The Place of Believers and Faith in the World of Work

Author: Victor Markus
Book Title: Believers in the Workplace: Embracing God’s Calling Amidst Work and Daily Life
Publisher: Impact Empire Limited, Kaduna.
Year: 2023
ISBN: 978-978-780-860-3
Pages: 76

Victor Markus’ Believers in the Workplace: Embracing God’s Calling Amidst Work and Daily Life is a book with many strengths and only one or two weaknesses. I will start with what I consider as a weakness; then largely focus on what makes this book important and worthy one. It is important to point out that in terms of methodological approach, Victor’s masterpiece should not have been this brief, with limited sources or references and without Bible Commentaries involved which gives better interpretation of the Scripture beyond the layman’s assumptions, considering the author’s academic background, and its relevance to the body of Christ. I hope he expands on it in his second edition, to further impact and enrich the experience of his readers.  

The author, Victor Markus is a vibrant, dedicated and purpose-driven person who hails from Rumaya, Kauru Local Government Area of Kaduna State. He came from a disciplined family, his parents worked and retired as teachers with the Kaduna State Ministry of Education haven rose to the Directorate cadre. Today, his father, Markus Moloom, is the Village Head of Galadimawa, Rumaya. The author’s dedication and vast experience in the pursuit of knowledge and bettering existence led him to the achievement of great feats at many institutions and domains that his life revolved around. He holds a first-class degree in Biochemistry from Kaduna State University; and it was this outstanding academic performance and destiny that earned him scholarship with the Kaduna State Government to further his studies abroad, where he progressed to getting an MSc and PhD in Medical Biochemistry at Near East University, Cyprus. He now lectures at same University as an Assistant Professor of Medical Biochemistry.
Victor is an astounding life coach and teacher. He maintains deep philosophies about man and existence and this, he predicates on the noble objective of upholding human existence while centring on love, growth and the identification of purpose, as well as sustaining its balance in a chaotic world. He communicates such essence and many more in his teachings and his other book; Breaking the Shackles of Failure: Proven Principles and Strategies for Academic Success (Impact Empire Ltd, 2014). In addition to his intellectual contribution to the world on how to contribute true and successful living, he is a pastor of a Christian Fellowship in Nicosia, Cyprus. 
As a writer, Victor breathes his rich experiences through his pen. The life one sees through his words is like a shepherd guiding his flocks not to trail off. His language usage is very rich and at the same time simply comprehensible and relatable to all. Throughout the chapters, Victor stylishly provides punchy snippets and lessons. His excellent style of writing stands to transcend a reader’s mind to another level of understanding. This makes his book, Believers in the Workplace, a must read.

