I am sure that for most, the ringing of the alarm clock signals the start of work. For some, work is viewed as a mundane cycle of tasks designed solely to facilitate the real parts of life: family, rest, and religious devotion. In many religious circles, a silent dichotomy has emerged, a “sacred-secular divide” where spiritual activities like prayer and evangelism are seen as high callings, while accounting, plumbing, or digital marketing are viewed as mere distractions or survival mechanisms.
But in one of his most recent teachings, Apostle Michael Oropko challenges this mindset directly by teaching that our professional output ought to be one of the many evidences of our spiritual maturity.
And so, in essence, he is saying that in the field of work, excellence in the marketplace is not just a career goal; it is a spiritual mandate for us, the Christian believers.
The Foundation of Purposeful Labor
The concept of work did not begin with the industrial revolution or the need for a paycheck; it began with the act of creation itself. We are made in the image of God, our Creator, and so the act of “creating” value through work is a fundamental part of our identity. Work is not a result of a fallen world; it was present in the garden since the beginning of time.
When we approach our jobs with excellence, we are mirroring the meticulousness of a Creator who balanced the laws of physics and the delicate ecosystems of the earth. Therefore, a Christian’s work should be characterized by a certain “divine quality,” a commitment to doing things well because the work itself has inherent dignity.
As chriatains, to understand the concept of work, we must look at the nature of God as the first Worker. Apostle Michael Oropko emphasizes that work is not merely a social contract but a reflection of the divine nature. When God created the world, He did not stop at raw materials; He organized, structured, and evaluated His output, declaring it “very good”. And this establishes that:
Creativity is a Mandate: Humans are designed to take raw potential, whether in a spreadsheet, a piece of code, or a business plan, and refine it into something of value.
Order Reflects Character: Professionalism is an extension of the order seen in creation. A chaotic work environment or a disorganized project is a poor reflection of the divine quality we are called to embody, as Christians.
Labor as Stewardship: Work is the primary vehicle through which we manage the resources God has placed in our care. And excellence is the standard because we are ultimately reporting to a higher Authority.
Moreover, it is required in stewards that a man be found faithful. – 1 Corinthians 4:2 (AMP)
Faithfulness has never been glamorous; it does not get applause. It does not trend; it does not always yield instant results. But, in God’s eyes, it is the truest measure of stewardship, being faithful over what you have, no matter how small, no matter who’s watching.
When Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians, he reminded them that being a steward was not about position or prestige, that it was very very much about trust. A steward manages what belongs to another and our lives, gifts, opportunities, and resources ultimately belong to God. Faithfulness, then, is not about control; it is very very much about care.
Jesus tells us this in Luke 16:10: “Whoever is faithful with very little will also be faithful with much.”
Continue Reading: Proving Worthy of Trust: What It Means to Be a True Steward
The Dignity of Every Vocation
Apostle Michael Oropko challenges the common misconception that “ministry” is confined to the four walls of a church building. He went further to teach, and I am paraphrasing here, that when a believer performs a secular task with excellence, they are translating spiritual principles into a tangible societal impact. And in this framework, every career path, whatever it may be, is not just a job, but a high calling where the office desk, the hospital ward, or the construction site serves as an altar of service to God. And so:
Becoming the “Best Staff of the Year”: A Christian’s goal should be to work with such discipline and effectiveness that they become indispensable to their organization.
The Prophetic Nature of Competence: Apostle Michael Oropko teaches that professional competence will always speak louder than spoken words. When you meet your Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) at work and solve complex problems, you earn the right to be heard by those in positions of power.
Refusing the “Indolence” Trap: Again, Apostle Michael Oropko describes using prayer or night vigils as an excuse for poor work performance as “foolishness” rather than faith. True faith should empower a person to be more productive and alert, not provide a license for laziness.
The dignity of honest labour also involves the development of a character that is robust enough to handle professional success. The marketplace ministry requires a wholeness of character, where integrity is seen in how we as Christians handle small and huge tasks and large resources, too, in showing:
Integrity as a Professional Standard: Because professionalism is an extension of the order and truth we see in creation. And so, a disorganized project or a chaotic work environment is viewed as a poor reflection of the divine nature we represent.
The Responsibility of Skill: Competence is a form of stewardship, and we believers are called to constantly develop and upgrade our skills so that the service we provide is of the highest possible quality.
Leading by Example: By rejecting the culture of excuses and embracing a high standard of labor, Christians lead the way in showing society that faith and productivity are not just compatible, but inseparable.
Beyond the Sacred-Secular Divide
For me, one of the most amazing points made by Apostle Michael Oropko is the critique of using religious activity as a shield for professional incompetence. He said that some individuals spend hours “speaking in tongues” but fail to meet their Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) or worse, show up to the office on time.
He said that this behavior in the life of that individual shows a failed gospel, because if a believer is known for being the least reliable staff member or the most prone to excuses, their verbal testimony loses its weight. True professional excellence requires us to break down the wall between the “church self” and the “office self.” Integrity is not just about not lying; it is about the wholeness of character that ensures that a person is as diligent at their desk as they are fervent in their prayers.
