{"id":175,"date":"2015-09-05T09:17:55","date_gmt":"2015-09-05T14:17:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/admin.patheos.com\/blogs\/workcited\/?p=175"},"modified":"2015-04-14T14:57:28","modified_gmt":"2015-04-14T19:57:28","slug":"books-on-vocation-calling-work-and-jobs-and-we-mean-lots-of-books","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/workcited\/2015\/09\/books-on-vocation-calling-work-and-jobs-and-we-mean-lots-of-books\/","title":{"rendered":"Books on vocation, calling, work, and jobs. And we mean LOTS of books."},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

This post originally appeared at the blog Booknotes<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

As we were leading up to Labor Day weekend, I was thrilled to know that the High Calling blog\"Lewis_Hine_Power_house_mechanic_working_on_steam_pump-350x490.jpg\" offered resources<\/a><\/b> for use during this season since it is a natural time for church folk to teach, honor, and celebrate ordinary Christians and their calling into jobs.\u00a0 We are sent into all manner of work places, and we can serve God and neighbor there.\u00a0 Our bookstore is known for trying to affirm that.<\/p>\n

You know we often recommend books about \u201cthinking Christianly\u201d about our callings and careers, and we often link to articles, sermons, essays and other resources that help us bridge the all-too-common gap between church life and work life, between Sunday and Monday, as we sometimes put it.\u00a0 Besides The High Calling<\/a><\/b>, we often tell folks about the Washington Institute on Faith, Vocation, and Culture<\/a><\/b>, Redeemer Presbyterian\u2019s Center for Faith and Work<\/a><\/b>, the Cardus\u2019 think-tank page on work and economics<\/a><\/b>, Pittsburgh\u2019s Serving Leaders<\/a><\/b>, and other such good organizations.<\/p>\n

I would be eager to hear if your church did anything special for Labor Day\u2014we have tweeted and commented on Facebook about the resource The High Calling was offering\u2014and I know some of you were considering using their worship aids.\u00a0 Of course, this sort of worship project doesn\u2019t have to be done on Labor Day Sunday\u2014in fact, that may be to easy, seeming perfunctory. Let us know what your church does to equip the saints for their work in the world, especially this idea of relating Biblical principles and practices to the job site.<\/p>\n

\"stackWe have often reviewed books on vocation and calling, as well as books about work and career (not to mention offering for free at our website the extensive bibliographical tool \u201cbooks by vocation\u201d<\/a><\/b> for Christian perspectives on everything from science to law, art, medicine, education, business, counseling, engineering,and more.) We have not lately gathered together a large bibliography on vocation and work all in one big list. It has taken some time, but what a joy to pull together this list for you.<\/p>\n

The following list isn\u2019t comprehensive\u2014visit our shop and you\u2019ll see even more on the shelves!\u00a0 But it is an intentionally curated set of selections and the descriptions should be a bit entertaining to read.\u00a0 As you know, we stock things from diverse publishers\u2014from liberal Episcopalians to books from conservative Calvinist sources; there are books here by United Methodists and Roman Catholics, Pentecostals and non-Christians.\u00a0 And we find that many of the best books are themselves drawing on rather wide circles, offering surprises and depth.\u00a0 So it is quite a list with a handful of unique perspectives, all useful in their own way, we think.<\/p>\n

We are happy to share it as our Labor Day gift to you.\u00a0 Print it out, pass it on.<\/p>\n

Having a few of these suggested titles in your church library (on on your own shelf if you mentor college students or professionals) is a good witness; essential tools for your own toolkit.\u00a0 Helping people learn about these life changing books will bless them and bless you as you encourage them.\u00a0 Maybe you can step up to be a bit of an informal mentor, inviting a couple of thoughtful folks to read about vocation and calling, careers and work, and see how it goes. You\u2019ll love doing that, I bet.\u00a0 And God\u2019s Kingdom will be advanced.<\/p>\n

If you are a pastor or work with collegiates, dare I say that not having some of these kinds of books around is nearly ministry malpractice?\u00a0 Yes, I dare, because I believe it.\u00a0 Unless you are in children\u2019s ministry or are a chaplain at an retirement home, if you are a pastor and you haven\u2019t read these kinds of books and haven\u2019t shared a few with anybody in your circles of influence, I believe you are not doing your job.\u00a0 There isn\u2019t much shame in that, mind you; most clergy aren\u2019t taught this in their seminary training.\u00a0 But you are invited here and now to remedy this.\u00a0 Get on this train, as it\u2019s on the move.\u00a0 Not a few analysts predict that this will continue to be a vital aspect of ministry in the next decades.<\/p>\n

Younger Christians, especially, long to see their faith integrated into their deepest passions, using their gifts in meaningful employment and to have their local church help them with this.\u00a0 It may be a deal-breaker or a game-changer for some. In fact, the important research on why 20-somethings are leaving your church presented in You Lost Me<\/i><\/b> by David Kinnaman (Baker; $17.99) indicates that this is exactly one of the reasons.\u00a0 Additionally, consider the good chapter \u201cCalled, Not Employed\u201d in The Next Christians<\/i><\/b> by Gabe Lyons (Multnomah; $14.99) if you don\u2019t believe me that this is a passion of some of the folks who now feel excluded from your congregation.\u00a0 Or come to Jubilee<\/a><\/b>\u00a0 and see for yourself as 2000+ college students show their enthusiasm for taking up their vocations and callings corem deo, soli deo gloria<\/i>. Yep, they talk like that there.\u00a0 At least if I have anything to do with it.\u00a0 Ha!<\/p>\n

