Faith and Work News ~ Links to Interesting Articles

• 7 Biblical Principles for Resolving Conflict at Work. In this short video, Jordan Raynor shares the seventh and final biblical principle for resolving conflict at work.
• Matthew Kaemingk: Worship for Workers. Should we leave our everyday lives at the door when we come to worship? Is there a way for us to worship in a way that’s unique to our work? On this episode of the Working with Dan Doriani podcast, Matthew Kaemingk, Associate Professor at Fuller Theological Seminary and founder of Worship for Workers, joins Dan to talk about how God’s people in the past have connected their work to their worship, and how we might do the same.
• Busyness, the Thief Who Steals Our Joy. Jimmy R. Lewis writes “Whether you’re a soccer mom with a full-time job or a day trader on Wall Street, I know that busyness can easily steal your joy, ifyou aren’t vigilantly fighting for joy in Christ and striving to glorify him in all that you do.”

Click on ‘Continue reading’ for:

• More links to interesting articles
• The Top 10 Faith and Work Quotes of the Week
• Faith and Work Book Review ~ Jesus The High Road Leader: Follow the Path He Wants Us to Travel by John Maxwell and Chris Hodges
• Quotes from the book Working Blessedly Forever, Volume 1: The Shape of Marketplace Theology by R. Paul Stevens

• Four Traits Outstanding Leaders Have in Common. Dave Kraft shares these four leadership attributes that all excellent leaders must have.
• To Do Justly, to Love Mercy, and to Walk Humbly at Work. Russ Gehrlein writes “How is a Christian supposed to work in a biblical manner? What does God expect?”
• Called to Lead. My book Called to Lead: Living and Leading for Jesus in the Workplace is available in both a paperback and Kindle edition. Read a free sample (Introduction through Chapter 2).
• Jonathan Pennington on Bringing our Emotions to Work. We bring all of who we are into our jobs, including our emotions. We might feel like emotions have no place in the workplace, but this is unrealistic and might lead to some unintended emotional consequences. On this episode of the Working with Dan Doriani podcast, Jonathan Pennington, author of Jesus the Great Philosopher joins Dan to talk about our emotions and why they should lead us to deep questions about ourselves and about God.
• Thinking About Vocation. William Boekestein writes “Vocation is taking your skills and applying them to the plot of life God has given you.”
• Life and Leadership in the Fog, with Michaela O’Donnell and Lisa Slayton. In this conversation with Markus Watson, Michaela O’Donnell and Lisa Slayton, co-authors of the new book Life in Flux, discuss the importance of “uncommon postures” when navigating the fog in life, building personal adaptive capacity, and the need to pause and listen in the midst of uncertainty.
• Mere Christians: Bob Goff. On this episode of the Mere Christians podcast, Jordan Raynor talks to Bob Goff about how to be “whimsically available” to others at work.

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• Whether our work is paid or not paid, our work is to glorify God, honor others, and add value to their lives. Tom Nelson
• If faithfulness to God is not our measure of success, then the world’s expectations will become our standard. Bryan Chapell
• Do you realize that no matter what your job is, no matter what it is you do in it, no matter who your boss is or even your boss’s boss, what you do in your job is actually done in service to King Jesus! Greg Gilbert and Sebastian Traeger
• When you begin to understand that you are valued before God not because of what you’ve accomplished but rather what Christ has accomplished for you, then your life will never be the same again. Bryan Chapell
• When God calls you, he supplies everything you need to answer his call. Paul Tripp
• It is always important for us as believers to examine our jobs and to ask, “Is what we are doing truly honoring to God?” Each Christian should be willing to ask, “Can I stamp Christ’s name on this product? Can I take Jesus with me on this job?” Bryan Chapell
• We are here to glorify Christ in our daily life. We are here as workers for Him, and as workers together with Him. Let us see that our life fulfills this purpose. Charles Spurgeon
• Reconnecting with family is a genuine joy of retirement. For many, serving kids, grandkids, and aging parents is central to a sense of vocation in this season of life. Jeff Haanen
• The Lord is pleased with faithful work in every calling. Dan Doriani

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FAITH AND WORK BOOK REVIEW:

