Death by Work and Relief of Family-Intergrated Church

Karoshi: “Death by Overwork”

Kenichi Uchino, a quality control manager with Toyota, was worked off his feet, quite literally, in fact. He collapsed and died at 4 AM while at work after clocking more than eighty hours of overtime for each of the six months prior to his death in 2002. Only a few days earlier, he remarked to his wife, “The moment when I am happiest is when I can sleep.” Kenichi, the third generation of his family to work for the Japanese firm, left behind two children, aged three and one. On November 30, 2007, A Japanese District Court accepted Hiroko Uchino’s claim that her husband had died of karoshi, or “death by overwork."

Karoshi is rooted in the cultural and economic makeup of Japan. Hard work is respected, and a virtuous person will sacrifice his own interests for the well-being of the group. Well with money tight, the economy tailspining and jobs becoming increasingly scarce, the west- the U.S. in particular, is in danger of falling prey to this same disease of death by work. With the proliferation of electronic resources (e.g., cell phones, cafés, blackberries and Wi-Fi ) whereby workers can be connected and toiling 24/7, the prospect of karoshi looms large. Indeed, as many families around the world seek a higher standard of living, both parents may be holding down two or three jobs—and advancing toward an early grave, regardless of scripture's warning of work and cash as competing idols for Jehovah God's glory.

Though the Bible teaches a strong work ethic, it does not teach “the more work the better.” If it did, then devout Christians would be dropping from karoshi everywhere. We have the privilege of taking advantage of rest in the Fourth Commandment and the folly of worry in the Sermon on the Mount. Indeed, the burden God puts on His children is light; it is a joy to bear it. If, however, you let fear or ambition rob you of his joy and health, then you need to let God gently lift your hands (and mine) from the keyboard and our shoulder from the wheel. Let's get back to the basics and let the Lord restore the vital balance. Speaking of which...

Creed or Chaos?

Playwright, novelist, and Christian apologist Dorothy Sayers said, "It is worse than useless for Christians to talk about the importance of Christian morality unless they are prepared to take their stand upon the fundamentals of Christian theology. It is a lie to say that dogma does not matter; it matters enormously. It is fatal to let people suppose that Christianity is only a mode of feeling; it is vitally necessary to insist that it is first and foremost a rational explanation of the universe."

Sayers got it right. Right belief and doctrine lead to a right talk and walk. Sayers added, "It is fatal to imagine that everybody knows quite well what Christianity is and needs only a little encouragement to practice it. The brutal fact is that in this Christian country not one person in a hundred has the faintest notion what the Church teaches about God or man or society or the person of Jesus Christ. " At Christ Community Church, we aim to change that tune by intergrating our families together in community for family-driven and biblically-saturated discipleship.

Coming soon, many of you will be called and many will seek, to join our fellowship of family small-groups for mid-week discipleship at C.C.C (Christ community Church). This early church model of relational Bible study in homes, will emphasize family, real practical theology and foundations for your faith. All of that adds up to God's greater glory, your blessing and relief from the threat of "karoshi." More on this Sunday.....