So. Pray for us as we try to sell these sorts of books, please.\u00a0 We long to have conversations about these very things. We have inventory here, waiting to be utilized, dispatched to places where, we believe, there are leaders who need an easy way to start some conversations and cast some vision.\u00a0 We know that you resonate with this aspect of our bookstore work, and trust you see yourself as part of this story.<\/p>\n

Maybe you can think of ways to integrate this vision into your own circles at your church, fellowship, small group or Bible study class. Maybe you can find liturgies and prayers to help your own worship services relate well to your parishioners, the butchers, bakers, and candlestick makers who sit in your sanctuary.\u00a0 (Not to mentioned the unemployed and under-employed.)\u00a0 Let\u2019s us know what your doing, and if we can help in any way.<\/p>\n

***<\/span>
\nI recall a great time I had speaking at a special chapel service at a Christian college a year or so\"the ago.\u00a0 The Career Development office put together the service, and they included a responsive reading from the book The Call: Finding and Fulfilling the Central Purpose of Your Life<\/b><\/i> bu Os Guinness (Nelson; $17.99.)\u00a0 Did they know it is one of my all-time favorite books?\u00a0 Did they expect that I would cite it?\u00a0 It was such a fitting way into a liturgical celebration of God\u2019s call into His kingdom, and the subsequent duties to serve the great King in every zone of life.\u00a0 Of course we shouldn\u2019t reduce our many callings to only our paid jobs, and, in fact, the director of the Career Development office explained to me that they (ironically) try not to use the word \u201ccareer\u201d for a variety of reasons, noting the baggage and assumptions such a phrase carries.\u00a0 So, yes, we are called to a variety of places, various \u201coffices\u201d or tasks, with all sorts of God-given opportunities and obligations.\u00a0 We are called and sent.\u00a0 Dr. Guinness is still my favorite author on this and The Call<\/i><\/b> is a book I revisit over and over.\u00a0 If you don\u2019t have it, please, please, consider it. The discussion guide in the back is very strong, too, making it an exceptional resource.\u00a0\u00a0 And, hey, you can make a responsive reading out of it for your next liturgy that worships around this theme.<\/p>\n

B<\/span>OOKS ON VOCATION & CALLING<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Bass-Leading-Lives-that-Matter.jpg\"Leading Lives That Matter: What We Should Do and Who We Should Be<\/b><\/i> \u00a0edited by Mark Schwehn & Dorothy Bass (Eerdmans) $26.00 \u00a0With their huge involvement in the Lily grants programs to encourage vocational thinking at Christian colleges and seminaries, it was natural that they compiled this great, great (and great big) resource about living lives with purpose and influence. \u00a0I\u2019ve raved about this at BookNotes from time to time as it includes great literary figures (many not necessarily Christian) and is just such a rich and wonderful resource\u2014at least for those who love great writers, etc. \u00a0Poets, mystics, reformers, philosophers, writers and leaders of all sorts are excerpted nicely, from Homer and Milton to Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Dorothy Day, Wendell Berry to Robert Frost.\u00a0 Highly recommended.<\/p>\n


\nEveryday Missions: How Ordinary People Can Change the World<\/i><\/b>\u00a0 Leroy Barber (IVP) $15.00\u00a0 Believe me, I could list a dozen good books on vision, purpose, making a difference, but this one is a favorite and is the sort of resource that helps us approach the topic of vocation.\u00a0 Barber has excellent Bible studies here of people who have been called, relates these Scripture case studies to ordinary folks today, reminds us of the vision of cultural renewal as we deepen our discipleship, taking up the call to love and serve others in all that we do.\u00a0 The centerpiece chapter, by the way, is exactly on vocation.\u00a0 Barber is the president of Mission Year so the book naturally carries endorsements from Tony Campolo, Shane Claiborne and urban activist Bob Lupton.\u00a0 Yes, there are burning bushes and ladders to heaven in the Bible, but when it comes to what we do with our lives, Barber helps us realize that that isn\u2019t usually how it works. God calls us to respond to Christ\u2019s love and the world\u2019s needs, seeking the Kingdom in our sphere of influence.\u00a0 Good, good stuff!<\/p>\n

Calling: A Song for the Baptized<\/i><\/b> Caroline A. Westerhoff (Seabury) $15.00\u00a0 This more recent edition of a book published by Cowley in the 90s is considered a classic by some.\u00a0 Westerhoff is a great, Southern storyteller and a mature Episcopalian priest and consultant.\u00a0 These stories weave together a profound book, noting that we must listen to the narratives that shape who we are, attend to baptismal themes, and, in community, discern notions of calling.\u00a0 This is less about vocation and work, but is still a moving and rich reflection, especially for those who are called to ministry. A few chapters are very, very rich.<\/p>\n

The Preaching Life<\/b><\/i> Barbara Brown Taylor (Cowley) $17.95\u00a0 The first half of this is a beautifully rendered memoir of her conversion to faith, her sense of calling into ministry, and her eventual vocation as an Episcopal preacher.\u00a0 There are a few extended passages from which I often read out-loud in workshops and talks\u2014God speaking to her through creation, the role of sacraments, the significance of the ordinary (themes she unpacks wondrously years later in her beloved An Altar in This World<\/i>.) Her well-told reminder on how everyone\u2019s workplace can be a place for sacramental experience of God\u2019s goodness and grace is worth the price of the book.\u00a0 A few of these pages mean the world to me, and I had to list it.<\/p>\n

