Faith and Work News ~ Links to Interesting Articles
- 3 Ways Jesus Reshapes Our Thinking about the Sabbath. In this video, Guy Waters walks through how Jesus changes the way we view the sabbath.
- What Makes Work Redemptive. Steven Graves asks “How does the gospel shape and inform my work?”
- A Leader Worth Following. My new book A Leader Work Following: 40 Key Leadership Attributes and Applications to Masteris available on Amazon in paperback and Kindle editions. Read a sample of the book (found under the book cover in the above link).
- How Does God Lead Us to Our Calling? In this article, which contains excerpts from his excellent book Immanuel Labor – God’s Presence in our Profession, Russ Gehrlein writes “In my current position as a Department of the Army civilian, I know without a doubt that I am serving exactly where God wants me to be.”
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 ~ Five Mere Christians: Binge-Worthy Biographies That Show You How to Glorify God in Your Work by Jordan Raynor and Kaleigh Cox
- Quotes from the book Working Blessedly Forever, Volume 1: The Shape of Marketplace Theology by R. Paul Stevens
- A Theology of Women and Work. Christian women sometimes feel conflicted about work. Is work an aspect of what it means to be made in God’s image? What sort of work is suitable for women? Does work conflict with family responsibilities? How do we work in a way that’s aligned with God’s mission, becoming good stewards of our working hours? In this breakout session from The Gospel Coalition’s 2024 Women’s Conference, Tina Boesch, Missie Branch, and Elissa Yukiko Weichbrodt grapple with questions like these in a conversation enlivened by real-life experience and illuminated by Scripture.
- Three Prayers to Renew the Way You Work. Rob Pacienza shares three prayers from his book Redeeming Monday. He writes “As you journey through these prayers, I believe you’ll experience renewal in your professional calling and discover fresh purpose in your work as an act of devotion to God.”
- Work Reveals Who We Are, What We Are and What We Believe. Robert Sirico writes “Work, either requiring toil and sweat, mental labor, or performing even the most seemingly menial tasks, reveals an essential aspect of God’s plan for humankind.”
- The Death of Lust and Sloth: A Conversation with Christine Gordon and Trent Casto. The “Seven Deadly Sins” are struggles that Christian tradition has recognized as persistent in the human heart. Earlier this year, Dan Doriani edited and contributed to The Death of the Deadly Sins, a book on how we can tackle the root of these sins with virtue. On this episode of the Working with Dan Doriani podcast, two contributors to the book, Christine Gordon and Trent Casto, join Dan to talk about the chapters that they contributed to: “Lust” and “Sloth.”
- Serving like Jesus at Work. Rick Altizer writes “While the Bible’s apparent paradoxes may present temporary conundrums, they aren’t contradictions. Like God, we can both lead and serve. We can put others ahead of ourselves. Let me share six surprising scriptural secrets of service, surrender, and sacrifice.”
- Voices from the Workplace: Agroecology and Farming with Dr. Abram Bicksler. “On this episode of The Faith & Work Podcast, we sit down with Dr. Abram Bicksler, agroecologist and leader of ECHO, to explore how science, faith, and stewardship intersect in the world of sustainable agriculture. As part of our Voices from the Workplace series, Dr. Bicksler shares how his calling has led him from rural farms to the United Nations, all rooted in a commitment to creation care and serving the poor. Together, we discuss what faithful scientific work looks like, the church’s role in supporting those in the sciences, and why every occupation—including agroecology—can be a gospel-centered vocation.”
- The Politics of Peace and Prosperity: A Conversation with Gary Palmer, U.S. Representative. On this episode of the Working with Dan Doriani podcast, Dan is joined by Congressman Gary Palmer (R-AL) to talk about his journey from engineering into politics, the rationale behind policy decisions, and Gary’s involvement in recent significant world events.
- 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).
Top 10 Faith and Work Quotes of the Week
- The value of our work isn’t finally found at all in the particular thing we do; it’s found in the fact that whatever we do, we do it for our King. Greg Gilbert and Sebastian Traeger
- All work is a calling from God, because God made this material world and he made the human community. Tim Keller
- There is a calling designed just for you. Pursue it with all your heart and when you find it, you will find a purpose that stirs your soul. Dee Ann Turner
- You are, right now, where He has called you to be. To be sure, this calling may change next week or next decade, but for now, this is where the King has placed you. Greg Gilbert and Sebastian Traeger
- Mission includes our vocations and not just church ministry. Tim Keller
- To me, servant leadership is the only way to guarantee great relationships and results. Ken Blanchard
- To violate the rhythm of work and rest eventually leads to chaos. Tim Keller
- You will not have a meaningful life without work, but you will lose yourself if you say work is the primary meaning of your life. Tim Keller
- A calling is something you have to do. A dream is something you want to do. Calling is doing what you are created to do. John Maxwell
FAITH AND WORK BOOK REVIEW:
*** ½
Jordan Raynor is a leading voice of the faith and work movement. As the integration of our faith with our work is a passion of mine, I’ve read, and benefitted from each of his books. Raynor collaborated on this book with Kaleigh Cox.
