"The Sacredness of Secular Work" (Jordan Raynor)

TITLE: The Sacredness of Secular Work: 4 Ways Your Job Matters for Eternity (Even When You're Not Sharing the Gospel)
AUTHOR: Jordan Raynor
PUBLISHER: Colorado Springs, CO: Waterbrook & Multnomah, 2024, (224 pages).
 

One of the most popular resources for Christians is to find meaning in everyday work. The interest revolves around questions about practicing one's faith in the world. What does faith in the marketplace mean? How do we live the spiritual life in an increasingly secular world? What does it mean to be a Christian in the workplace? What should we do if our workplaces forbid us from practicing our faith? Does our work really matter? What does gospel living look like? In this book, author Jordan Raynor asserts that our work not only has "instrumental value" on earth, it also has "eternal intrinsic value" to God. "By "instrumental value," it means our work matters because it can be an opportunity to explicitly share the gospel with people we work with. "Intrinsic value" refers to how our work matters even when we are not explicitly sharing the gospel. The Great Commission should not be the "only" commission in life as it might give us a flawed sense of living as a Christian in an unChristian world. The primary reason is that though He lived with the gospel in mind, Jesus never turned everything into a "Great Commission" act. Many of his simple acts are that of care, compassion, care, and common living. One observation that the author makes is how the focus on the Great Commission Only is only a recent phenomenon. The Early Church did not have that distinction between sacred and secular lives. In fact, the words "Great Commission" did not even show up until the 1800s. In other words, the reason why so many today are asking how our work matters to God, is due to the mental separation of sacred and secular worlds. After listing the five ways we have misapplied the Great Commission, Raynor also enlarges the understanding of work beyond mere paid careers. This forms the major part of the book that looks at how we can live out the gospel in 99% of the time when we are not explicitly "sharing the gospel."

"Hard and Holy Work" (Mary Alice Birdwhistell and Tyler D. Mayfield)

TITLE: Hard and Holy Work: A Lenten Journey through the Book of Exodus
AUTHOR: Mary Alice Birdwhistell and Tyler D. Mayfield
PUBLISHER: Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2024, (122 pages).
 

Traditionally, devotionals on Lent tend to focus on self-reflection and quiet meditation. While it is a good spiritual practice to be mindful of the meaning of Lent, sometimes it can be accused of being impractical in a world of trouble and despair. Is there more to simply fasting and praying? Can we adopt practices that will lead us toward betterment for the common good? How can Christians observe Lent without forgetting that although they are not of the world, they are in the world? This book was inspired by the life of the Trappist monk, Thomas Merton, who found himself smack in the middle of Fourth and Walnut in Louisville, Kentucky, to be awakened to the needs of the world, and what God is prompting one to do: Paying attention and awakened to work toward justice. Using the book of Exodus, the authors highlight themes of liberation, justice, faithfulness, storytelling, and attentiveness to the marginalized. Useful for individual and group studies, each week contains stories from the Exodus narrative and ends with invitations to reflect, engage, and respond. These three invitations are summarized as "Paying Attention," "Sharing Together," and "Taking Action." 

"Mind Your Manners" (Sara Jane HO)

TITLE: Mind Your Manners: How to Be Your Best Self in Any Situation
AUTHOR: Sara Jane HO
PUBLISHER: New York, NY: Hachette Books, 2024, (304 pages).
 

Human beings are social creatures. Even for the most individualistic person, one cannot avoid interacting with another person, unless one lives as a hermit in some secluded part of the world. In general, we all need to learn some forms of social behavior and etiquette.  This is necessary for society to function well, and it is applicable for both children and adults. Unfortunately, schools do not often teach such stuff. Those that do often cover them at a superficial level. Etiquette is about connection, says author Sara Jane Ho, a vocal advocate for meaningful social communications in various settings. It is also contextual, meaning we need to adapt our understanding and practice of etiquette based on the geographical locations. In our globalized interconnected world, we also need to expand that to cultural settings. Popularized by a Netflix series with the same name as the book's title, this book is a print version of the streaming platform. In meaningful etiquette, we need "social fluency" which is essentially about reading people quickly and accurately as well as interacting with them confidently and effectively. Mindful of the growing mental health concerns globally, she helps us remember that therapy alone cannot solve issues related to social awkwardness. In a post-pandemic world, some might even need to relearn "social fluency" to help us relate to people.

"The Church After Innovation" (Andrew Root)

TITLE: Church After Innovation: Questioning Our Obsession with Work, Creativity, and Entrepreneurship (Ministry in a Secular Age)
AUTHOR: Andrew Root
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2022, (272 pages).
 