A Journey Worth Taking: Finding Your Purpose in This World<\/i><\/b>\u00a0 Charles D. Drew (P&R)\"journey $12.99\u00a0 Some have told me this was the best combination of the Biblical overview of creation-fall-redemption-restoration story of Scripture and the language of purpose (exploring, then, the themes of vocation and call) that they\u2019ve ever read.\u00a0 Rev. Drew is certainly a solid writer, well crafting mature sentences in wise and wonderful ways.\u00a0 We suggest it often and heartily commend it for any readers.\u00a0 Endorsements from the likes of Tim Keller remind us that it is highly regarded,\u00a0well considered, helpful and theologically rich, without being arcane or abstract.\u00a0 Excellent.
\n
\nDon\u2019t Waste Your Life<\/i><\/b> John Piper (Crossway)\u00a0$13.99 This doesn\u2019t fully develop the theme of vocation and calling, but it is a compelling sermon, inviting us to take up our duty to find joy in Christ alone, make a difference for His Kingdom, to glorify God in all our days, and to think about what God might demand of us as we risk all for Christ\u2019s reign and glory. From young adults to retirees, Piper doesn\u2019t let anyone off the hook. Life is short, don\u2019t give up the call to exalt Christ! \u00a0Some may\u00a0find it carries a bit too much belligerence and brimstone, but\u00a0many have\u00a0appreciated his Godly\u00a0passion and tone of no compromise.<\/p>\n

Besides the general challenge to live for God, there is a very thoughtful chapter called \u201cGlorifying God in the 9 to 5\u201d that I think is nearly brilliant, listing four ways human work is different than the work of animals.\u00a0 He explains what it means to do our daily jobs (a) intentionally to God\u2019s glory, (b) for our neighbors good, (c) using the gifts and passions God has given to us uniquely, and (d) doing so in ways that are consistent with the way the creation is structured; that is, we think about the very way we do our jobs, making sure we do them in a normative way, fittingly.\u00a0 (He doesn\u2019t cite, but could, William Tyndale\u2019s old admonition for tinkers to \u201clook at their shoes\u201d to learn what God wants them to do, or how Isaiah that tells how farmers learn from God by paying attention to the planting of seeds, the creation itself.\u00a0 Sounds a bit like Dorothy Sayer\u2019s famous essay \u201cWhy Work\u201d<\/a><\/b> doesn\u2019t it?<\/p>\n

What\u2019s Your Call: What Are You Doing Here?<\/i><\/b> Gary Barkalow (Cook) $14.99\u00a0\u00a0 Kudos to the \u201cnew\u201d David C. Cook for bringing out upbeat and relevant books, each loaded with faith and gusto and youthful verve. There are cool graphics and good pictures, here, even.\u00a0 I like this book, a broad examination of all sorts of senses of calling.\u00a0 It is pretty inspiring, energetic, inviting us to \u201cdiscover God\u2019s destiny and design\u201d and live alerted to the \u201cchoreography of God.\u201d\u00a0 It talks about story, about the assaults against our sense of calling, and ponders if call is a \u201cjob or a role.\u201d\u00a0 The author works with men and women through The Noble Heart,\u00a0 and this carries an enthusiastic endorsement from Len Sweet, who says that \u201cGary believes your calling makes you an artist.\u00a0 Read this book to discover the beauty of your art.\u201d\u00a0 See what I mean?\u00a0\u00a0 Fun!<\/p>\n

This is Our Calling<\/i><\/b>\u00a0 edited by Charles Richardson, foreword by Rowan Williams (SPCK) $18.00\u00a0 We import books from England not only because we enjoy serving readers interested in global authors, but because, in this case, the Church of England has done some remarkable work in some areas. SPCK is renowned as a thoughtful, liberal, mainline denominational press.\u00a0 Here, they\u2019ve convened a handful of authors to do reflection pieces, Biblical and theological, on various aspects of knowing one\u2019s calling. The authors are women and men, but most are Anglo-Catholic priests.\u00a0 It is not just for those involved in ministry, and there are remarkably practical and evocative study questions, sidebars, conversation starters.\u00a0\u00a0 The study that produced this book was done jointly by Affirming Catholicism and the Society of Catholic Priests.<\/p>\n

\"WhatWhat Is Vocation?<\/i><\/b> Steven J. Nichols (P&R; $3.99) This is a wonderful, small booklet,\u00a0 similar to the companion booklet What is A Christian Worldview<\/i> by Philip Ryken (P&R; $5.00) that we often promote.\u00a0 It could be used in small groups, a quick adult ed class, or given to high school seniors.\u00a0 Steve gets it just right; he\u2019s a nearly local guy, by the way, a Lancaster friend, writer of popular level books on church history and several biographies of folks like Luther and Edwards.\u00a0 This brief staple-bound booklet is as handsome as it is readable and could be life-changing.\u00a0 Steve is evangelical and Reformed but I am confident that this little book could be used in any sort of congregation. Maybe you should order a dozen or so and pass \u2019em out\u2014at least to youth who are thinking about going off to college, or young students needing to be encouraged to think about calling as they consider their majors, or for adults who may be longing to be affirmed in their line of work but aren\u2019t up for reading a big study. (Oh, if only pastors did this more for their flocks, affirming the work-life of the laity! What a difference it could make!) The best small (and least expensive) resource of which we know.<\/p>\n

\"hereHere I Am: Now What on Earth Should I Be Doing?<\/i><\/b> Quentin Schultze (Baker) $14.00\u00a0 What a great little book, wise and helpful, about being stewards of the various gifts God gives us, in the various spheres he calls us to!\u00a0 Easy-to-read, this is one of the best, with reasonable theological foundations and lots of great illustrative stories and anecdotes\u00a0 Quent is a great storyteller\u2014he is the head of the communications department at Calvin College in Michigan (and has a remarkable book on virtues needed for our electronic age and another which is the definitive book on communication and mass media from a Christian perspective)\u00a0 What a story this guy has, and how wonderfully he\u2019s used his own scholarly vocation to help others with these basics.\u00a0 Highly recommended.<\/p>\n


