Faith and Work News ~ Links to Interesting Articles

• Faith & Work: How Do I Affirm Goodness in the Workplace?  In this episode of TGC Q&A, Missy Wallace answers questions about why work matters.
• When Your Boss Expects You to Lie. On this episode of the Ask Pastor John podcast, John Piper responds to the questions “My high-pressure job requires me to mislead clients to meet quotas. That’s the blunt reality. Jesus says in Matthew 5:37that my ‘yes’ should be a firm ‘yes.’ I should mean what I say. To mislead is evil, and I don’t think any good can come from being evil, as Paul says in Romans 3:8. And if I am a new creature in Christ, I should not lie to others, as Colossians 3:9 says it. I tell my children all these things. So, how do I live out this life of honest virtue in such a cutthroat industry that requires coercive practices? Is it permissible to be reserved and not always forthright with clients about what I know? If I refuse to compromise, I risk losing my job, and my family depends on my income. How do I navigate ‘small’ daily compromises without losing my integrity?”

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 ~ The Redeemed Man, edited by Joel Beeke, Richard Phillips and Paul Smalley
• Quotes from the book Working for Better: A New Approach to Faith at Work by Elaine Howard Ecklund and Denise Daniels

• The Lost Art of Dying: Lydia Dugdale, Doctor and Medical Ethicist. Lydia Dugdale is a medical ethicist who wants us to rethink the way that we die. From her interests in medicine and religion, she’s revived the “Ars Moriendi” (literature on the art of dying) for the modern age. On this episode of the Working with Dan Doriani podcast, she joins Dan on this episode to discuss her book and why living well means preparing to die well.
• Work is NOT a Curse: David Bahnsen on God’s Design for Work, Wealth & AI. In this episode of The City of God, Dr. Rob Pacienza sits down with nationally recognized investor, economist, and bestselling author David Bahnsen, for a biblical conversation about work, economics, artificial intelligence, and why every Christian needs a Genesis 1 vision of vocation—not a Genesis 3 one.
• 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).
• If Our Work Matters to God, Why Doesn’t the Bible Address It More? Andrew Smith responds to the question “If work is so important, and every Christian is engaged in it, and we spend most of our waking hours doing it, then why is the Bible overwhelmingly focused on pastoral and church issues? There are detailed instructions for elders and deacons, for how to conduct the Lord’s Supper and how to care for the widow—and all of that is good and important. But if our work is such a big deal, why aren’t there more Scripture passages that directly address it?”
• 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).
• What Am I Going To Miss When I Retire? Russ Gehrlein writes “This next chapter is going to be a huge life-changing transition and a major loss for me. I imagine that not going to work every day will leave a big hole in my heart that may take a long time to fill.”
• Faith & Work: How Can Pastors Encourage Congregants in Their Work Life? In this episode of TGC Q&A, Matt Rusten discusses four ways pastors can encourage congregants in their work life.”
• You Picked a Fine Time to Leave Me. Russ Gehrlein writes “The main point I wish to unpack here is that transitions are a good opportunity for Christians to intentionally love their neighbor by being as supportive as they possibly can.”

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Top 10 Faith and Work Quotes of the Week

• Your calling, when you find and embrace it, will result in the merging of your skills, talents, character traits, and experiences. John Maxwell
• Leadership is not about convincing others that we are strong. It is about pointing people to the One who is strong when we are not. Kirk Billiter
• God is calling you to a profession. His name is on you. Profess him in all you do. Honor him, and he will use your work for his purposes. Bryan Chapell
• Our daily work is ultimately an act of worship to the God who called and equipped us to do it. Tim Keller
• Leadership is not about building followers. It is about helping people discover who God created them to become. Kirk Billiter
• Whether a Christian is called to serve as a preacher or teacher of God’s word, as a Bible-study leader for youth, as a volunteer in the church nursery, as a witness in their factory or office, as a parent raising children in the home or a child caring for an elderly parent, or in some other role, God’s call to service equally applies. Any distinction between “full-time servants” and “lay servants” is a distinction not of value but only of function. The service itself is what’s most important. Alistair Begg
• Leadership is not about elevating ourselves. It is about surrendering ourselves. Kirk Billiter
• Take a moment to reflect on your own work, be it in the home, the field, the factory, or the office. In what ways are you tempted towards laziness? And in what ways towards overactivity? What will it look like for you to work hard and trust God? Alistair Begg
• Leadership is not the absence of hardship. Leadership is learning how to trust God in the middle of hardship. Kirk Billiter

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FAITH, WORK, LEADERSHIP BOOK REVIEW:

The Redeemed Man, edited by Joel Beeke, Richard Phillips and Paul Smalley. Reformation Heritage Books. 301 pages. 2025
*****

This book features chapters by a number of respected authors, including Sinclair Ferguson, Joel Beeke, David Strain, Richard Phillips, Daniel Doriani, Kevin DeYoung, Ian Hamilton, and Derek Thomas. The twenty-two chapters are divided into four major parts:

Part 1: A Godly Man’s Relationship with God
Part 2: A Godly Man’s Relationships with People
Part 3: A Godly Man’s Work
Part 4: A Godly Man’s Finishing Well

Richard Phillips tells us that the book was written because of the conviction that the godliness, faith, and influence of Christian men are essential to the work of God in our world today. The editors produced the book because they perceived a need for a comprehensive and up to date guide for Christian men that is distinctly biblical in its approach. The aim of the book is to summon Christian men to embrace their calling in service to our Lord.