Chapter one titled “Savour of His Knowledge” describes the life of believers as written epistles capable of attracting the unsaved to Christ. The reason being that believers are not saved to be confined to the church, neither are they called out to withdraw from the public space. Conversely, the believer is saved to reach out to the world, which cannot be realised from the pulpit of the four corners of the church. The writer emphasizes the need for believers to see the workplace beyond a means to livelihood and embrace it as a calling from God. Consequently, it becomes an opportunity to win souls for Christ. To achieve this, he encourages believers to allow Christ to live and manifest through them so that the light of the gospel can shine on their unsaved friends and colleagues and bring them to the saving grace of Jesus Christ. In addition, he urges believers to embrace their special gifts and uniqueness in Christ to foster positive changes in their places of work. But in order to realize this, the author contends that the body of Christ must rise up to the occasion, train believers en mass and release them for end time harvest (Eph. 4:11-15, Math. 28:18-20). 
In chapter two, which is titled, “The Way to Plenty”, the author compares the life of believers to the practice of agriculture, which requires enormous sacrifices that bring about joy at the fullness of time. Though a tedious process, the author assures believers that it is an investment that yields plenty, and not a loss, as pessimists might think. Drawing from the examples of the Lord Jesus Christ, he observes that His painful but worthy sacrifices during His earthly sojourn, brought salvation to helpless and hopeless sinners, who now have the hope of eternal life. In the same vein, believers are to consciously and deliberately make painful sacrifices toward the salvation of the souls of the unsaved in the Church and the workplace. For the author, the highest sacrifice the believer has to make for the cause of the gospel is to die to self and live for the Lord Jesus Christ alone.
Chapter three, titled “Kingdom Mindset”, explores the corruption of the concept of leadership and greatness in the body of Christ against the backdrop of the contest for greatness between James and John, which engulfed the rest of the disciples of Jesus (Math. 20: 21-26). According to the writer, the lust for power, affluence and influence among young ministers is aimed at lording over people, just as the rulers of this world do. He identified two factors behind the scourge; First, the interpretation of scriptures in isolation from the whole. Second, the personalization of revelation in a way that runs contrary to the unity of scriptures and its Christo-centric content. The author maintained that unlike in the world system in which those in positions of authority are meant to be served, the believer is a servant called to serve. In fact, faithful services provide ample opportunities for believers to reach out to colleagues in distress and let the light of Christ shines through them. He therefore admonishes believers to de-emphasize personal goals because their greatness lies in the fulfilment of the Great Commission.
In chapter four, titled “Reference Point,” the author reminds believers of the profound biblical truth that Jesus, the author and the finisher of their faith, is their reference point. He was obedient to constituted authority, exhibited self-control, and was also kind, loving and honest in all His dealings with people. No less is expected of believers if they are to draw men in their workplace to Christ. Although it has never been easy, the author highlights the significance of believers maintaining their kingdom’s moral compass in the face of temptations and pressures of the workplace, achievable only through a high sense of integrity in the pursuit of their earthly professions. For as Jesus endured all persecutions and the sufferings of the cross, and was thereafter elevated above all else, so shall all believers receive great rewards for long suffering in obedience to Christ in the workplace (Heb. 12:1-3; Math. 5:10-12).  
Furthermore, chapter five entitled “Christ our Worth,” draws the attention of believers to the fact that material possessions and the frenzies of the contemporary world are too small to being their worth. He opines that the worth of believers is the Lord Jesus Christ, who has purchased them with his precious blood that does not diminish over time as material possessions do. Therefore, believers’ desires have to change and their eyes fixated on only things of eternal value. He encourages believers not to downgrade their relationship with God due to career pursuits, which is often considered a measure of one’s success. Doing so will give the devil access to their lives, leading to pride, as exemplified by Uzziah who once feared God but lost track with purpose when he rose to eminence and was distracted by his lust for material possessions and the pride of life (2 Chr. 26:16-21; 1 Pet. 18-19).
The sixth chapter of the book is titled “Christ our Lord.” It cautions believers against the tendencies of prioritizing and enthroning career successes over their love for God and service in His vineyard. The author views the worldly concept of success as unrealistic because it is relative and continues to change. Hence, success for the believer who enjoys freedom in Christ is pleasing God, by doing His will at all times and in all places, so that the Father can be well pleased. Victor acknowledges the challenges that arise from working out a balance between family life, faith life and professional life and offers practical strategies for effective time management, getting priorities right and maintaining healthy boundaries.
Chapter seven entitled “Faith beyond Visible Results” is the conclusion of the book. It advises believers to resist the pressure of producing results at all cost because God is the one that blesses their labour of love in the kingdom. He states that whether their efforts yield visible results or not, God who sees and knows their hearts and intentions, will reward them accordingly at the right time. By implication, what moves God in the services of believers is faithfulness in obedience to Christ, while bearing fruits of righteousness.

Significance of the Book to the Contemporary Society
On the whole, the book uses simple language, which makes it very easy to read and understand in a world where time is precious. In a more complex and hyper technological driven world, where almost everybody is in a hurry, the author’s master-piece is such that one would not feel bored reading. It is thought-provoking and provides pragmatic encouragements and guidance for believers to live out their Christian lives alongside their professional lives, without having to resign their appointments in tandem with widely held conventions, which has increased the dependence of preachers on their members or vice versa. Another significance of the book is that wherever we are we should pursue excellence and contribute positively to the development of our work place. Thus, it is a valuable resource for Christians who seek to fulfil purpose in their workplace while upholding their Christian values in a more capitalistic and complex world that is characterised by corruption, false teachings, exploitation, obliteration, domination and insecurity.  It is equally a nexus between Christians’ faith lives and career pursuits and provides useful and incisive insights on ways a balance can be achieved. This is because the work of ministry is the responsibility of all believers, not the exclusive reserve of the five-fold ministers as often misconstrued. Little wonder why it has received endorsements from preachers and academics in different parts of the world. I also second these endorsements. This book is one that all should read and live by it.
  
Dr. Ibrahim Danmaraya is with the Department of History, Kaduna State University, Kaduna, Nigeria.