\nGod at Work: Your Christian Vocation in all of Life<\/i><\/b> \u00a0Gene Veith Jr (Crossway) $14.99 \u00a0I like this a lot\u2013and he brings a bit of a Lutheran flavor. \u00a0You may know Veith (he writes for World magazine) as a writer that teaches how Christ\u2019s Lordship affects all of life. \u00a0I like his insistence that we are not called to just one thing, but have various callings and offices \u2014 \u201cmasks\u201d as Luther called them.\u00a0 \u00a0Very clear, comprehensive.<\/p>\n

Liberating Tradition: Women\u2019s Identity and Vocation in Christian Perspective<\/i><\/b>\u00a0 Kristina LaCelle-Peterson (Baker) $24.00\u00a0 You will notice that a number of these books\u2013on calling and vocation, and on work and careers\u2014are by women authors.\u00a0 But few are precisely for and about the unique ways in which women are called, and how the doctrines of vocation are experienced by contemporary women.\u00a0 This book is like none other, important, serious-minded but very clear,\u00a0 irenic, and helpful.\u00a0 As CEO of World Hope International Jo Anne Lyon writes \u201cIf one wants to read a single book to understand gender issues, this is it!\u201d LaCelle-Peterson has a PhD from Drew University and teaches at Houghton College in NY.\u00a0 She is an elder in the Free Methodist Church.<\/p>\n

Vocation: Discerning Our Callings in Life<\/i><\/b> \u00a0Douglas Schuurman \u00a0(Eerdmans) $22.00 \u00a0We don\u2019t sell this too often as some aren\u2019t interested in its slightly arcane theological struggles\u2014but for geeks like me (and thee?) who love this stuff, it is wonderfully interesting. \u00a0He explores the differences between the Reformed framework of Lee Hardy who draws on creation order, grounding our human callings in creation, and an earlier work by Miroslov Volf (Work in the Spirit) who grounded his sense of vocation in the giftedness that comes from the Spirit.\u00a0Young theological types wondering how to get at this whole topic? Check it out.<\/p>\n

Callings: Twenty Centuries of Christian Wisdom on Vocation<\/i><\/b> \u00a0edited by William Placher (Eerdmans) $30.00 \u00a0I might say this is one for those really wanting to dig deep: this is a remarkable, thorough, big collection of what great Christian thinkers have written down through the centuries, so it should be known by seminarians, leaders, pastors.\u00a0 \u00a0It was edited by the late Bill Placher, a beloved professor and theologian from Wabash College. There is simply nothing like it in print, and we are in debt to Dr. Placher for showing, era by era, what the church has said about vocation. \u00a0This is a good and important reader, but I wish there was a bit more comment\u00a0or a critical apparatus with it to allow undiscerning readers to evaluate the insights of the various church history authors. Not everything said in every era was wise or helpful. \u00a0Still, this is an amazing anthology, and, at nearly 470 pages, a great bargain.<\/p>\n

The Way of Life <\/i><\/b>Gary Badcock (Eerdmans) $16.00 \u00a0 This is a short study, calm and reasoned, about what we mean by calling and how God\u2019s call is to us all, firstly to follow Christ\u2013which necessarily moves us into a certain sort of way of life.\u00a0 No, we aren\u2019t called just to a job, and, now, not everyone in the church agrees with the best way to get all this said.\u00a0 The author is a fine Barthian scholar, and this is a provocative, rich read.<\/p>\n

Forgetting Ourselves on Purpose: Vocation and the Ethics of Ambition<\/i><\/b> \u00a0Brian J. Mahan (Jossey Bass) $15.95\u00a0 Wow, what an evocative, beautifully-written, mature book. \u00a0It isn\u2019t overtly evangelical, but it is wise and good. \u00a0Do you know it? \u00a0The author is a college teacher and he tells moving stories about students and their sense of vocation, their desire to make a difference and have integrity, but also this pressure to be successful. \u00a0I love the title, which captures the wise and eloquent style of the author and his vision.<\/p>\n

A Sacred Voice is Calling: Personal Vocation and Social Conscience<\/i><\/b>\u00a0John Neafsey\"sacred (Orbis) $22.00 \u00a0All right, forgive me for pushing your envelope a bit here. \u00a0This is liberation theology (at best) and is a bit odd theologically (we\u2019re one with the universe, you know.) \u00a0Still, there is something really right about this, about how our callings and vocations are discerned somewhat in light of the great needs of the world. \u00a0How can we be transformed to care deeply about the injustices of our day, and how can we \u201chear\u201d God\u2019s call to work in ways and places that are touched by the griefs of this broken world? You may not appreciate all of the author\u2019s theological baggage (or maybe you will) but, regardless, the heart of this book and its helpful invitation is vital.\u00a0 A moving Marcus Borg quote on the front.<\/p>\n

A CHRISTIAN VIEW OF WORK<\/span><\/p>\n

For All God\u2019s Worth: True Worship and the Calling of the Church<\/b><\/i> N.T. Wright (Eerdmans) $13.00 We recommend this often because of how it brings together two big themes\u2014worship of God in liturgy and worship of God in work.\u00a0 That is, serving in worship in the sanctuary and serving in the world.\u00a0 The first half is about what one might consider traditional worship, and the second half is about worshiping in the world, daily living out the claims we make in our liturgy. So this is basic, inspiring, an ideal starting book.<\/p>\n