Each year, Apple enthusiasts celebrate the latest new iPhone. Software gets upgraded with more features that are better, faster, and more powerful than the previous generation. The old gets replaced by the new. It is a modern phenomenon that many of us are used to. Just like the Olympics where the prize goes to the fastest, tallest, or most able achievements, life, in general, seems to be heading toward the modern belief that the "latest and the greatest" are deemed better than the previous generation. CS Lewis once calls it "Chronological snobbery." In this book, author Andrew Root looks at how such a philosophy has engulfed the Church at large. He probes the nature of innovation and entrepreneurship asking questions about the history, the underlying philosophies, and its influence on the Church. The basic question in this book is: "Is the Church influencing the world more than the world of innovation influencing the Church?" He points to the latter and calls the modern Church having an "ecclesial obsession" with all things innovation. Thus the title of this book looks at what would happen if the church uncritically embraced innovation in all of its ministries. The author engages a host of philosophical thoughts from Meister Eckhart, John Tauler, Theologia Germanica, Michel Foucault, Andreas Reckwitz,  Friedrich Hölderlin, and others. Root raises the question of how similar the Church is with companies like Applebees's where innovation is crucial to survival. While it is one thing to hear from just one Church, it is yet another to notice how pervasive that philosophy is. He notes how one Church tried innovation with great success in the first year only to fizzle out the year after. His key assertion is that the Church should not confuse ministry innovation with her real mission. 

"The Word Before Work" (Jordan Raynor)

TITLE: The Word Before Work: A Monday-Through-Friday Devotional to Help You Find Eternal Purpose in Your Daily Work
AUTHOR: Jordan Raynor
PUBLISHER: New York, NY: Waterbrook, 2022, (304 pages).
 

Work is very much a way of life. God ordained it thus making work a gift for mankind. Unfortunately, due to the entry of sin into the world, work has become corrupted in many dimensions, so much so that for some people, work is best described as some kind of a necessary evil. You hate it but you cannot live without it. In a stressful highly charged work environment, I have also heard working people tell me that their jobs suck. Yet, they needed the job to pay their mortgages, bills, and other essential expenses. The popular phrase, "Thank God it's Friday" describes how society views the notion of work. People look forward to the weekend as a way to escape the mundane toil of work. The question remains: Is work really a bad thing? What can we do to make work more bearable? Can work be more than mere survival? How can we redeem work? The simple answer from this book is this: Let the Word of God guide us before we commence each workday. Written like a devotional over a period of 52 work weeks, author Jordan Raynor gives us a daily reflection on Scripture followed by a short exhortation to help us embrace the day with faith and hope. The first four weeks comprise foundational material to anchor readers on the biblical narrative and purpose of work. Mondays and Thursdays contain reflections on Old Testament passages. Tuesdays and Fridays are reserved for New Testament passages. Wednesdays are filled with mid-point interjections with Wisdom Literature. The book is inspired by positive feedback from the author's popular weekly devotional "The Word Before Work." This book extends the project to cover a whole year's workweek. Each week contains devotionals from Monday to Friday. Weekends are excluded. The premise behind this book is to let our faith shine as we venture into the world of work. Not just one day per week but every day of a typical five-day workweek. 

"Grace at Work" (Bryan Chapell)

TITLE: Grace at Work: Redeeming the Grind and the Glory of Your Job
AUTHOR: Bryan Chapell
PUBLISHER: Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2022, (240 pages).

Our work matters to God. In fact, the kinds of work we do are also opportunities for us to glorify God and to make His Glory known. The end of a Church service should mark the beginning of our service out in the world. Yet, how many believers actually know that or practice that? Sadly, very few. Worship is connected to our vocation. Our vocation is an act of worship. It is not limited to simply a Sunday worship service. Just like the popular song "Consuming Fire" by Tim Hughes, worship must be something more than Sunday worship. Author Bryan Chapell helps us by giving us a resource to enable us to see our jobs as opportunities to worship God. With many of us intensely immersed in our respective jobs and responsibilities, we need to learn how to take our faith to work. We need to adopt a grace mindset when performing our jobs. He looks at grace at work from ten angles. He begins with dignity and the dignity of the work set out for us. Our work has inherent meaning and significance, and our participation should enhance that dignity as well. Just like how God had created the world and called it good, we need to look at the world we live in and acknowledge its inherent goodness. We are also reminded not to base our own personal worth on the work we do. With sin having tarnished the world, work has also been tarnished and it is via God's redemptive work that has made all things new.

"Embracing Rhythms of Work and Rest" (Ruth Haley Barton)

TITLE: Embracing Rhythms of Work and Rest: From Sabbath to Sabbatical and Back Again
AUTHOR: Ruth Haley Barton
PUBLISHER: Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2022, (264 pages).
 

