Know Your Calling. Live with Purpose.
What’s the meaning of life? This age old questions has haunted mankind since, well, the beginning of life. As believers, we know the answer to that question can only be found in the One who created us. This week, we are speaking with Brian Burchik, pastor and author of #LiveFully. We introduced you to Brian in December, in our Gifts That Give Back Guide. Today, Brian is taking us deeper into his book, sharing his belief that it’s not enough to know God, but that we must discover His calling for our lives and live with purpose.
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4word: Where did the name #LiveFully come from?
Brian: In the Bible, we see Jesus offering “life to the full” to his followers (John 10:10). At the church where I was pastoring, we simplified this truth down to the statement “to follow Jesus is to live fully.” And in regards to the whole hashtag thing, I’m not sure why, but I’ve always seen that symbol as a part of the phrase. To this day, I’ve yet to see another book with the hashtag in the title, so that’s pretty cool I guess.
4word: The book is just the beginning of the #LiveFully project. Can you explain more about that?
Brian: The vision for #LiveFully has always been more than a book, although the book does provide the foundational perspectives that fuel the greater movement. Practically speaking, #LiveFully is a blog, a weekend retreat/conference experience, an accredited college course, and a semester-long high school curriculum currently in the making. With all these things, we view #LiveFully as one of many efforts working for a renaissance of sorts in the Christian community – empowering people of all ages to impact the world in the name of Jesus.
4word: What is the main concept that you want people to take away from #LiveFully?
Brian: The driving conviction of #LiveFully is that following Jesus truly is the greatest way to live – not just for some future benefit, but for the fullness of life to be experienced right now. We’re convinced that there’s not a more compelling or consistent vision for all of life than the vision unfolded in the Bible, and our hope is that #LiveFully resources and experiences clarify how you can take hold of the most full life and live out your God-given calling.
4word: To those whose professions are outside of the church world, what advice do you have for them about embracing their role and impacting their communities?
Brian: A major belief of #LiveFully is that followers of Jesus are called to impact every channel of cultural life. So whether it’s in government, education, business, entertainment, or raising kids, followers of Jesus are called to be salt and light in those places.
In terms of specific advice, I would start by encouraging people to tap into their God-given imagination. We need to look at our professions and ask the questions, “What does redemption look like here?” “How can my work contribute to a flourishing society?” Depending on your current job, it may feel like you can’t contribute much, but I’m convinced that God can use even the smallest of steps to advance His kingdom on the earth.
4word: What have you found to be the greatest barrier that keeps people from living God’s best for their lives?
Brian: There are obviously many barriers that hold people back from living fully. And there’s obviously the Sunday school answer for how to overcome those: Jesus. It does all start with making the vulnerable decision to look beyond ourselves and trust God with our lives. However, that decision is just the beginning.
Specifically for those in the Christian community, a major reason for not living fully is the lack of vision for what God is calling them to do with their lives. Many Christians are going through the motions without a lot of direction for how God wants to use their specific gifts and passions to advance his kingdom on the earth. Helping to clarify one’s God-given calling is a major goal of the #LiveFully book, and it’s been extremely exciting to see people awaken to how they can contribute to God’s greater work in the world.
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Do you view your profession as a calling? How are you living the full life that Jesus promised?
Brian Burchik is a speaker, writer and ministry coach with one simple goal: to empower people to live the most full life on the planet. The #LiveFully project was born in 2011with the purpose of helping people clarify why they are here. Brian is a devoted husband and father. #LiveFully is available in paperback, ebook, and audiobook on Amazon. You can also find Brian on Twitter @BrianBurchik.