\"whatWhat Do I Do With My Life: Serving God Through Work<\/i><\/b>\u00a0 Kenneth Baker (Faith Alive) $9.99\u00a0 This is a small group resource that is excellent for small Bible study groups or adult Sunday school classes.\u00a0 There is a bit to read \u2014five short readings for each day of the week (so each member will need one) but it is mostly designed for good conversations. It has helpful discussion questions, some activities, lots of Bible verses to consider exploring what the Scriptures say about the 9 to 5 and our other callings to work in various aspects of our lives.\u00a0 This is a very fine and solid overview of missional thinking and how our various labors matters to God\u2014I don\u2019t know of any resource like this for small groups.\u00a0 Thanks to the CRC publishing arm for doing such quality work. in this case for small groups.<\/p>\n

\"workWork Matters: Lessons from Scripture<\/i><\/b> R. Paul Stevens (Eerdmans) $16.00\u00a0 Paul Stevens, long-standing professor at Regent College in B.C., has been one of the best voices and most steadfast allies in the effort to educate about the meaning and dignity of labor. He has encouraged this conversation for decades, and we\u2019ve included several other books of his on this list.<\/p>\n

Stevens\u2019 newest book is gleaned from hundreds of workshops, lectures, sermons, and classes where he has offered Biblical case studies of those who viewed their jobs as related to the unfolding work of God. In another person\u2019s hands, studies about \u201cjobs in the Bible\u201d would seem superficial at best (and betray an unhelpful view of the Bible itself). By contrast, Stevens avoids forced or cheesy interpretations, but has the eyes to see remarkable insights in stories as familiar as Joseph in Pharaoh\u2019s empire and Daniel exiled in Babylon, and as freshly interesting as Bezalel and Ezekiel and the \u201cenigmatic\u201d professor in the wisdom literature. He visits Ruth to teach about \u201csurvival work,\u201d David to ponder \u201croyal work,\u201d and Martha to esteem \u201ccontemplative work.\u201d I can hardly think of a better small group study or adult Christian education resource that combines insightful Scripture reflections and helpful application as we think about our work as integral to God\u2019s mission in the modern world. Discussion questions are included. Highly recommended.<\/p>\n

Work Matters: Connecting Sunday Worship to Monday Work<\/b><\/i> Tom Nelson (Crossway)\"work $15.99\u00a0 A few friends of mine have had some opportunity to teach and consult with the folks at Tom Nelson\u2019s church and it seems to be nearly one of the nation\u2019s best centers of culturally-engaged, thoughtful nurture of the gifts and insights of laypeople and professionals for marketplace service.\u00a0 After years of reflecting on the Word as it is broken open in their midst and equally paying attention to the contexts of the various workers at the church, this brave pastor has learned to equip the people for relating faith and work, Sunday and Monday, prayer and public life.\u00a0 Reverend Nelson and his staff and congregants are really doing it, and their vision for why it all matters is nicely spelled out in a way you\u2019ll surely appreciate.\u00a0 There are numerous two-page sidebars, too, documenting the stories of some of the folks in the church\u2014a brilliant, Christ-honoring architect, an ethical businessperson, a good teacher, a Christian lawyer, and the like.<\/p>\n

This is the best book I\u2019ve seen in years on this topic. If this topic is somewhat new to you, please consider buying this (and, even better, buy one for your pastor.)\u00a0 If you are a fan and connoisseur of this topic and have read well in the field of relating faith and work, I can assure you that you will be pleased to own this, will be encouraged by it, and will find new insights and stories that will bolster your own journey and allow you to more clearly explain to others your passion for developing a Christian perspective on the work-world.\u00a0 Three cheers for a great, accessible, inspiring book!\u00a0 Here is a brief review I did of it\u00a0 in Comment magazine.<\/p>\n

Your Work Matters to God<\/i><\/b> Doug Sherman & William Hendricks (NavPress) $15.00.\u00a0 I have recommended this over and over for many years, and while it is a bit longer than it needs to be (there are a few extra chapters for younger folks about finding a job, finding a church, managing your money) it is very, very clear, and remarkably thorough. It is very strong in noting that work is not primarily for evangelism, that the work itself matters to God.\u00a0 It nicely contrasts a pagan, Greek worldview that disdained bodily work and the robust, gritty Hebrew views.\u00a0 It asks some questions about being agents of structural change, work-world reform.\u00a0 It is rare to see such vibrant, evangelical authors writing with such a broad view and such clear-headed counsel.<\/p>\n

Mastering Monday: A Guide to Integrating Faith and Work<\/i><\/b> John Beckett (IVP) $18.00\u00a0 The story behind this book is fantastic; apparently a national news show (20\/20<\/i> perhaps) did a feature on business ethics, and Mr. Beckett was featured, sharing about his faith-based work in the heating oil industry.\u00a0 No fancy corporate exec, not a college professor, this is a rough and ready small business owner from Ohio.\u00a0 The viewer feedback was overwhelming, convincing the producers to come back and do a show just on him.\u00a0 The book came out of that experience, with Beckett\u2014who ends ups being an excellent teacher and good writer\u2014offering solid Biblical and practical introductory advice.\u00a0 Very nice.<\/p>\n

Work & Leisure in The Life of a Christian<\/b><\/i> (Burlington Reformed Study Centre) $7.95 This slim little volume includes fabulous but brief essays by the extraordinary Gideon Strauss (at the time,of the Christian Labour Association of Canada and the brilliant and innovative Work Research Foundation) and his good colleague, the amazingly thoughtful Ray Penning. Then these guys are treated to a robust feedback\/response panel\u2014these are talks from some conference or retreat and bear that tone. The transcribed dialogue portions, too, are very interesting\u2014don\u2019t skip them! These conversations are useful as they offer wise, foundational thinking about the meaning of work, the curse, the implications of a redemptively Christian worldview, and not just for work, but also for rest and leisure.<\/p>\n