Anxious. Busy. Exhausted. Fatigued. Stressed. These are typical of a modern lifestyle almost everywhere we go. In many societies, work has become less of a blessing and more of a chore. As people continue to complain about incomes not keeping up with inflation rates, the work somehow continues to pile up. Some people claim that they need more than 24 hours a day and 8 days a week just to get everything done. Sometimes, that sentiment meant turning a weekend into an extended weekday, only to compound the level of exhaustion and stress. The Bible has laid out for us a pattern of work and rest. In Genesis, we learn that God created the world in six days and intentionally rested on the seventh. He also gave Israel the Ten Commandments, with the Fourth Commandment firmly about taking a sabbatical rest one day every week. It is not a suggestion. It is a clear commandment. As we become more liberal in our interpretation of the ancient laws, we often overlook these commandments in favour of convenience. As author and retreat leader Ruth Haley Barton says, we all need a wake-up call to let the Sabbath remain an essential part of all our lives. One of the best ways is to incorporate a routine, a regular system, or as author Ruth Haly Barton puts it, a rhythm of work and rest. Right from the beginning, she highlights the challenges of modern busyness affecting our way of life using her own life as an example. Confessing that it was the sabbath that saved her sanity, she puts forth several fundamental principles of sabbath keeping before giving us an outline of how to embrace the work-rest rhythm. The three principles are:

"Beyond Burnout" (Amy O’Hana)

TITLE: Beyond Burnout: What to Do When Your Work Isn’t Working for You
AUTHOR: Amy O’Hana
PUBLISHER: Eugene, OR: Harvest House Publishers, 2020, (208 pages).

Even in the most enjoyable jobs we do, once we over-exert ourselves, we experience exhaustion leading to burnout. What then can we do about that? How do we sustain our energy levels without wearing ourselves out? As one who has experienced what burnout means, even writing a dissertation about it, there is much to learn from Amy O'Hana. In order to keep us all on the same page, she begins with a description of what burnout is. Externally, it means physical and mental exhaustion. Internally, it involves questions surrounding "meaning, fulfillment, and passion." For Christian ministry workers, the expectations are higher because of the desire to want to please God (and people!). Realizing a wide variety of material and resources in the market that prescribe solutions to burnout, O'Hana wants to help us begin a conversation about the things that really matter to us. Generally speaking, the three types of burnout are physical exhaustion, emotional exhaustion, and loss of meaning. Most people would have a combination of the three that change at different stages of our life experiences. Before we spiral out of control into a crash-and-burn scenario, it is important to take heed by being self-aware and to take steps toward self-care. This is different from selfishness or ego-centric behaviours. It is about caring for the caregiver in us, that we may continue to serve and help others. As the saying goes, "too much of a good thing is not good." For all our good intentions, we can become lost in the busyness of good works. We need a way to be rested. Otherwise, we will become entangled in an unhealthy cycle of "performance, disconnection, and renewed fervor" to do more. We are to remember that we are human beings, not human doings. Through a five-step intentional process, O'Hana teaches us to grow beyond burnout toward spiritual connection with God.

"Work Worth Doing" (Tom Heetderks)

TITLE: Work Worth Doing: Finding God's Direction and Purpose in Your Career
AUTHOR: Tom Heetderks
PUBLISHER: Eugene, OR: Harvest House Publishers, 2020, (176 pages).

If there is one thing we all do, it will probably be work. Whether it is working at home or in the office, proft or non-profits, small or large, or any kind of activity, we are all part of the economy of work. For we are all recipients of someone else's work. For example, imagining turning on the TV. Some company employees have manufactured the machine. Others have packed it, shipped it, sold it, delivered it, and installed it for us. There is the cable or Internet company needed to provide services to the TV. Then there is the power company to supply electricity to our device and the distribution network. These and many more are needed for all to happen at the push of a remote control button. This is one small illustration of how our work impacts so many others in society. The point of work is not simply to make a living. If we were to look at work from a bigger picture, what we do provides varying levels of essential services in the economy.  Author Tom Heetderks expands on this notion of work to share that work is essentially something worth doing. With conviction, he gives us an acronym: Worship Our Risen King, to remind us that as believers, we work as a means to honour God. Of course, non-believers might feel a little out of place to hear things like that. Not only that, employees might find it hard to work for a boss they don't respect. Heetderks challenges us to list down our top reasons for work and to compare that to this bigger picture. For non-believers, this big picture is about the wider benefit to society. For believers, we serve and work not just for the sake of our neighbour, but for God's kingdom. In that manner, this book should appeal to a wider audience, both believer and unbeliever.

"Every Job a Parable" (John Van Sloten)

TITLE: Every Job a Parable: What Walmart Greeters, Nurses, and Astronauts Tell Us about God
AUTHOR: John Van Sloten
PUBLISHER: Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress, 2017, (220 pages).

