see many examples of tentmaking (workplace ministry) from the Old Testament like Abraham who was a sheep farmer in Canaan, or

Daniel who was a senior official or Nehemiah who was a secretary in Persin Kingdom.  All of these people were witnesses of God’s truth in

their individual work places.  

   Today’s missionaries and mission world face a lot of obstacles and difficulties to overcome. Opening the doors of many closed countries and

entering into the mission fields with a missionary ID is not easy. Developing the point of contact , building the relationship with the people

whom they meet in their mission fields, making them as the true disciples of Christ, all these things are not the issues that we easily can

handle.

   Tentmaker missionaries at their work places can have a more natural relationship with the people at their work places and they are also more accepted and welcomed to the people whom they meet daily.  

   With the people sitting on the same table, as a tentmaker, I had to raise some questions.

1. How are we going to meet and sustain a good relationship with the people at the work place?  (The point of contact)
2. How are we going to share the gospel at the market places where we spend much time?  ( Methods )
3. How are we going to follow-up and make or build the disciples of Christ at our work places? (Discipleship)

TI Leaders’ meeting

   TI Former chair Bob Lopez, Adviser David Lim from Philippines, Adviser Steinar Opheim from Norway, Christie from Srilanka and Executive Secretary Johnny Chun attended the Lausanne GWF and discussed on the future global tent-making movement.