Dennis R. Wiles
First Baptist Arlington
October 19, 2025
Flourishing Together
First Baptist Arlington
2025 – 2030
2025: Flourishing Together: Rooted in Christ
1 Corinthians 2:6-16 (Gospel Guide: Matthew)
FALL 2025: It is Not Good . . . to be Alone
September 7 – November 1, 2025
The LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone.”
Genesis 2:18
Working 9 to 5!
Proverbs 6:1-19
God has designed human beings to live as relational, social, and communal beings. From family, to friends, to acquaintances, to our vocation – we live our lives in relational contexts. It is God’s desire for us to flourish in and through those relationships!
POTENTIAL: God has created all of us in His image, thus we all have great potential to serve and honor Him.
PRODUCTIVITY: God has placed within us a desire to be productive and fruitful.
PERSPECTIVE: As Christians, we should have a Biblical and theological understanding of work!
The Bible begins talking about work as soon as it begins talking about anything—that is how important and basic it is. The author of the book of Genesis describes God’s creation of the world as work. It fact, he depicts the magnificent project of cosmos intervention within a regular workweek of seven days.
-Timothy Keller, Every Good Endeavor
When we hear the word “work,” we often think of what we are paid to do. Of course, getting paid is important to make a living, but work is not limited to what we are paid to do. Work is not defined by its compensation but by its contribution to others. Work is not first and foremost about economic exchange, financial remuneration, or a pathway to wish fulfillment; rather, it is about God-honoring creativity and loving contribution.
-Tom Nelson, Why Your Work Matters
Avad – Hebrew word found in the Old Testament in both noun and verb forms (over 430 times). It is translated into English as – service, worship, or work.
PROFIT: The profit gained through our vocation extends far beyond economic value. God uses us through our work to contribute to the common good, serve others, cultivate fruitful relationships, and extend the Kingdom of God!