Is God really interested in our jobs? What if our jobs are powerful windows into God's work in our lives? What is the relationship between our faith and our jobs? What does it mean to work joyfully as for the Lord? Can ordinary routine jobs be as significant as those mover-and-shaker jobs? These are everyday questions that would pique the interest of anyone out there working in the marketplace.

Your work matters to God because you matter to God. Every job is a story of this relationship. Through our jobs, we exercise our vocation to demonstrate God's grace in our work and the daily things we do. Through each vocation, author and preacher John Van Sloten has discovered a unique narrative in each of them. He calls it a "kind of parable," a unique story in which God manifests Himself in our work through us. He hopes that this book will spark in each reader a "renewed vocational imagination"to trust that because God is with them in their workplace, they would reveal God's glory in everything they do. In a secular age, it would seem impossible to even talk about things of faith in the marketplace. Yet, there is a way. Opportunities abound for the discerning. He shares about how a Walmart employee named Shirley puts customers before herself, just like Christ who put others before Himself. The forensic psychologist in searching for healing recognizes the powerful role of the Holy Spirit to heal and to make people whole. For Sam Kolias, one of Canada's largest residential landlords, it is a reminder that we are all God's tenants on earth. Through the many vocations, we learn about the different ways in which our gifts and talents are put to good use, all reflecting God's creative work in us.

NIV Faith & Work Bible

TITLE: NIV, Faith and Work Bible, Hardcover
AUTHOR: Various Contributors
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2016, (1632 pages).

One of the most common concerns among Christians is the lack of understanding how faith plays out in the world of work and in the jobs we have. Some have called it a Sunday-Monday divide while others have simply wondered how relevant is Sunday faith with regard to the other six days. While there are many books already written on the integration of faith and work, and many seminaries offering workplace ministries and marketplace theologies, this new study and application Bible offers a biblical look and varied applications about how the Bible speaks into the world of faith and work. With a foreword from renowned preacher and teacher Tim Keller, four thought-provoking essays from David Kim, Richard Mouw, Nancy Ortberg, and Jon Tyson, this study Bible presents a combination of doctrine, application, and ways to cultivate community. Keller begins by describing Christians in terms of the "gathered church" and the "scattered church." The people of God are Church together on Sunday and also a Church going out into the world on the other six days. He is convinced that the Bible speaks a lot about faith and work. David Kim adds by pondering what it means to see the gospel changing everything. He sees it as three redemptions: 1) Our motivations; 2) Our Relationships; and 3) Our world. Through redemption of our motivations, we are given a fresh vision of why we work. Through redemption of our relationships, we appreciate how the gospel transforms relationships. Through redemption of our world, knowing that God cares for our world will give us added impetus to do whatever we can to bless and to make this world a better place for all. Some features of this application Bible includes:

"Rising Above a Toxic Workplace" (Gary Chapman, Paul White, and Harold Myra)

TITLE: Rising Above a Toxic Workplace: Taking Care of Yourself in an Unhealthy Environment
AUTHOR: Gary Chapman, Paul White, and Harold Myra
PUBLISHER: Chicago, IL: Northfield Publishing, 2014, (160 pages).

Ever encountered the boss from hell? What about irritating colleagues who absolutely ruin our day? Maybe, there is a negativity so heavy that going to the workplace no longer seems fun or exciting anymore. The fact is, there are many places that have a toxic environment that can discourage and turn off ordinary workers from discharging their best. According to a Gallup poll, seven in ten people work in toxic workplaces. A bad workplace also leads to stress and reduced productivity. Class tensions create divisions within organizations.

Then there is the toxic boss from hell. They cannot take no for an answer. Not only that, they can make life miserable for subordinates who are desperate to keep their job. Some bosses are so abusive that standing up to them may very well be worse off. Greed and envy are the toxic fumes in any workplace. Even those companies that shot to fame based on their ranking in "Best companies to work for" are not immune from toxic workplaces. For what is wonderful for now is no guarantee of the future.

"The Gospel At Work" (Sebastian Traeger & Greg Gilbert)

TITLE: The Gospel at Work: How Working for King Jesus Gives Purpose and Meaning to Our Jobs
AUTHOR: Sebastian Traeger & Greg Gilbert
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2013, (160 pages).

This is a surprisingly good and useful book on vocation, work, and ministry. Some books cover topics of faith and work with a greater emphasis on good works and ethics. Others cover the topic with theological depth that appeals more to scholars and less to laypersons. Still, there are those that promise a lot but disappoints at the end. This latest effort looks the same at first, but offers a unique take on what it means to let the gospel guide our work. The key idea is this. We have only one employer, and that is God. We have only one calling, and that is calling to God. In fact, it is not what we do but who we work for that makes all the difference. This one big idea drives the entire focus of the book.