Jesus The High Road Leader: Follow the Path He Wants Us to Travel by John Maxwell and Chris Hodges. Maxwell Publishing. 144 pages. 2024
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This book follows John Maxwell’s 2024 book High Road Leadership: Bringing People Together in a World That Divides. It is co-written with pastor Chris Hodges, with the authors writing their own individual chapters.
The authors tell us that people on the high road follow Jesus’ example. They give more than they take. They serve others out of love. They turn the other cheek instead of taking offense. Their lives reflect the behavior of Jesus. And because they do these things, they make the world better and brighter. The authors want to encourage their readers to take the same road Jesus did.
Jesus embraced God’s values and lived them out perfectly. The authors ask us to contrast the life and leadership of Jesus with the people who are leading today. They tell us that our world is experiencing a values deficit.
The authors share eight behaviors Jesus modeled in the Gospels that have taught and empowered us to be salt and light to others. Each author explores four behaviors.

This helpful book will help you to learn how to lead like Jesus.
Here are the behaviors with a few takeaways I had:

Jesus Valued All People – John Maxwell

• We can become like Jesus when we follow his example of loving and valuing all people.
• He was always looking for the one who was overlooked. He saw potential in those who seemingly had little to offer.
• To be like Jesus, we must live his good values and value the people he values. That means everyone.
• As a high-road leader, Jesus assumed the best in people and treated them with love and respect.
• Valuing all people opens the door for relationships with them and offers opportunities to share our faith.

Jesus Gave More Than He Took – Chris Hodges

• Giving more than you take is at the core of taking the high road and being a servant leader.
• The value of your life isn’t determined by how much you achieve or accumulate but by how much of your life you give away.
• Jesus told us to take the high road and to give more, care more, do more than anyone would ever expect.

Jesus Didn’t Keep Score – John Maxwell

• When we learn to serve others the way Jesus did, we become more confident in who we are and stop comparing ourselves to others.
• Become a servant leader. Do what Jesus did—serve others without keeping score.

Jesus Acknowledged His Humanness – Chris Hodges

• High-road leaders embrace authenticity and sincerity. They’re willing to be known for who they are, not for who others want them to be.
• Rather than remaining exalted in heaven, Jesus humbled himself in his humanness to become the ultimate servant leader, our Good Shepherd and Savior. He modeled the way of high-road leadership.

Jesus Did the Right Things for the Right Reasons – John Maxwell

• Leaders always see more than others see, and they see before others see.
• One of the most powerful things you can do as a follower of Christ is keep doing the right things for the right reasons even when people criticize, blame, or try to harm you.

Jesus Embraced Authenticity – Chris Hodges

• Even if the people you lead do not agree with you, they will respect you if you are authentic.
• High-road leaders practice authenticity by doing what they say they will do and aligning their actions with their words.
• Authentic relationships occur when others realize you are willing to die to yourself in order to lead and serve them, to show them the way and open doors to help them.

Jesus Placed People Above His Agenda – John Maxwell

• What does it mean to be a leader? What does it mean to be a Christian leader? It means serving others.
• If we open our eyes and see the world the way Jesus did, we’ll recognize that much of the ministry we can do in this life will consist of opportunities dressed up as interruptions.
• High-road leadership requires us to treat others better than they treat us.

Jesus Brought People Together – Chris Hodges

• Giving thanks has the ability to bring people together because they feel seen, appreciated, and valued.

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Faith and Work Book Club – Won’t you read along with us?

We are reading through Working Blessedly Forever, Volume 1: The Shape of Marketplace Theology by R. Paul Stevens. In this volume, the first of three, Stevens explores the shape of marketplace theology, its posture and methodology. Marketplace theology is the science of working blessedly forever.

This week we look at the Introduction: What Is So Good about Marketplace Theology?

• These three volumes will encompass all the arenas where work is done: the home, the office, the factory, the medical clinic, the school, the government office, including work done in the church and other not-for-profit organizations.
• Marketplace theology is good because it helps us make sense of where we spend most of our waking hours.
• For believers this theology means integration, bringing work and faith together for the glory of God and the benefit of neighbors.
• First, we will ask what the investigation or the science of marketplace theology involves. Second, we will explore the meaning of working, taking a comprehensive, biblical approach. Third, we will inquire how the worker, the neighbor, the workplace, and even God are normally blessed through human enterprise. Finally, we open up the ultimate future of humankind and all creation. In the Epilogue we attempt to summarize the entire book.