Scaling & Surrendering our Ministry
Technical Program Manager at Google, Nick Kim, is one of 3 panelists speaking on "Exploring the Impact of Digital Work" during Work as Globalocal Mission 2021. Nick uses his personal experience working in Silicon Valley to exhort us towards a more innovative definition of ministry 2.0 in the digital age, and encourages us to surrender all of ourselves and our work to God.
Discussion Questions
Contributor: Alex Shih, Product Leader at Slack
Nick shares his perspective of work: that all things were created for God’s glory and his kingdom. This means that we can use our Java skills, accounting license, medical backgrounds, etc. for the kingdom of God. Nick shares the parable of the talents, saying that we are all called to grow and take care of the assets we’ve been given for God (Matthew 25:14-30). We can all multiply the talents as long as we offer everything to God, and let the Holy Spirit figure out the “how” of working things out. How does this perspective of work strike you? How may the pandemic have opened opportunities for you to offer up your skills to serve the kingdom of God?
Nick shares an example of how he partnered with friends to start Pray for Tech, saying that he saw a need to pray for Christians facing the challenges of Silicon Valley culture of “meritocracy on steroids,” which is completely opposite to God’s grace. He shares another example, in which he saw an opportunity to use the innovation framework he learned in Silicon Valley to partner with the Lausanne Movement to scale the Great Commission. Nick said these movements came about not because he was trying to do something with technology, but because he identified the need and let the Holy Spirit figure out the “how.” Through your walk with God, how have you seen him use your skills and talents--even the seemingly “secular” ones--to do his kingdom work?
Nick says that God calls us to surrender all of our lives to him, just as Christ surrendered his life for us. He challenges us to not only surrender everything, but to know what we’re surrendering. Take an inventory of all the things God has gifted you with, whether your time, money, energy, skills, etc., in this season. Which of these things are most challenging for you to surrender to God? Why are they challenging? How can these blockers be removed?
Nick reminds us to walk closely with the Holy Spirit and honor God, rather than trying to figure out the ways God will work or use us. What does walking with the Holy Spirit and honoring God--rather than figuring out how God will work through you--look like for you in this season of work?