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Welcome to this week’s unSeminary podcast. Today we’re talking with Daniel Im, the Senior Associate Pastor of Beulah Alliance Church in Edmonton, Canada.

We’ll be talking about Daniel’s book You Are What You Do: And Six Other Lies about Work, Life, and Love and its application in today’s world.

• The gig economy. // The gig economy is made up of those who are self-employed in a part time or full time capacity and are getting paid for their time, skills, expertise or possessions. This includes those who find ways to earn extra money on the side, such as selling on eBay or Facebook Marketplace, or people who are Uber drivers or have Airbnb rentals. The gig economy has become so pervasive that 30% of both the US and Canadian workforces are a part of it, and even if you don’t work in it, you’re probably funding it.
• The core lie. // There are seven lies that are focused on in the book, but the core lie that ties all of them together is that the gig economy promises a life of freedom and flexibility: ultimately a life of control. The belief that we can take over God’s role in our lives and control our own destinies is a lie as old as the Garden of Eden.
• Elusiveness of hustle. // As a culture we believe that if we just work hard enough and earn enough, we can have and do whatever we want, and find fulfillment. Ultimately what the gig economy promises is elusive; we feel the need to keep focused and running toward our goals while turning our backs on the good things we already have, such as our families or other relationships.
• You aren’t what you do. // Be aware of how these lies can infiltrate your life and the lives of those in your congregation. Whether its people believing “you are what you do” or “you are what you own” or “you are what you know”, identify the false ways these lies offer security and control that only God has.
• COVID-19 has made people time-rich. // Those who work in the gig economy may have services that aren’t currently in demand because of the situation with the coronavirus. Whereas in the past they may have been hesitant to volunteer for church because they were giving up “billable hours”, now they find themselves time-rich. People in your congregation want to help in the current season and even if they can’t give monetarily, look for ways they can volunteer the time they now have available.
• Gospel ministry. // The gig economy isn’t all bad; we just have to be aware of the fulfillment it promises that can only come from God. In today’s world, many church leaders may find themselves facing bi-vocational ministry and taking a step into the gig economy. Once pastors who were bi-vocational may have been viewed as not being good enough to earn full pay from the church, but today it’s an opportunity for gospel ministry. Think about what skills and expertise you have to work outside the church and how God can use them to expand His Kingdom.

You can learn more about Daniel’s book at his website danielim.com/youare and about Beulah Alliance Church at beulah.ca.

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Thank You to This Episode’s Sponsor: Ministry Grid

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