The authors tell us that if you want to know what it looks like practically to glorify God, look first to Christ and second to Christ’s followers. And that’s what this book is designed to help you do.
In this book, the authors introduce us to five mere Christians whose examples we would be wise to follow because of how well they followed the example of Christ – five men and women who show us how to practically glorify God in our work.
The five short biographies that make up this book can each be read in under an hour. These biographies show us how to practically glorify God in our own work as a mere Christian today. Each of the biographies concludes with a section called “Three Ways to Glorify God in Your Work” to help us apply what we saw in each individual’s story.
I was familiar with Fred Rogers and C.S. Lewis, but not with Fannie Lou Hamer, Ole Kirk Christiansen, or Hannah More. I enjoyed reading these short biographies and the following practical ways to glorify God in your work sections, and would recommend it to others, especially to those who are just starting on their faith and work journey.
Below are a few quotes that I found to be helpful from the book:
FRED ROGERS: HOW TO GLORIFY GOD BY EMBRACING YOUR CALLING, EXPERIENCING YOUR BELOVEDNESS, AND ELIMINATING ALL HURRY
- The life of Fred Rogers is full of both delightful surprises and invaluable lessons. It’s a story of how all Christians—not just pastors and religious professionals—can glorify God in their work.
- As a member of the “royal priesthood,” Fred had worked wholeheartedly to restore creation, one small act of kindness at a time, in his own little neighborhood (1 Peter 2:9).
- Like Fred Rogers, you can glorify God in the “dark place” you work by embracing your position in the “royal priesthood” and viewing your job as a primary place God has called you to “let your light shine before others” (Matthew 5:16).
FANNIE LOU HAMER: HOW TO GLORIFY GOD BY DOING JUSTICE LOVINGLY, TRUSTING WHILE HUSTLING, AND HOPING THROUGH FAILURE
- It’s a story that shows how mere Christians can glorify God by doing justice while refusing to hate the unjust, trusting God’s sovereignty while also working hard, and lamenting failure in this world while waiting with hope for the kingdom to come.
- Mere Christians glorify God by embracing the tension between trusting in God and hustling in the work God has called us to do.
- Even when you experience failure and setbacks in your work, so long as that work is done for God’s glory and the good of others, it will always have an impact in the seemingly distant land God calls the kingdom of heaven.
OLE KIRK CHRISTIANSEN FOUNDER OF LEGO: HOW TO GLORIFY GOD BY PERSEVERING THROUGH ADVERSITY, EMBRACING “USELESS” WORK, AND MASTERING YOUR CRAFT
- Pray and work. That simple motto guided Ole Kirk Christiansen through a complicated life filled with loss, grief, and trials but also laughter, love, and success.
- Christiansen had done what every mere Christian longs to do. In the face of great adversity, he worked with excellence, loved God, and loved people.
- Only the best was good enough because Christiansen understood that mere Christians glorify God through the ministry of excellence.
HANNAH MORE POET AND EDUCATOR: HOW TO GLORIFY GOD BY INSULATING WITHOUT ISOLATING, REDEEMING POP CULTURE, AND EXUDING HOLY AUDACITY
- More worked as a mere Christian leveraging the written word and education for the glory of God and the good of others.
- Together, and with God’s help, More and Wilberforce hatched a plan. Wilberforce would dedicate his political career to the cause of abolition while More would dedicate her pen to the very same cause.
- Whenever you see something at odds with God’s kingdom—abortion, racial injustice, gender transitioning, pollution, and so on—glorify God not just by working to change things politically but first and foremost culturally.
C.S. LEWIS AUTHOR OF THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: HOW TO GLORIFY GOD BY PURSUING JOY PROPERLY, CREATING KINGDOM CRAVINGS, AND PROCLAIMING CHRIST BOLDLY
- All throughout Scripture, we see humans evangelizing and bringing glory to God simply by how they worked.
- Everything you do at work testifies to the God you believe in—not just the words you speak.
- Don’t fall for the enemy’s lie that the Great Commission is only or even primarily for the missionaries pictured on your refrigerator. Every follower of Jesus is called to make disciples. And as a mere Christian, you are in an ideal position to do so today!
To find out more about Jordan Raynor (books, devotional, podcast, etc.), go to https://www.jordanraynor.com/
Faith and Work Book Club – Won’t you read along with us?
This week we look at the Epilogue: A Summary. Here are a few helpful quotes from this chapter:
- Marketplace theology concerns the integration of faith and work in the world.
- Marketplace theology is an example of faith active in love.
- Marketplace theology takes time, indeed a lifetime.
- Marketplace theology is not something we get convinced about but something we get converted to, and continuously.
- Marketplace theology should never be prayed, performed, and pondered alone.
- Marketplace theology is not only about our vocation but is part of our vocation.
- Calling tells us why we work, for whom we work, how we are to work, and what our work should be.
- Marketplace theology is based on the coming of the kingdom of God.
- Marketplace theology is never finished, always provisional, always in process, ever being learned and practiced however imperfectly.