When the authors make use of the phrase "King Jesus," it reminds me straightaway of another brilliant book called "The King Jesus Gospel." What Scott McKnight was able to do for evangelism and outreach everywhere, Sebastian Traeger and Greg Gilbert manage to do the same for workplace and faith ministry efforts everywhere. Traeger and Gilbert's years of experience in both the marketplace as well as in ministry settings have lent an additional layer of credibility to this latest book. Beginning with a focus on what our primary motivation for work is, Traeger and Gilbert help us fuse this with the greatest commandment to love God, love people, and serve all. In all things, the way to witness is to shine forth God's character in all things we do. This one tip trumps all other detailed methodologies or strategies that can be unwieldy and confusing.

What I really appreciate is the way the authors warn readers about the dual threats against the living out of King Jesus focus. They created a brilliant visual of an arrow, sandwiched by the pits of idleness and idolatry. Slacken in our faithfulness and we fall into the pit of idleness. Overly engrossed in fruitfulness risks plunging oneself deeper into idolatry. Thus, the guiding principle is to make sure we avoid idleness by sustaining our faithful living throughout, and to refrain from idolatry by being measured in our push for fruitful living. In helping us recognize the promises and perils of working in this fallen world, readers will find this a very intuitive guide to recognize when to push and when to pull back. Once we catch the main point, the rest of the motivations and methods in the book becomes more tightly knitted instead of scattered offerings. This is important because living for God is not about compartmentalizing our lives into neat pockets or drawers. It is about integration of work and purpose with faith in God as the guiding principle for all.

The scope of applications are far and wide. There are tips for Church and family, friends and colleagues, work inside as well as outside our regular places.  In choosing a job, readers will find it a helpful list of "must haves" versus "nice to haves." We will recognize that all those questions and struggles about finding the right job, making ends meet, or enjoying what we do, are but secondary concerns. What is primary is godliness in everything we do, faithfulness in whatever we do, and bringing glory to God in all that we are and are doing. There is a chapter on how we relate to bosses and our co-workers to see them not as obstacles to our promotion or job security, but to see them as people loved by God. Some helpful tips include:

1. Determination not to complain or grumble about our work
2. Happy submission to authority by remembering it is God we submit to
3. Humble acknowledgment of duties and authority knowing that Christ himself had done the same
4. Compete with integrity, that we do not focus on taking people down, but holding Christ up.

There is also a chapter on how to be a Christian boss that should appeal to people who runs their own business or entrepreneurial endeavors. The guiding principles include honouring God with our authority, using our power to bless others, awareness of the ease of power abuse, sacrificial service, imitating Jesus, be Gospel motivated and grace empowered. The chapter on sharing the gospel at work is a call not to be too afraid of sharing the gospel when the opportunity presents itself, and not to be too insensitive to push down the good news to those who are resistant. What is needed is to be ready at all times, to be sensitive to Spirit-led moments, and to build good relationships for the gospel to flourish. As expected, the authors assert once more that full-time work is not more important than regular work outside the Church or Christian borders. The key thing is to see how God, our Employer is deploying us. Some are deployed for Church work. Others are deployed for work in secular settings. The key thing is that we are all members of the same body and workers for the Same Boss.

I am excited to recommend this book highly as we kick off a brand new year 2014!

Do check out their website here for more resources.

Rating: 5 stars of 5.

conrade

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This book is provided to me courtesy of Zondervan and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.

"Doing the Right Thing" (Scott B. Rae)

TITLE: Doing the Right Thing: Making Moral Choices in a World Full of Options
AUTHOR: Scott B. Rae
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2013, (192 pages).

This book reminds us that we live in a culture that practices values very contrary to biblical teachings. In fact, not only are they at odds with biblical principles, they are increasingly more aggressive at shutting down traditional values that have underpinned society's success for so many decades. In an age of compromise, we have failed to uphold our promises. In a frantic search for profits, we let ethics fly out the window. In an age of relativism, we lose sight of absolute truths that are so critical to maintaining a sense of doing the right thing. "Reason is indispensable" so says Scott Rae, in this companion book to the late Charles Colson's film series of the same name. For the purpose of this review, while credit goes to Scott Rae, it is good to know that many of the ideas originated from the late Chuck Colson, simply because the book is based on the film series.

"Sticking Points" (Haydn Shaw)

TITLE: Sticking Points: How to Get 4 Generations Working Together in the 12 Places They Come Apart
AUTHOR: Haydn Shaw
PUBLISHER: Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale Publishers, 2013, (288 pages).

