Many Christians use the 40 days of Lent to honor the 40 days of fasting and temptation Jesus endured before the start of his work (Luke 3:23). If we examine Jesus’ time in the wilderness, we discover an invitation to experience more of his partnership in our own work. In Luke’s account of Jesus’ temptation, his very identity is challenged. Twice Satan attempts to provoke him with the phrase, “If you are the Son of God (italics ours).” “The devil said to him, “If... Read more
Guest Contributor: Eddie Wang Tucked away in the cozy Pacific Northwest is one of Seattle’s premier fine dining treasures: Canlis. For three generations, Canlis has been family-owned and operated, and has garnered multiple awards, including Gourmet Magazine’s #19 restaurant in America. This past Tuesday, I spent some time with Mark Canlis, co-owner of this iconic restaurant, and a group of friends and strangers from around Seattle by attending a Centered Meetup (more on this below). Mark discussed how he brings his whole... Read more
With Valentine’s Day coming up, we thought we’d share some insight about love—and work—from the raunchiest book of the Bible: Song of Songs. The Song of Songs is love poetry, centered on celebrating the beauty of love between man and woman. You may be surprised to learn that this book has anything to say about work—we were, too. But perhaps it’s not so shocking, given the inevitability of work as an outworking of love. Why wouldn’t romantic love involve work,... Read more
The Theology of Work Bible Commentary, Volume 5: Romans-Revelation is now available in print for the first time. If you’ve ever wondered about God’s direction for your work, the TOW Commentary is a good place to start. The commentary can be used for bible study or as a reference for myriad work-related topics. Written by a team of over 138 scholars, pastors and working Christians, the commentary helps people with a broad range of questions, such as: Does my work matter to... Read more
If there is one biblical principle that nearly everyone in the United States can recognize, it is that racism goes against God’s will. (See Gen. 1:27 and Gal. 3:28 for a refresher.) So when a trade publication publishes a blog post about racism in their industry, voila, you have a faith and work article in the secular press. That makes “Elevator World” the latest theological journal. Their January 19th post “Whites Only: Segregated Elevators During Jim Crow” by Hanno van der Bijl... Read more
“The public impact of our work should be a gift of love.” – Clint LeBruyns, Theology of Work Project Steering Committee member This week, the Theology of Work Project is holding its 15th Working Sessions Meeting. We’re pleased to be hosted by Opus, Wheaton College’s new institute for vocation, in conjunction with its launch. The TOW Project’s meeting gathers pastors, professors, theologians and workplace Christians to review papers on work-related topics. Participants this year have come from the United States, India,... Read more
Do you remember the last time you were able to give someone something they really enjoyed or needed? Maybe you did the dishes for your housemate, threw a party for your mom’s birthday, wrote a reference for a co-worker, or simply listened to a friend who needed a some advice. The experience of giving probably came with a sense of connection and satisfaction. Acts 20:35 tells us “It is more blessed to give than to receive“, and many studies have... Read more
This post is part of a symposium on vocation between the Patheos Faith and Work Channel and the Patheos Evangelical Channel. Guest Contributor: Bill Hendricks How much prayer is enough? Isn’t that what we’re really asking when it comes to “balancing” work and prayer? As knowledge workers—for whom time is everything—isn’t the issue: What’s the least amount of prayer I can get away with? In my experience, most of us divide our lives between two buckets: Work and Everything Else. Work commands a... Read more
As we enter the new year, we can expand our opportunities to help the poor by reassessing our budgets and spending habits. This article is part 3 in a 3-part series about how we can aid the poor by giving (part 1), investing (part 2) and spending (part 3) our money. It may seem odd to suggest that spending is a potential way to aid those in poverty. We often associate spending with excessive consumption. Many Christians value frugality so much that... Read more
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” – Matthew 6:19-21 This article is part 2 of 3 in a series about how we can use money to aid those who have less. Part 1... Read more
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