The chapters in the book set forth a clear and compelling case for the biblical vision of redeemed manhood. The intent is to address the whole of a man’s life, starting with the priority that must be given to his relationship with God.

The chapters were intentionally kept concise. I read all of the chapters, and in the case of a book like this some chapters were more interesting to me than others. I was particularly interested in the sections on work and finishing well.

This is an outstanding book that should be recommended reading for Christian men. Here are 20 quotes that I found helpful from the book:

• Whereas the man of the world sees work as a necessary evil by which he seeks to earn a living and, at the most, make himself rich, the redeemed man sees work as worship. Conrad Mbewe
• The godly man exerts himself with all the strength and giftings that God has given him to fill his time with fruitful labor. Conrad Mbewe
• The Christian man realizes that this life is temporal and must soon come to an end. This thought does not fill him with fear and despondency. Rather, it fills him with joy because he looks forward to meeting with his God, the God with whom he has walked since the day of his conversion. Conrad Mbewe
• The gospel is a story of grace from beginning to end. Sinclair Ferguson
• Only when our roots are sunk deeply into the soil of the divine indicatives will we be able to grow in the joy of obedience to the rigorous and vigorous divine imperatives that follow. Sinclair Ferguson
• It has never been more urgent that Christian men face honestly the scriptural imperative to bear witness for Christ and learn to open their mouths to speak—humbly, lovingly, and courageously—for their Savior. David Strain
• You can pray for your unconverted friends’ salvation only because you trust the God who has the power to save. He alone calls sinners from death to life. Salvation is in His alone to give. David Strain
• It is not our task to save people, change their minds, or manipulate a decision for Jesus from them. It is our task, simply, faithfully, clearly, and lovingly to tell them the gospel. David Strain
• The clearest way that we can assess if our vocation is God-honoring is to ensure that it does not involve violating the Ten Commandments. Richard Phillips
• Christians should seek to make their living through work that benefits people. Richard Phillips
• Our work is meaningful and challenging because God planned it that way. Daniel Doriani
• Through honest labor, anyone can become God’s hands, meeting the needs of family, friends, and neighbors near and far. Daniel Doriani
• When godly ambition matches with talent, a godly man may have found a place where he can well serve God and his neighbor. Daniel Doriani
• An unchurched Christian is a contradiction in terms. Kevin DeYoung
• The church needs Christian men who run the race all the way through the tape. Kevin DeYoung
• Christians do not retire from work; they retire from one kind of work to take up another. Derek Thomas
• Work—all work—is to be viewed as a service to God. Derek Thomas
• This fact, that death awaits everyone born of woman, is one that God Himself encourages us to face, but to face with faith, hope and calm assurance. Ian Hamilton
• The man in Christ, has a glorious and living hope. Death will not, indeed cannot, extinguish that glorious and living hope. Ian Hamilton
• The redeemed man must till his last breath be committed to the fellowship of the people of God. Solitary Christianity is a contradiction. Ian Hamilton

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

Working for Better: A New Approach to Faith at Work by Elaine Howard Ecklund and Denise Daniels

Please join us in reading this book on faith and work.
From the Amazon description:

“In a world where workplaces are becoming increasingly diverse, Working for Better by Elaine Howard Ecklund and Denise Daniels offers a timely guide for Christians navigating the modern faith-at-work landscape. Drawing from over twenty years of research and personal insights, Working for Better presents a groundbreaking exploration of how to express Christian faith in professional settings without compromising beliefs or alienating others.

Through detailed studies involving focus groups, surveys of more than 15,000 workers, and interviews with over 300 individuals, Ecklund and Daniels identify five key tensions in the faith-at-work movement. With compelling stories and practical applications, Working for Better addresses the need for Christian workers and leaders to adapt to cultural shifts, offering guidance for a more redemptive presence at work. Each chapter concludes with thought-provoking questions for individual reflection or group discussion, making this book an essential resource for anyone seeking to integrate faith with their professional life. Whether you’re a Christian worker, workplace leader, or pastor guiding others, Working for Better invites you to consider how to flourish in a rapidly changing world.

As workplaces continue to evolve, the ability to maintain one’s spiritual values while contributing positively to the organizational culture becomes ever more crucial. Working for Better not only equips readers with the wisdom and tools needed to face such challenges but also inspires them to become agents of change, promoting a more inclusive and harmonious work environment.”

This week, we look at Chapter 7: Focusing on Systems Thinking. Here are a few helpful quotes from the chapter:

• Engaging in systems thinking is especially important for Christians because Christianity is a corporate faith. It is about a community.
• Thinking and acting systemically in life is consistent with biblical teaching.
• Christians could and should use their faith to bring changes to their workplace organizational systems.
• When workers focus on changing a work culture to make it more honest, or when they confront an authority figure over what they perceive to be a dishonest practice or request, they are working for systemic change.
• Christians in leadership positions sometimes recognized that they had more power than those who were at lower levels in the organization to influence the workplace climate through ways they communicated their faith values.
• Christian organizational leaders should particularly be attentive to issues of pay in their organizations.
• Christians can also consider the ways they might explore the values of the organizations in which they work. They can ask questions about the extent to which these values match the Christian values that shape their lives.
• One way Christian leaders could use their power is by addressing unjust rhythms of work and rest in their organizations.