Imagine yourself going to office and working with not just your peers, but your parents, your grand-uncles, and even your children. On paper it sounds very nice, warm, and cosy. In practice, there are generational differences that can make or break relationships. Beginning with the story of Cara, readers get to see how different generations perceive how work gets done. One generation may be faithful at the office from 9 to 5, but has a low efficiency. Another generation may only work three hours a day, be in the office only 3 times a week, and still get the same work done. During meetings, some generations can stay attentive throughout the meeting, while another seems to be multitasking between listening to the meetings, texting on their smartphones, and looking at their own papers.

Calling this era the first time where four generations come together and working side by side in the workplace, this book is an attempt to create "sticking points" so that all four of them can remain closely knitted and in touch with one another. Shaw, a generational expert and popular business speaker highlights five key pointers to understand the differences among the generations.

1. Four generations may come together with their different cultural styles and preferences;
2. When it comes to pulling all four generations together, only one in four approaches work today;
3. It is important to unite by focusing on the 'why' because focusing on the 'what' tends to divide;
4. Labeling the twelve sticking points will help preempt and anticipate problems before they come
5. Implementing a 5-step inter-generational leadership style.

"Every Good Endeavor" (Tim Keller)

TITLE: Every Good Endeavor: Connecting Your Work to God's Work
AUTHOR: Tim Keller
PUBLISHER: New York, NY: Dutton Press, 2012, (292 pages).

Is there such a thing as "Christian work?" When Christians who band together in a business venture fails, does that mean they have failed as Christians in the marketplace? How do we make sense of work? These and many more are ably dealt with by Tim Keller. Keller takes on work and faith, and engages both of them together within the context of the marketplace. Framed in three parts, Part One talks about the original intention of God for work. Part Two talks about the fall and how our work has become fruitless, pointless,selfish, and idolatrous. Part Three is about how the gospel redeems the world, and in particular, the world of work and how Christians can make a difference in each of their good endeavours. The  way that Keller adopts is to help readers understand the need to cultivate an environment where our contribution in the work becomes a way we can serve God and people. As we work, we also learn to integrate the respective kinds of work we do, the history of the venture, the biblical insights we can apply to the context, so that we can make a fuller sense of what God is doing through us in the workplace. Work, through the many stages and changes of forms and circumstances then becomes a journey toward a specific destination. Like a fully grown tree, as we work through the leaves and the twigs, to the branches and the trunks, to the highest top and the deepest roots, we let our work tell the story of God working through us, and manifested in the daily things we do. The foreword by Katherine Leary Alsdorf sets the stage for a challenging read.

"I learned great lessons about joy at work, patience and hope, teamwork and truth telling, from a people who didn't share my faith. My staff who went away for a meditation weekend seemed to come back more refreshed than those who worshipped together on Sunday at a Christian evangelical churc. I started to see work as a crucible where God was pounding and grinding and refining me, rather than a place where I was actively and effectively serving him." (13)

In typically Keller's fashion, Keller begins with God. Through Genesis, we learn that God creates the world and cares for it. There is a dignity of work right from the start, only to be tarnished and diminished as sin thwarts the original plan of God. Work then becomes a "necessary evil," and degraded into a mere means toward materialistic pursuits. We need then to see all work as culture making. We see work as an important part of serving the community we live in. Work flows out of our love for God, and we minister and serve with competence, that our end product is a result of much gratitude to God.

Part Two hones in on the various ways that sin has destroyed the original intent for work. Having lost the glory of God, work becomes a fruitless and often despite way of life as sin does its destructive influence. Work becomes cursed. It becomes an aimless endeavour with meaninglessness a middle name in world stuck between good and evil.  Using Ecclesiates as a guide, Keller affirms the need for a redemptive element.  Due to sin, work also becomes a selfish endeavour where people work mainly to make a name for themselves, to climb toward positions of power and influence, and unwittingly allows the setting up of idols in the place of work and in the hearts of people. There are personal idols of comfort and pleasure, as well as corporate idols of self-styled secular ideals, or some kind of moral absolutes that place meaning in the accomplishment of them. Idols of self-realization, individual talents, ambition, hard work. There are postmodern idols of human progress, reason, science, or some kind of a "means without ends" idol. These are idols because they become an end in themselves.

Part Three offers hope in God, through the Gospel and how it redeems work. The gospel introduces a worldview that is totally opposite of what the world offers. Against a world that elevates "self-expression, sexual pleasure, and affluence" as meaning makers, the gospel brings us back to help us see that in ourselves or in themselves, we are nothing. For any worldview to take root, three questions need to be asked.

1. How are things supposed to be?
2. What is the main problem with them as they are?
3. What is the solution and how can it be realized?

