As we begin the work of determining just what we need to be doing for and with God, we need a useful way to break down our complicated lives into small pieces or areas so we can look at them individually. You’ll see that we have chosen six areas or fields in which we all operate every day. They are:
1. Home
2. Work
3. Community
4. Wider world
5. Leisure
6. Spiritual health
7. Church life and outreach
Note: These areas of daily life are your daily mission fields.
As a side note, you may be interested to know that Martin Luther first named our fields of daily life (Robert Benne, Ordinary Saints, Fortress Press, 2003, Part III). He called them home, work, community, and church. With the much easier travel and communication that characterizes our times, we need to consider not just our local communities, but the larger world as well. We refer to it as the wider world and it includes everything from social norms to issues in government and voting. And, although we may feel harried, we’re still not working like the medieval serfs of Luther’s time, so leisure or re-creation has also been added to the list of daily life fields. Member mission recognizes the pioneering work of Mark Gibbs, a leader in the rediscovery of the daily ministries of each of the baptized, whose work reemphasized these areas of our lives and included both wider world and leisure. Member mission has added church to Gibbs’ list. Further, we see two parts to church life towards one’s spiritual health and how one’s share in church life and its outreach. While these are inseparable, we need to look at each by itself to give each the attention it deserves.
However, this may seem a bit overwhelming. After all, who has the time or energy to work in all these areas? And how do you even know what to do? The answer is that you are already working in these areas and are doing more as one of God’s agents than you may think you are. To make this clearer, take about 3 – 5 minutes to complete Activity 1 below. Just note what you are doing in each of the seven areas of daily life to make life there better more loving and more just. Don’t strain to write down big things but feel free to name even the smallest thing. It all becomes part of the larger picture. (By the way, if you reformat this activity or any activity that follows for use, try to allow about 3/4″ to a full inch for responses to each item.)
Activity 1: What I am doing right now to make the world a better place
(Note what you’re doing in each of the following seven areas to make life better more loving and more just. And don’t strain to write down only big things such as what you do as a volunteer in a hospital, or as an elected public officer, or as a courteous clerk. Name even the smallest thing such as always giving up your seat on the bus to an elderly person or being the one in your office who circulates birthday cards for others to sign. The key is for the activity to be habitual or usual. It’s what you try to do all of the time.)
1. Home (includes all in the family and close friends)
2. Work (includes home management, school, and volunteer work)
3. Community (neighborhood, town, or city)
4. Wider world (includes all aspects of the society, culture, economy, government, or environment in the county, state, nation, or world)
5. Leisure (any activity to rest or refresh yourself)
6. Spiritual health (your inner life with God and, and, so, any activity to meet your own spiritual needs)
7. Church life and outreach (your part: in your church’s life and its outreach in service and evangelism; or in the life of your district, diocese or communion in the U.S. or world wide church; or in inter church or interfaith activities)
Review what you’ve done, either alone or with your partner. Are there any surprises? You will probably find that you’re already at work for God! Wherever and whenever you work for love and justice, you are doing the Lord’s work. This workbook is devoted to making you better at it. You’ll focus your efforts better and be more ready to ask for God’s support and help in all you do.