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Church in the Workplace: How God's People Can Transform Society

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It's difficult to be succinct with a review when the book in question covers so much "debatable" ground. This is the case with Wagner's latest, The Church in the Workplace.

To be fair, Wagner seems to have his heart in the right place. He thoroughly believes that the church must be "extended" out of the sanctuary and into the workplace. He echoes the thoughts of many (myself included) when he argues that the "clergy/laity" chasm has done more harm than good and that the one who serves God in the 9-5 is just as much a minister as the professional pastor.

But it's in the details where Wagner throws caution to the wind and comes off very UN-scholarly for a former Fuller prof.

So, before you buy this book, be aware that Wagner is attempting to establish a new way of thinking for many believers, a shift that mimics his own theological journey since leaving Fuller. This new paradigm includes:

1. A shift from premillenial theology (the Kingdom of God is still to come) to Dominion or "Kingdom Now" theology (the Kingdom has already come but the church is not taking advantage of it).

2. A shift in mission for the church (from "making disciples" to "social transformation")

3. A shift in church government (from all current forms to the "New Apostolic Reformation")

4. A shift in economic philosophy (from a cautious and often complex view of biblical economics to a full-fledged, unashamed approach to the "prosperity gospel" endorsed by many Charismatics).

It may be hard to believe for some, but the list above is not hidden between the lines of the text. Wagner boldly and unapologetically seeks to make the case for each of these ideas, often times mutilating key passages of Scripture in the process.

To his credit, though, Wagner admits to being a "doctrinal minimalist" and to being more concerned about "pragmatics" than "theology or exegesis."

So if you're looking for a solid, biblical mandate for the faith@work movement, this is the wrong place to look. Instead, Wagner spends his energy trying to establish a "phenomenological" argument for his theory of why social transformation must take place but has yet to come to fruition. The key, according to Wagner, is power and money. Once "workplace apostles" are in position and wielding their proper "God-given authority," they can begin the process of transferring wealth out of the "world" and into the Kingdom of God.

If the above points inspire you, then you'll love Wagner's book and you should buy it now. If you are concerned by some of the points above, then you might want to drop by your local bookstore to browse through the book before coming back and making your Amazon purchase.

I don't question the motives or background of this well-known Christian author/celebrity, but if the plan proposed in this book is followed to its logical conclusion, authority in the "church" belongs to whomever makes the most money. He equates success with financial achievement and criticizes people who see faithfulness as the standard of good stewardship.

The book starts in a solid enough way, talking about how one can serve God in any arena. This idea has been around since the Reformation in one form or another. But progressively, as he builds his case he deviates from orthodoxy, concluding with a call for doctrine to be minimized by a "workplace apostle" whom administers the "church" in a superficial manner.

Throughout the book he makes assumptions, some of which are not true, others are up for debate. All are speculative. For example he assumes Luke was a "workplace apostle" since he was a physician and didn't work in a traditional church setting. If this was such an important arena it's odd that the Bible didn't cover it and explain how a "workplace apostle" functions. Wagner goes into elaborate detail about the function of a "workplace apostle" without any supporting Scripture. Of course, he takes excerpts from Scriptures when they suit his purposes. Context needs to be addressed more accurately in these cases.

He also assumes that business organizations are operated much more efficiently than traditional church entities. This is just plain naivete! The world is FILLED with dysfuctional organizations that are mismanaged. He cites frustrated executives who come to church board meetings and see how they need to increase efficiency, as if these people had all the solutions on organizational effectiveness.

He also criticizes churches for being too relationship oriented, while businesses focus on getting results. Well, some of the profit maximization comes at the expense of treating people with dignity. Anybody that's been in the work world for any length of time knows this.

Some of the things he says are valid such as the church is a living organism that isn't limited to a formal organizational structure. But the book is just filled with grandiose ideas that are nonsense. His research seems very biased. His sources primarily are business people who think they know more about managing an organization than traditional church leaders. I was disappointed in this proposed paradigm shift which is not based in Bible teaching. It sees profit-making as THE measure of success and authority.

As a doctoral candidate, I am presently researching the topic of marketplace ministry and what role church leadership should play in the acceptance of non-traditional church ministry. Dr. Wagner's book has proved to provide a tremendous insight for me on various levels. Throughout this informative book, Wagner goes onto explain the historical reasons for this great divide between what he refers to as the "Nuclear Church" (the traditional church) and the "Extended Church" (the church in the workplace). He discusses in detail the reasons for this divide, including: Biblical foundations and mandates, prevalent church leadership attitudes toward workplace ministry, the importance of unifying both of these camps, and what steps he believes should be undertaken to bridge this great divide. This can also serve as an ideal reference book on the topic of church growth!

Dr. Wagner frequently cites other authors and researchers whose work on this topic has contributed to keeping this book in proper balance and thus minimizing his risk of being labeled as merely sharing his own opinions. With Dr. Wagner's extensive theological background and his many years of practical ministerial experience, I would highly recommend this book to be read by all ministers who earnestly desire to better understand the spectrum of what the apostle Paul's charge in Eph. 4:12 means and for all seminary students who seek to better understand membership's interests and values in their future congregations. Fine job Professor Wagner!

Wagner is an expert and proponent of the "faith and work" movement, and in this book seeks to share a paradigm shift which builds a bridge between the "nuclear" church and the "extended" church. Wagner aims to be visionary as well as practical, encouraging workers to understand their call to serve and receive God's anointing in their work.

While I can't fault his motives or zeal, the book did come across as very one-sided, and Wagner is not shy in describing some of the changes he feels need to happen in the church. The most dangerous of these is what seems to be a shift away from the core of the gospel message towards one more strongly focused on social transformation. Likewise, traditional emphasis on character and the fruit of the spirit are supplanted here by a strong emphasis on the gifts of the spirit - most importantly the power gifts of signs and wonders. Also, there is a call to a new (or a return to) apostleship leadership, in this case workplace apostles. As an example of the level of speculation and unique "lenses" used in the book, several pages are devoted to describing Luke and Lydia as workplace apostles and trying to make the case they were married.

Again, I don't fault Wagner for having such a one-sided opinionated view, but potential readers need to understand this upfront. Those not already committed to the idea of becoming apostles in the workplace might do better in their quest for information on ministry in the workplace to consider Why Work? Called to Make a Difference, Anointed for Business, or 9 to 5 Window. (The latter also takes a strongly charismatic view but overall Hillman's treatment is more balanced.)

Peter looks at applying one's faith primarily through the lens of gifts and power rather than character, love and skills. Despite the obvious weaknesses of a single charismatic approach he adds some insight to the debate. However, as usual, he looks at the business world as though it should be a church service.