Keller then helps with several examples on how the gospel redeems the world of work. In journalism, redemption looks at learning to go beyond fact reporting toward reporting in a manner than brings hope and life. In Higher Education, we learn to create people with "reflective" and responsible citizenship. In the Arts, we learn not to let profits be the primary motivator, but beautiful and optimistic. In Medicine, Keller reminds those in the medical profession that it is easy to feel proud and even arrogant in a noble profession. At the same time, medical professionals can feel uneasy when trying to introduce their work in the spiritual realm. The key is holistic health, learning to care for people as people even when they are trained to solve medical challenges. A new concept of redeemed work is one that involves the inclusive participation of all. It is an exercise of common grace that human beings receive. There is no dichotomy of "Christian" or non-Christian work. All work is work, and all work can be redeemed by God. Due to the limitations of ethics, even Christian ethics, we need a new compass for work. Treat people with dignity. Treat people wisely. Serve with respect and fear of God. Let sincerity of heart drive our initiatives. Do not be ruthless. Be calm during moments of failure. Do not be too quick to take sides and divide the organization.


Despite the many publications, conferences, and courses that teach marketplace theology or faith in the workplace, there is still a growing hunger for matters of spirituality and how a Christian ought to live in the world at large, in particular the office and the workplace. From time to time, many in the secular place of work can become confused or disorientated about God's purpose for them where they are. Such people may even feel more fulfilled when in some form of recognized Christian ministry like Churches, parachurches, or mission-based organizations. Still, there are those in the clergy or the familiar "full-time worker" label, who feels that their parishes or congregation needs to be reminded that all good work is in fact, working for God. There is no need to be distracted or irked by labels. What matters is the way we live for Christ wherever we go. The Ten changes that Keller proposes is worth remembering. Every good endeavor will involve one or more of the following.

1. From individual salvation to a wider understanding that the gospel changes everything, not just our personal lives.
2. From being good to being saved, that our work is an effective working out of our saved state.
3. From cheap grace to costly grace, where we are made aware constantly of our sinful selves
4. From "heaven above" thinking, to Christ present down here on earth
5. From using God as a value-add, to how we can value add to the work of God on earth
6. From building idols in our world, to living for God
7. From disdain for this world to being engage in the world
8. From doing things alone to working as an accepting community
9. From mere "people matter" to recognizing the place of institutions, people, and all that matters
10. From "Christian superiority" to "common grace."

It is hard not to like this book. Keller shines as he distills the wide repertoire of knowledge he has into a powerful reference for understanding God's purpose for work, sin's effect on work, and Christ's redemption of the world, including work. We need to grow in humility, in love, in acceptance, in truth, in justice, and in all things that matter to God. The words, "For God so loved the world," has not, and should not be forgotten. It is because God so loved the world, that we ought to love the world and to live as ambassadors of grace, toward every good endeavour. It is only in Christ, we can bat a good start, make a godly strike, and do a home run. In Christ, all things are possible.


Rating: 5 of 5 stars

conrade

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"The Call to Work" (Robert H. Erdmann)

TITLE: The Call To Work: A Biblical Perspective
AUTHOR: Robert H. Erdmann
PUBLISHER: Brownstone Books, 2012, (100 pages).

Is there meaning in secular work? Why since the Middle Ages are we still stuck in the secular/sacred divide? Recent work has sought to shed light on the meaning of work and marketplace ministry, and yet, many people are still unsure of their vocation and what it means by work per se. There is a deep disconnect between what we want to do and the current jobs we are doing. We want our work to be significant but we often feel less than significant. The author attempts to use this book as a launchpad to "explore" the place of work God has for us. Though there has been several articulation of faith and work recently, by people such as Dorothy Sayers, Larry Peabody, Lee Hardy, Paul Stevens, John Beckett, and several others, the author feels that what is lacking is a "simple articulation of the biblical roots of the theology of work." The continuing dichotomy of sacred vs secular realms of work is a result of such a lack, so says Erdmann. Erdmann first sets down his own context. He has work experience in both engineering and sales. He affirms that God is interested in his work. He believes that God has equipped him to do specific work. He then works out a brief survey of the history of the Church from Genesis to the Middle Ages, from the Dark Ages to the Reformation, from the Second Reformation to modern times, preferring to sacrifice details for simplicity. Written in two parts, Part One touches on the history of work. He begins with creation, the fall, and the curse of Adam. He argues that productive work is a legitimate call that still applies to this day. He talks about how work has been corrupted, using the examples of biblical characters such as Lamech whose skills are corrupted by moral decay. He also makes an interesting observation of how the polytheistic religions begin to flourish almost immediately after Israel's apostasy. Work is then corrupted farther in many other ways. In Greece, work is seen more as a curse. In China, women are disqualified from imperial examinations, which is an essential step to serving in the public systems. In India, the caste systems segregated people into the different ranks. In Christ, all these barriers are torn down as Christ redeems the world. Despite the coming of Christ, the Post-Apostolic believers continues to be attacked by heresy and all kinds of dualistic beliefs. It takes the Reformation to spring the movement back to the right track. Then comes the Industrial Revolution which many of us are familiar with, the Protestant Work Ethic and the continuing struggle between meaningful work and survival.

