In practice – worship.works

28Aug 2026 by Mel Lewis No Comments

Don’t Abandon Ship: Christian Faith in Workplace Storms

#workisworship, career, In practice, teaching

"...But now I urge you to keep up your courage, because not one of you will be lost; only the ship will be destroyed. Last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me and said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar; and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.’ So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me. Nevertheless, we must run aground on some island." Acts 27:22-26 (NIV) The scene at sea is one of chaos. The vessel is weather-battered. Another storm is closing in. Supplies are low. Bodies are fatigued. The crew attempt to abandon ship.…

05Feb 2026 by Mel Lewis

Preaching Without a Pulpit

#workisworship, career, ekklesia, In practice, teaching

“In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 5:16 (ESV) I’m a teacher - by training and by nature. One of my favourite things to do is to facilitate the understanding of concepts, especially when it comes to the truth of God’s Word. This is my happy place. With that, also comes a love for preaching. Whilst I have the occasional honour to preach at my local church, I have a much more important and regular preaching gig - my daily life. If you’re a follower of Christ, you’ve been called to preach too! Congratulations!! :) And to preach in the places and spaces of your everyday life, like your…

09Jan 2026 by Mel Lewis

The Good (& Necessary) Fight

#workisworship, career, ekklesia, In practice, teaching

“You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified.” [Galatians 3:1] Paul’s letter to the church in Galatia must have hit hard. These words from their trusted spiritual leader would have been painful to receive, as he calls them out as ‘foolish’ and ‘bewitched’; even accusing them of deserting their faith in the gospel of Christ. Ouch! But such was Paul’s passion for defending the purity of the gospel. However much Paul loved the Galatian church, he could not stand by and allow the message of Christ’s life, death and resurrection to be corrupted by their misrepresentation of its truth. And it wasn’t an option to remain silent when he saw his precious brothers and sisters in Christ becoming enslaved by the false teaching of the Judaziers.…

27Nov 2025 by Mel Lewis

Setback, or Setup?

#workisworship, career, ekklesia, In practice, teaching

I was speaking with a new friend recently, who, like me, is in business. “Has it been easy?” he asked me, after I shared a little of my career journey. It felt like a loaded question. Was it even supposed to be easy? The obvious answer was that it has not been easy. But has it been good? Yes, because looking back, I know that the Lord has been in it with me. “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose,” is just one of the treasures in God’s word (Rom 8:28) that reminds us of His promises. And as we walk with Him, we experience the truth of those words, too. Jesus…

30Jun 2025 by Mel Lewis

You Are Perfectly Positioned

#workisworship, career, ekklesia, In practice, teaching

For every 4 characters you read about in the Bible, 3 of them were people who held jobs and roles in the marketplace, in government or the home. Winemakers, midwives, small business owners, prison guards, craftsmen, servants in a household, soldiers, farmers, government officials, harvesters, event managers, advisors to kings… the job titles are vast! And the ways these people served God’s purposes were equally so! Perhaps that has always been obvious to you in your own reading of the Bible, but for me, I somehow had blinders over my eyes for decades. I had this false association that people who did great things for God were always in these ‘set apart for God’ type roles, like John the Baptist, Paul the missionary or Jeremiah the prophet. Deserts, foreign lands and…

31Mar 2025 by Mel Lewis

Where might the Spirit be moving in your workplace?

#workisworship, career, ekklesia, In practice, teaching

“Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit… The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” [John 3:5-8] How wonderfully mysterious is the work of the Holy Spirit! Like the breeze across a field, He is uncontainable. Or a small child who loses their hat to an unexpected gust, He takes us by surprise. It's the Spirit's unpredictability that reminds us of our limitations as created ones and helps foster awe at His Divinity. Unlike the weather forecasts that can get predictions wrong, one thing about the Spirit of God is certain - He is always at work (John 5:17)!! In continuous connection with…

18Feb 2025 by Mel Lewis

Crossing the Lines: Embracing Our Mission Identity

career, In practice, teaching

Many of us have crossed borders, but perhaps never stopped to reflect on what they truly mean. I am writing this blog from the Myanmar/Thailand border, where an arbitrary line once scratched in the dirt by government officials now marks the divide between vastly different realities. This border is particularly significant for the Karen people, who found themselves split between becoming Thai or Myanmar nationals. On one side, there is relative stability and opportunity; on the other, justice gives way to injustice, freedom of speech to censorship, and security to persecution. Borders like these are not just physical; they exist in how we live our lives. We draw lines in the dirt of our daily routines, dividing time, spaces, activities, and roles. One divide we have created as Christians is…

03Feb 2025 by Mel Lewis

Confidence in Knowing Who and Whose You Are

In practice, teaching

'Yet you, Lord, are our Father.We are the clay, you are the potter;we are all the work of your hand.' [Isaiah 64:8] As a classroom teacher, I found it amazing to look across a class of 30 primary school students and see such diversity - individual personalities, intellectual abilities, creative skills etc. I knew every child had been uniquely designed by a loving Heavenly Father who packed them full of potential to fulfil different, yet equally divine purposes in their lifetime. I loved seeing every student have their moment to shine amongst their peers as they brought their strength and ability into the mix. But what was difficult for me was to see students struggle in areas and start adopting negative, limiting language like, ‘I’m stupid’; ‘I’m not as good…

09Jan 2025 by Mel Lewis

Being Thankful Makes Your Prayers Powerful!

In practice, prayer, teaching

When we read the letters of the Apostle Paul, we learn that he was a big advocate of giving thanks. He often wrote about how thankful he was, and he frequently encouraged his readers to be thankful. In Colossians 4:2, he instructs the Church to “Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving”. In this verse, there's a sense of: Being steadfast in prayer (some translations even say “Devote yourselves to prayer”) Be watchful. Be thankful. This instruction comes just a few verses after Col 3:23-24, in which Paul writes: “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ”. In chapter three of his letter…

23Sep 2024 by Mel Lewis

Fishers of Men

career, In practice, teaching

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…