The Other Six Days by R. Paul Stevens

I have been preparing a series of lectures on everyday theology for the School of Christian Studies, and it has given me the opportunity to revisit a wonderful book by Regent College Professor, Paul Stevens: The Other Six Days.

Stevens’ thesis is that we have a series of misinformed divisions that impact on our ability to think holistically about life. These include the division between clergy and laity, between ‘ministry’ and secular work, between jobs and ‘calling’, and between ‘mission’ and people going out into the world.

It is a provocative book, because it challenges some of the concepts on which our churches and spiritual leaders uncritically operate.

He begins with a discussion of the laity, which he says the church generally views as the object (rather than subject) of ministry: “They receive it, they pay for it, promote it and perhaps even aspire to it.” Yet this is an artificial distinction. Stevens points out that there is no expression of ‘laity’ and ‘clergy’ in the Bible, simply laos, the people of God.

There are historical reasons for the distinctions, but primarily Stevens sees the problem as an “incomplete Protestant Reformation” because:

• The Reformation was more concerned about soteriology (salvation) than about ecclesiology (the church)
• The preacher relaced the priest
• The Catholic seminary system was eventually adopted
• Kingdom ministry has been almost totally eclipsed by church ministry
• Ordination is still retained almost universally for the fulltime supported church worker; and there is no adequate recognition for lay ministries outside the church

In that last point we see a challenge to the use of the word ‘ministry’. While typically the word is used of church-based activities, Stevens points out that biblically it is any work that honours God, and adds to or sustains the Kingdom. Hence Esther was ministering, when she responded to the task of calling the King’s attention to the plight of the Israelites. The disciples were ministering when they prepared the room for the Last Supper; or followed Jesus’ command to fish, or transported him to the other side of the lake.

Ordinary activities are transformed when they are seen through the lens of the wider work of God.

In the section on “Calling in a Post-Vocational Age”, Stevens examines the idea of vocation and calling; and how it is now applied almost exclusively to a fulltime Christian worker role. It was the Puritans who made a distinction between the general calling to become a Christian (which happens initially), and the particular call to a certain act of service (which follows). The Puritans did not make a distinction between everyday work and professional Christian work in terms of particular calling.

Stevens argues that there is a call to humanity to acknowledge Christ, then a Christian calling which has many dimensions including to the congregation, the family, Sabbath, society, neighbour, and also a personal call.

He also adds some further ideas of a creation mandate (to steward and sustain God’s creation), and a covenant mandate (the general ministry of reconciliation to God and each other). His biblical analysis in this section is too detailed to go into in this review. He comes up with three roles for us: communion with God, community-building, and co-creativity (designing, caring for and sustaining creation).

This brings us to the last misunderstanding, the idea of mission. Stevens redefines ‘the Lord’s Work’ from proclamation of the Gospel, to all the work of reconciliation in enhancing communion, community-building and co-creativity. His definition of work is “purposeful activity involving mental, emotional or physical energy, whether remunerated or not.” What makes it ‘working for God’, is whether or not it brings honour to God. His example of working includes all the ways that God works in the Bible:

Making, adorning, separating, organising, cultivating, beautifying, improving, fixing, redeeming, renovating, informing, announcing, revealing outcomes, healing breeches, making peace, helping, sustaining, being with, communicating worth, celebrating, expressing joy, making beautiful things, imagining, dealing with evil, designing, planning, enlisting, empowering, consummating, entertaining, welcoming, providing a context, showing hospitality, serving, and bringing to a conclusion.

How rich is the working within those verbs! How rich are our lives with doing God’s work.

Stevens makes a further helpful Trinitarian distinction between Father work: stewardship, Son work: Kingdom ministry, Spirit work: giftedness and empowerment.

He also provides a moral dimension, with good work being defined as good for the world, good for the neighbour and good for us.

This book is incredibly encouraging, by reclaiming the value of the work we do from Monday to Saturday. My work raising my children, preparing meals, reading books, writing reviews, listening to my husband, encouraging a friend, going along to a wedding, looking after my body, making a donation, managing a netball team, preparing some lectures, proofing a document, caring for my parents’ house, buying a birthday present, serving on Canteen Committee, writing a reference for a friend’s daughter, meeting with a mentor… is all seen by God, and measured as Kingdom work by how much it models His character, obeys His commands, and brings honour to His name.