Part Two is a little more prescriptive in talking about the future of work. Here is where Erdmann begins building his case in the Call to Work. This is linked to the list of "universal calls" that applies to all jobs. The call to to serve humbly and worthily. The call to love and to show integrity. The call to witness, to be responsible to family, and to glorify God. His key idea:

"The solid ground, by the way, is not really in the marketplace. It’s in your heart that knows God made you to be doing what He’s equipped you to do. When that happens, you will know that God is sending His Holy Spirit to work alongside you, and yes, you will see miracles happen through you." (72)

After touching on "work," Erdmann works on "call," distinguishing it from "stations," "vocations," and "giftings." Stations are functions, vocations are specific sets of skills for which we are trained, and giftings are all of these plus specific representations of our beings. As for call, it is integral in the personhood, equipped by the gifts, and energized by a sense of purpose. Erdmann then ties the call back to the Church and the community of Christ.

My Thoughts

The whole "Call to Work" essentially revolves around the spiritual health of a person. A healthy sheep will reproduce healthy offspring. They make up a healthy church that will encourage, nurture, and equip one another. Erdmann does a good job of keeping things simple, especially the history of work and the Church. Part One constitutes the bulk of the book. It is the second part that contains more of what Erdmann is trying to drive at. In fact, if I can put it simply, Part One deals with the idea of "work," while Part Two deals more specifically with the Call and how it ties back to work. I find the second part more enjoyable and relevant. Perhaps, the job of condensing so much history into an extremely light historical survey has removed many stories and pivotal moments in history. Moreover, when surveying history, a difficult choice has to be made with regards to which particular event to highlight. Every simplification always results in reductionism. In Erdmann's case, this is even more acute as he simplifies and even more simplified survey. For students of history, this may very well mean removing much contexts from the texts. Part Two contains more concrete ideas on what a call is. With the discussion questions at the back of each chapter, and the supporting appendices, this book can be a little guide to finding our call to work. That said, this book is to be treated more as an introduction or a mini guide to the call to work. For the busy professional, this book should be delightful read on the basis of its clarity and brevity. For those who are looking for something meatier, this book will not satisfy you.

Rating: 3.5 stars of 5.

conrade

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This book is provided to me free by Brownstone Books and NetGalley without any obligation for a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.

Review: "Work Matters"

TITLE: Work Matters: Connecting Sunday Worship to Monday Work
AUTHOR: Tom Nelson
PUBLISHER: Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2011, (213 pages).

The dichotomy between work and faith continues to be a challenge for many. Pious Christians go to Church each Sunday to worship and to rest from work. When Monday comes, how does that act of faith influence the rest of the week? Sadly, many people throughout the world struggle to make the connection. Often, people see weekends as a needed break from dreary work. This book attempts to provide some answers to two big questions:

• Is our faith making a difference in our work?
• Is our work making any difference in the world?

The core conviction of the book is: "Work matters. A lot." Using Os Guinness descriptions of primary calling (to Christ) and secondary calling (to our work), Nelson deals the various aspects of this particular calling. We are created by God with work in mind. Through work, we continue to the productivity in the world. We steward what is given to us. Through work, we worship God.

Unfortunately, sin and the fall of man has disrupted the nature of work. Thus, work can be painful, discouraging, distorted. Some of us work too hard (workaholic). Others work too little (sloth).  For Christians, they differentiate secular work from sacred work, leading to a dualism that is unhealthy. Nelson introduces the idea of the gospel lived out in our work. When redeemed, work is not just satisfying, it transforms self and others. Nelson makes this poignant observation that if the future is bright and glorious, surely present work is more meaningful and purposeful. The key is to grasp the way our present work fits with the future vision.

"I believe Jesus' parable of the talents not only encourages us to gospel readiness, but also encourages us to more seamlessly connect our Sunday faith with our Monday work." (70)

Book Review: "The Way We're Working Isn't Working"

TITLE: THE WAY WE'RE WORKING ISN'T WORKING
AUTHOR: Tony Schwartz
PUBLISHER: NY: Free Press, 2010, (335 pages)

In his previous book, the Power of Full Engagement, the author explains that 'energy' is the critical force that determines success. By taking care of one's energy levels, being conscious of one's energy cycles and the need to replenish oneself regularly, the author submits that such will then lead to a 'power of full engagement.'

This follow-up book does not detract a lot from his previous treatise about energy. He attempts to differentiate this book from his famous predecessor by addressing 'four forgotten needs' behind the energy and performance level. Beyond survival, these four needs are essentially similar to Abraham Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs with a minor difference. Schwartz flips the triangle with the apex at the bottom but retains the level of needs.