I grew up in a ministry family. After high school, I attended a Christian college. Straight out of college, I had an awesome time traveling with my husband, Wayne, ministering as evangelists. Six months into church planting, we realized I was going to have to get a job outside of the church.

That was one of the greatest things that ever happened to me. First, after not being able to find a job, I worked at Starbucks, because they had insurance for part-time employees. I was 35, and I had never worked in food service. I thought, “Aw, won’t that be fun to work in a coffee shop?”

Starbucks is way more than just a corner coffee shop. It is corporately owned. Everything is timed, every step is rehearsed. With six people on the floor in a tight space, each person has to execute his or her job perfectly to avoid crashing into someone. It was mind blowing, and after I got the hang of it, it was fun.

I started realizing I had a knack for selling coffee, so maybe I should try to sell some stuff where I could make real money. I ended up as a banker at a Top 10 bank. I had no experience in banking, and I’m terrible at counting. But somehow, I landed the job.

The first nine months, I hated it. The rigidity of the schedule made me feel like a bird in a cage. But then I began to embrace the work, and really started enjoying it. I can honestly say that I loved banking every bit as much as I love the ministry.

What’s great about banking is that everyone, on occasion, has to go to the bank. It is a cross-section of society, an intersection of trades and statuses. I made all kinds of contacts in all kinds of fields in a city where who you know is everything. I had wonderful customers and great co-workers, and I cared about them as much as I care about my congregants.

After I left banking, I had a few short stints in other jobs and ultimately ended up back on staff at the church we had started. But I was different. The many different people I had met working in the marketplace had revolutionized my perspective on business. I realized I’d had some misconceptions that are common among ministry professionals. Here are three:

You may be surprised, like I was, at the ways God can use people’s crafts to influence His kingdom.

Their Life Is Easier Because They’re Not in Full-Time Ministry

While ministry does present many unique challenges, there are other things people in business face that are just as hard. Business people, especially business owners, have many ups and downs. They go through slumps, and they experience times of plenty. They have to make difficult decisions on staffing and product. Sometimes it’s really hard on them when they have to let people go, and they carry the real weight of other families counting on them for income.

They’re Busy, So We Shouldn’t Ask Them to Do Much

This is the flip side to the last point. Sometimes the reason people don’t get involved in church is because they don’t see a challenge worth investing their time in. So they serve in a low-level volunteer capacity, even though they have the ability to run an entire team. This isn’t so much about time as it is about ownership. I’ve often been guilty of putting this on people.

There is a member of my worship team who works long hours at a Fortune 100 company. I’ve tried to be sensitive to his schedule. Recently, he has stepped in to lead our newcomer experience, Growth Track. He’s engaging at a new level and putting to use the concepts he has learned in the corporate world. I realized that in my effort not to burn him out, I had missed the potential of his leadership. Fortunately, my husband saw it and put the right person in the right role. 

The Sole Purpose of Their Work Is to Give to the Church

Many people love their work. They are passionate about what they do. They dream about it at night. They ask God for ideas and seek His Word for solutions. Some even feel a sense of calling to what they do. It’s a whole life that exists outside of church, and it’s where people spend the majority of their time. 

Sometimes, I see a disconnect between ministers and laypeople on this point. It’s not that giving doesn’t factor in for people, but we need to understand that their work has meaning on many levels. The partnership that can come from valuing people’s work is part of the economy of God — and how He provides for His Church.

What’s the best way to figure out how to engage with people on their work? Ask questions. Take an interest in what they do. It may be complicated or difficult to relate to, but look for the commonalities. You may be surprised, like I was, at the ways God can use their crafts to influence His kingdom.

“May the favor of the LORD our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us — yes, establish the work of our hands” (Psalm 90:17).