I would suggest that no one in North America has done as solid and sustained thinking on these things over recent decades as the CLAC and it is a delight to announce this rare little book. Packed with work-world insight from the revival of Dutch neo-Calvinism that has always affirmed the layperson\u2019s calling into the sphere of labor.<\/p>\n

Good Work: Christian Ethics in the Workplace<\/i><\/b>\u00a0 Esther D. Reed (Baylor University Press) $24.95\u00a0 This is a meaty little book, \u201cneeded and most welcome\u201d according to Gilbert Meilaender.\u00a0 It is engaging, interesting, and solid, but it moves in important fresh directions, touching down on matters of vocation and liturgy, social justice, human rights, the integrity of creation and our role as stewards.\u00a0 Reed is a theological prof in the UK at the University of Exeter, has been a part of the Center for Theological Inquiry at Princeton, is published by a serious Baptist house, and, interestingly, as David Gushee writes in his good review, \u201cincludes a striking focus on Eastern Orthodoxy\u2019s traditions and insights.\u201d\u00a0 A very helpful contribution.<\/p>\n

How Then Shall We Work? Rediscovering the Biblical Doctrine of Work<\/i><\/b> Hugh Whelchel (Westbow) $13.95\u00a0 Just when you thought there wasn\u2019t much more to be said about the general overview of a Biblical view, Whelchel adds some new ideas, really good Scriptural material, lots of clarity and solid passion about the role of jobs in God\u2019s redemptive work as His history unfolds from a garden to a city.\u00a0 A great endorsement by Steve Brown of Key Life Ministries raves about it.\u00a0 The author is a former businessman, now a leader of a conservative think-tank in Washington DC.<\/p>\n

Christians at Work: Not Business as Usual<\/i><\/b>\u00a0 Jan Wood (Herald Press) $10.99\u00a0 As we scan our bookshelves here at the shop, and this big list, I realize that some may seem a bit redundant.\u00a0 Not this one!\u00a0 The author is a fine writer, clear and interesting.\u00a0 She is a Friend (Quaker) and her vision is informed by this deeply spiritual and socially prophetic tradition.\u00a0 That the Mennonites published this makes obvious sense, and we are grateful for Wood\u2019s overtly Christ-centered approach, her deeply Biblical orientation, and her practical, down-to-earth concerns. Can, as Wally Kroeker, editor of The Marketplace<\/i> journal, asks, \u201cthe love of God transform the life in the office, board room, factory floor?\u201d\u00a0 She she\u2019s our daily work as sacred and she knows that we must be salt and leaven. Very nicely done.<\/p>\n

\"everyEvery Good Endeavor: Connecting Your Work to God\u2019s Plan for the World<\/i><\/b>\u00a0 Timothy Keller (Dutton) $26.95\u00a0\u00a0 I hope you know about the Redeemer Presbyterian Center for Faith and Work, one of the premier ministries offering encouragement to professionals in several spheres of service. This book emerges from Kellers good concern for the laypeople in his Manhattan church and his strong realizations that we are all called to serve in various institutions across all of culture as agents of God\u2019s Kingdom.<\/p>\n

\"workWork: A Kingdom Perspective on Labor<\/i><\/b> Ben Witherington (Eerdmans) $18.00\u00a0 This is pretty short but don\u2019t be deceived by its simple size and shape.\u00a0 Ben Witherington is one of the finest New Testament scholars on the planet (he teaches at the United Methodist seminary, Asbury) and has a profound awareness of the teachings about the Kingdom of God deep in his bones.\u00a0 As he writes about work one can sense his great vision, his good concerns, his practical, Biblical insight, especially as he unpacks some of the parables of Jesus to help us get a Kingdom vision of our jobs and labor.\u00a0 This helpfully breaks down the pagan sacred-secular divide and calls us all to a robust way of life where discipleship colors all we do, even our daily 9-to-5 labor.\u00a0 Very, very good and its Biblical teaching makes it ideal for adult Sunday school classes or to inspire a sermon series on work.<\/p>\n

The Heavenly Good of Earthly Work<\/i><\/b>\u00a0 Darrell Cosden (Hendrickson) $18.00\u00a0 First published in England by Paternoster, this stellar study explores whether a person\u2019s day to day work has any ultimate, lasting value from the perspective of Eternity.\u00a0 This really does ask the basic questions, and has garnered excellent recommendations from important folks, such as J. Richard Middleton (who is working on a book about the relationship between this age and the next) and\u00a0 David Smith, who teaches missiology, who says it is \u201ccutting-edge theology of the highest order.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"kingdomKingdom Calling: Vocational Stewardship for the Common Good<\/i><\/b> by Amy Sherman (IVP) $16.00 We have celebrated this excellent book on several occasions, thinking it to be one of the very best books in years on this topic.\u00a0\u00a0 Truly, this is masterful and adds excellent new insight, new layers of meaning, and teaches in great and helpful detail about four ways of relating faith and work. See our comments here and here.\u00a0 Kingdom Calling is a serious, thorough, study of how our jobs can become avenues of social change honoring God and loving neighbor as we steward our vocations for the sake of the common good.\u00a0 Not for beginners, but if you\u2019ve read a book or two on calling and on work, this is simply a must-have, must-read.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"shopclass.jpg\"Shop Class as Soulcraft: An Inquiry into the Value of Work<\/i><\/b>\u00a0 Matthew Crawford (Penguin) $15.00\u00a0 I hope you recall how we touted this when it first came out, and the buzz it gathered (including a \u201cnotable book\u201d of the year award from the New York Time Book Review.)\u00a0 This is beautiful, thoughtful, rousing\u2014Crawford was a white-collar scholar at a think-tank who hated his job, and felt the disconnect between what he was doing and who he was becoming untenable.\u00a0 He quit, opened a motorcycle repair shop, and offers here this extended meditation on shop classes, liberal arts, unhelpful education, working with one\u2019s hands, and finding fulfillment in blue collar jobs. How many philosopher\/mechanic\u2019s do you know?\u00a0 This is entertaining and profound, hoping to restore greater honor to the manual trades.<\/p>\n