At some point in our lives, I am sure we have all been obsessed with shortcuts, I know have. Everyone or let’s say some people want the hack, the fast track, the one-click formula to success. But during my devotional today, the scripture reminded me of a deeper, timeless truth: Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mere men. – Proverbs 22:29
Diligence is not flashy; it is not easy; it is not always rewarded right away; it is the daily showing up, the faithful stewardship, the attention to detail when no one else is watching. It is what separates those who are just busy from those who are truly building something that lasts. To be diligent in your business, whatever that “business” may be is to position yourself for influence and honor. Not at all through ambition or manipulation, but very very much through excellence and endurance, and this is not just a career strategy; it is a calling! A principle rooted in both divine wisdom and real life results.
So let us talk about what diligence really looks like, why it matters, and how to cultivate it in today’s space addicted to convenience. So again, whether you are a student, an entrepreneur, employee, or creative person, the path to standing before kings is not mysterious, it is marked and starts with diligence.
Continue Reading: A Man Diligent In His Business
The Discipline of the Marketplace
The marketplace is a rigorous testing ground for character. And so, Apostle Michael Oropko goes even further to highlight how professionals in other sectors, bankers, soldiers, and doctors, often exhibit more discipline than those within religious organizations. He said that a Christian doctor can not afford to forget a surgical blade in a patient, and this reminds me of a very popular affirmation by My Man of God, Pastor Chris Oyakhilome DSc, DSc, DD: I HAVE A SOUND MIND, I AM NOT FORGETFUL!
Professional excellence requires:
- Punctuality: Respecting the time of others as a form of stewardship.
- Competence: Constantly upgrading one’s skills so that the service provided is of the highest possible quality.
- Accountability: Taking responsibility for mistakes like the high-end laptop damaged by spilled tea by one of his workers in church; he mentioned that in his sermon, too, rather than hiding behind religious cliche like saying “I take responsibility” just for the sake of saying it.
When a believer leads in these areas with their life, they become the best staff of the year, and this excellence creates a platform for influence that no sermon can match. Because people are drawn to competence, and when you are the best at what you do, the world will eventually ask “why, who, and how,” and this provides an organic opportunity for us to share the values that drive our work.
Not every sermon is preached from a pulpit. Not every message is delivered with a microphone; some of the most powerful sermons are never spoken at all; they are lived.
With the world saturated with words, opinions, and noise, people are listening less to what we say and watching more of how we live. This is why the Scripture reminds us that the clearest testimony of faith is not always our speech, but our conduct.
And as Paul writes: “Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people.” – Philippians 2:15, NLT
And so, my dearest readers, your life, whether you realize it or not, is already preaching.
The Gospel was never meant to be confined to sermons alone. God’s design has always been that His truth would be made visible through people, through you.
Scripture calls us, believers, “living epistles,” letters written not with ink, but with life; this means your choices, habits, responses, and attitudes communicate something about Christ long before you ever quote a verse.
Continue Reading: The Loudest Sermon is Your Life
Stewardship and Economic Impact
A misunderstood concept of work will lead to poor financial stewardship. Just as Apostle Michael Oropko told a story of a young man who was given an interest-free loan of 1 million Naira to start a business, but spent half of it sponsoring a “crusade” instead. And while the intent seemed spiritual, Apostle Michael Oropko labeled it “foolishness” because the young man was not fulfilling his primary obligation to grow the resources he was given. Remember, it was a loan, and even better, an interest-free loan.
As Christians, we ought to lead in excellence because we ought to understand that resources like time, money, and talent have been entrusted to us. And leading in professional excellence means that we are productive, innovative, and reliable.
- Productivity: Ensuring that our labor produces more value than it consumes.
- Innovation: Finding better, more efficient ways to solve problems for the society.
- Reliability: Being the person an employer or client can trust with their most difficult tasks.
In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus tells a story that is as piercing today as it was two thousand plus years ago; the Parable of the Talents. A master, before leaving on a long journey, entrusts his servants with varying sums of money: five talents to one, two to another, and one to the last, each according to his ability.
When the master returns, he finds that the first two servants have doubled what they were given, but the third, out of fear and caution, buried his talent in the ground, and so he returns it untouched, safe but fruitless.
The master’s response is sharp and unsettling:
For to all those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away. – Matthew 25:29
It is a haunting lesson not about greed, but about growth. Not about accumulation, but very very much about stewardship. The parable is not condemning those who have little, but those who refuse to do something with what they have.
Continue Reading: The Parable of The Talents: We Must Increase What We Have Been Given
Read Also: The Extra Mile: The Integrity of Doing Your Best and MORE!
Read Also: The Salt Field Theory: Spread Your Effort, Multiply Your Impact
Read Also: Testing Every Spirit and Every Sentence: The Call to Intellectual Seriousness
Conclusion
The ultimate goal of professional excellence is to translate “scriptures into impact.” When we work with all our hearts, meeting our KPIs and exceeding expectations, we are not just earning a salary; we are engaging in a form of worship to God.
And as Apostle Michael Oropko went further to conclude, society is changed when people come to church and return to their offices as better, more disciplined staff. By rejecting laziness and embracing a high standard of labor, we are demonstrating a character of integrity that honors our calling to God and as well serves the common good of family, space, environment, and the world.
