Mel Lewis

23Sep 2024 by Mel Lewis

Fishers of Men

As Jesus walked along the Sea of Galilee, He noticed two brothers, Simon Peter and Andrew, casting their nets into the water, engaged in the daily work that provided their bread and butter. “Follow Me,” He told them, “and I will make you fishers of men.” Without hesitation, they left their nets and followed Him (Matthew 4:19-20). In this simple yet profound encounter, we see Jesus, the first Fisher of Men, inviting these ordinary fishermen into an extraordinary apostolic mission—fishing for souls for the Kingdom of God. This invitation wasn’t just for them; it echoes through the ages, reaching us today. Jesus still calls us to follow Him and draw everyone unto Him. So, how do we respond? Must we all leave our jobs to preach full-time? For some, that…

12Jul 2024 by Mel Lewis

When Staying is Obeying: Trusting God in Hard Places

In practice, teaching

‘The LORD appeared to Isaac and said, "Do not go down to Egypt; live in the land where I tell you to live. Stay in this land for a while, and I will be with you and will bless you..." [Genesis 26:2-3] Living here in The West, ‘famine’ feels like a far-removed concept. It’s something we might hear about in the news, but not experience first-hand. Well, that is when it comes to food. But none of us are immune from experiencing ‘famine’ in alternative forms. Shortage. Want. Unproductivity. Scarcity. Barrenness. Loss. Lack. Fruitlessness. Do any of these resonate across your life right now? In Genesis 26, we read that Isaac is experiencing famine in the land where he lives. In the PROMISED land - the very place where God…

14May 2024 by Mel Lewis

Supporting Mental Health in the Workplace

#workisworship, ekklesia, In practice

For this year's Mental Health Awareness Week, we have a guest blog post from trained therapist, Molly. Molly helps us think about practical ways we can support people in our workplace by intentionally following the loving and compassionate example of Jesus. As a Christian within the workplace, we all endeavour to reflect and represent Jesus in our everyday routine. We have a wonderful opportunity to demonstrate the values, wisdom, and guidance of our faith to colleagues through the way we carry ourselves. But if we want to be used by God to reach others we will need to get up close to them by investing in relationships, which can be difficult if workloads and stress distract us. This is why I believe INTENTIONALITY is key! Most jobs have some form…

03Nov 2023 by Mel Lewis

Darkness – it’s just the absence of light!

#workisworship, career

The room was pitch-black. I was blindly led into the middle of this foreign space and left on my own. My first instinct was to try and make sense of my environment. When I raised my hand in front of my face I couldn’t see it, which kicked my other senses into overdrive! The unfamiliar noises appeared to be boosted on surround sound. But without vision I couldn’t make out my surroundings, which meant I had no clue who or what was around me and I wasn’t able to map out an exit route to safety, should I need it. I had zero ability to control my environment or look after myself, and that’s when the darkness started to feel thick and tangible. At times, I felt like the dark…

08Sep 2023 by Mel Lewis

Congratulations to Our Outgoing (& Outstanding!) W.W Graduates 2022

#workisworship, career

It’s surreal to think that this time last year, three young women were preparing themselves for their first day of the Worship.Works Christian Graduate Programme: Figuring out what time they’d leave home to make it to the office early. Picking the perfect outfit for the first day at the new job. Packing lunch and triple-checking that their morning alarm is set. Squeezing in a few last-minute texts to family and friends to help calm the nerves as they walk in the front door of the building. (We’ve all been there before!) Now, 12 months later, these same three women are contributing to meetings, organising presentations, facilitating the morning pray-up and creating research that’s making an impact for clients and media. They are confident, skilled, and highly-valued colleagues amongst the wider…

13Jan 2023 by Mel Lewis

The Power of IGNITE! to Spark a Light

#workisworship, teaching

The pizza had been ordered. A reminder email sent out to attendees. The benches were wiped clean and the glasses neatly set out in rows. As a team, we prayed and committed the evening to God and our volunteers made their way to the front door, prepared to greet people with a smile as they arrived. We were ready! But there is always an element to an event like IGNITE! that you just can’t prepare for, organise meticulously or control. And that is: In what way is the LORD going to show up? As a new team member of Worship.Works, this was my first IGNITE! Meetup. From flicking through archives of photographs and listening to people share their previous experiences, I had some idea of what to expect. But it’s…

07Sep 2022 by Mel Lewis

Learning to wear our original ‘clothes’

#workisworship

When you meet someone, a first impression is often formed based on the clothes you, and they are wearing. Clothing can identify someone with a certain job, activity, or interest, and can create an expectation of what they are doing or their role. You can as easily identify a police officer, as you can a Deliveroo employee or someone in a wedding dress and assume what they are doing. If I were to meet you, and wear one of the many Liverpool FC shirts I own, it would likely trigger a view in your mind about the type of person I am, or at least my interests. Your response could range from enthusiasm and a sense of kinship, to plain disgust! Clothes can also determine access and the ability to…

20May 2022 by Mel Lewis

Why be data-driven when you can be insight-driven?

#workisworship, career, In practice

As Christians, we are firstly followers of Christ. Our Lord is meant to be the biggest element of our life. We are to keep Him at the forefront of every aspect of our lives, we are to keep Him at the centre of our thoughts, conversations and interactions. In short, as bearers of His light and word to the world, we are called to dedicate our entire being to Jesus Christ, as an act of Worship. ‘“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts”.’ – Isaiah 55:8-9I recently read an article about being “data-driven” vs “analytics-driven”. The article claimed that…

08Mar 2022 by Mel Lewis

Created for Worship

#workisworship, career, In practice

As Christians, we are firstly followers of Christ. Our Lord is meant to be the biggest element of our life. We are to keep Him at the forefront of every aspect of our lives, we are to keep Him at the centre of our thoughts, conversations and interactions. In short, as bearers of His light and word to the world, we are called to dedicate our entire being to Jesus Christ, as an act of Worship.When I say worship, I don’t necessarily mean the obvious correlation to worship. Worship is more than a song, it’s more than being emotional in the presence of the Lord.It is interesting to notice that in the account of creation in Genesis, God did not create physical temple buildings. Neither did He assign priestly duties…