\nThe Pleasures and Sorrows of Work<\/i><\/b>\u00a0 Alain de Botton (Vintage) $15.95\u00a0 De Botton is beloved by those who like his high-brow reporting, journalism-meets-philosophy-meets cultural criticism.\u00a0 His book about place, The Architecture of Happiness, is an all time great.\u00a0 You may know his book on Proust. These essays are similar, inviting us to deeply ponder the \u201cdelight and despair\u201d in our daily working lives.<\/p>\n

Working: Its Meaning and Its Limits<\/i><\/b>\u00a0 Gilbert Meilaender (University of Notre Dame Press) $18.00\u00a0 This is another really, really great anthology with excerpts of great literature, poetry, Bible passages, parts of novels and essays. each offering engaging insights about the nature of work..\u00a0 Very thoughtful stuff.\u00a0 Meilaender has written much on ethics and other themes, and has his own extended mediation and collection of essays, some of which are on vocation and calling, in The Freedom of a Christian: The Grace, Vocation, and Meaning of Our Humanity (Brazos.)<\/p>\n

The Other Six Days: Vocation, Work and Ministry<\/i><\/b> R. Paul Stevens (Eerdmans) $27.00\u00a0 Anyone who has followed this conversation about work-world ministry, about nurturing a Christian view of labor, of finding a sense of calling in one\u2019s daily grind, knows the name of Stevens.\u00a0 He teaches Marketplace Theology at Regent College in Vancouver and knows more than just about anybody on the spirituality of the ordinary and the mission of the laity in the world.\u00a0 Here he offers a serious anthology of some of his best essays, solid teaching, good thinking, profound and important writing.\u00a0 Excellent.<\/p>\n

Working<\/b><\/i>\u00a0 Darby Kathleen Ray (Fortress) $15.00\u00a0 This is in a series of books called Compass: Christian Exploration of Daily Living which is a very interesting set of short but meaty books, all with fairly creative theological reflection, offering mainline Christians ways to think about the experience of faithfulness in daily life.\u00a0 From clothing to shopping, eating to playing, this is a very interesting series.\u00a0 Glad they did one on working.\u00a0 Ms Ray brings her liberationist voice and offers, in concise and provocative ways, excellent contributions to ponder.<\/p>\n

All Labor Has Dignity<\/i><\/b> Martin Luther King, Jr, edited by Michael K. Honey (Beacon Press)\"all $26.95\u00a0 It is worth recalling that King lost his life while organizing garbage collectors.\u00a0 He often spoke of the dignity of all work, the need to serve God with the work of one\u2019s hand, to strive for excellence and integrity in any job.\u00a0 And, of course, he spoke out against injustices in our economic system, advocated for worker\u2019s rights.\u00a0 This is an amazing collection of his writings and speeches\u2013most never published before!\u2014on this topic.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u00a8Blue Collar Jesus: How Christianity Supports Worker\u2019s Rights<\/b><\/i> Darren Cushman Wood (Seven Locks Press) $14.95 You\u2019re not going to find this just anywhere, either, and it is an important and moving call for workplace justice and concern for the underpaid and underemployed. The author is an esteemed United Methodist pastor and theologian and professor of labor studies.<\/p>\n

Business as a Calling: Work and the Examined Life<\/i><\/b> Michael Novak (Free Press) $25.95 For the thoughtful executive, or deeper reader of business literature, this may be the best of its kind. It is eloquent, serious, profound.\u00a0 Magnificently thoughtful by an astute, conservative Catholic.<\/p>\n

MOVING A BIT MORE PRACTICALLY<\/span><\/p>\n

God at Work: The History and the Promise of the Faith at Work Movement\u00a0<\/b><\/i> David W. Miller (Oxford University Press) $29.99\u00a0 This is the definitive study of the faith-at-work-movement, a fascinating and fabulous overview of who is doing what, and why, how many Christians have been organizing around this topic and working to get it more known.\u00a0 Excellent survey of various models, how different groups define terms, and the key theological themes guiding those who have been pioneers in the field.\u00a0 Very useful, although much has happened in the last few years since it was released.<\/p>\n

How the Church Fails Businesspeople (And What Can Be Done About It)<\/i><\/b> John C. Knapp (Eerdmans) $15.00. I mention this as practical mostly because it could be very practical for pastors or church leaders.\u00a0 This is a very important recent book, and I think may be more important in the long run than a dozen of the big name popular books calling us to high-energy, mega-church, big-time visions of making a difference. It is written by a person who has worked in the business world, and is also a theologian, helping the church bridge the divide, so to speak, between worship and work, between church and world. It isn\u2019t bitter or strident, but it does show how serious corporate types often say they don\u2019t get much help for their important work for the teaching at their church. \u00a0 Here is a nice youtube clip<\/a><\/b> of the author explaining about the book and the authors findings of how the ethos of many congregations seems indifferent to the public lives of most members.<\/p>\n

The 9 to 5 Window: How Faith Can Transform the Workplace<\/b><\/i> Os Hillman (Regal) $19.99 This book may not be as sharp or as sophisticated as some, but it is energetic and passionate for what God can do as people serve Christ at the job site. The cover art is nearly worth the price of the book\u2014what a treat to see a stethoscope, wooden spoon, fountain pen, adjustable wrench and paintbrush all lined up, clean as a whistle. This book has a strong and specifically charismatic bent, with some stuff on spiritual warfare, miracles and Godly impact on entire cities through spiritual transformation of institutions of commerce.<\/p>\n

Joy at Work: A Revolutionary Approach to Fun on the Job<\/b><\/i> Dennis Bakke (PVG) $24.95 It isn\u2019t every book that bears an endorsing blurb by Jack Kemp, Peter Block, and Bill Clinton.\u00a0 Bakke presented some of this unique material at the Pittsburgh Jubilee conference a few years back and folks loved it; he is renowned as an innovative Christian leader in international energy work and hugely important in philanthropy. His brother, Ray, you may know for his considerable work and writing in urban ministry. This is an innovative and exciting book which, while profoundly meaningful, doesn\u2019t come across like a Biblically-oriented \u201cChristian\u201d book. Use it in your workplace!\u00a0 Have fun. We have the big study guide, too.<\/p>\n

\"takingTaking Your Soul to Work: Overcoming the Nine Deadly Sins of the Workplace\u00a0<\/i><\/b> R. Paul Stevens & Alvin Ung with a foreword by Eugene Peterson (Eerdmans) $14.99\u00a0 If there was a \u201clifetime achievement award\u201d in the field of Christian marketplace ministry, daily discipleship for ordinary folks, for \u201cseven days a week faith\u201d (as one of his many books puts it) Paul Stevens would be just such an honoree.\u00a0 He has given his life to thinking hard and writing well about the interface of faith and the work-world, and, especially, Christians in the business environment.\u00a0 He is professor emeritus of marketplace theology and spirituality at Regent College in Vancouver, perhaps the finest place to study this topic. (You can see a bit about his books here.)\u00a0 As we\u2019ve suggested above, anything he writes is commendable, serious, important.<\/p>\n

This is a recent one, and his writing partner, Alvin Ung, is himself a breakthrough leader who has lived in the high-\u00a0powered business world of Southern Asia (he is a Fellow at Ghazanah Nasional, the national investment agency of Malaysia.)<\/p>\n

As\u00a0 you can see from the sub-title, these conversational chapters\u2014each rounded out with an action plan or case study\u2014explore in simple, but important ways, the ways to avoid the \u201csoul-sapping struggles of the work world.\u00a0 They look at the \u201cnine deadly sins\u201d of the workplace, the nine-fold fruit of the Spirit that can meet our workplace needs, and nine positive outcomes of integrating spirituality and work.\u00a0 Friends, this is good news, indeed.\u00a0 Serious, uplifting, honest, and very, very insightful.\u00a0 Few books in this field are as deeply spiritual, theologically informed, and yet nicely practical.<\/p>\n

In, But Not Of: A Guide to Christian Ambition and the Desire to Influence the World<\/i><\/b>\u00a0 Hugh Hewitt (Nelson) $15.99\u00a0 I like this handsome new paperback edition of a classic that has helped many young people, especially, navigate the concerns about ambition, where to seek employment, how to make a difference.\u00a0 A good study guide in the back for ambitious young professionals, especially.<\/p>\n

Work, Love, Pray: Practical Wisdom for Young Professional Christian Women<\/i><\/b>\u00a0 Diane\"work_love_pray_zondervan_zv_large.jpg\" Paddison (Zondervan) $14.99\u00a0\u00a0 People who we trust say that this is truly helpful; several sharp young women who care about their own unique struggles studied it over and concluded it was worth purchasing.\u00a0 Everybody wonders if the shoes on the cover work.\u00a0 The allusion to Eat Pray Love<\/i> in the title, isn\u2019t developed at all in the book; it would have been a hoot if she had.\u00a0 The author is a top-shelf executive, does important work in the corporate world and brings both Biblical vision and practical advise for women in the work-world.\u00a0 It is pretty interesting to see how she was able to raise her children and hold down a demanding job, and how she maintained a solid and inspiring faith through it all.\u00a0 It may be a cliche to say she understands how to juggle career and family and how she and her husband navigated their otherwise conservative, two-career marriage.\u00a0 Early reviews have been passionately favorable\u2014\u201cbuy this book for your granddaughters\u201d one grandma writes.\u00a0 Another said it was the first book she ever read that understood the tensions of her own life.\u00a0 And ya know what?\u00a0 Not surprisingly, several folks at a recent conference said that it would be very helpful for husbands of career women, too.<\/p>\n

Workplace Grace: Becoming a Spiritual Influence at Work<\/b><\/i>\u00a0 Bill Peel & Walt Larimore (Zondervan) $16.99\u00a0 I think it should be clear that God cares about work, that we must attend to imagining what we do through God\u2019s eyes, as ways to serve our neighbors, as a legitimate calling in and of itself.\u00a0 However, surely we would like to, when appropriate, share the good news of God\u2019s grace with others as we can.\u00a0 We needn\u2019t be as weird and stubborn as the dedicated young man in the must-see The Big Kahuna<\/i> (Danny DiVito, Kevin ) but we should, at some point, consider ways to appropriately and effectively do gentle evangelism with our colleagues at work.\u00a0 This book is a helpful step, written by an evangelistic trainer and a medical doctor, who brings some real-world insights from his own job site.\u00a0 There is a well-made, six-session DVD curriculum too that might be useful for you or your group (Zondervan; $19.99)\u00a0 The book was previously titled Going Public With Your Faith<\/i>.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"ourOur Souls at Work: How Great Leaders Live Their Faith in the Global Marketplace<\/i><\/b>\u00a0 edited by Mark Russell\u00a0 (Russell Media) $19.95\u00a0 This is a vibrant, colorful, book, handsomely designed with some contemporary, graphic pizazz and exciting testimonials and clear-headed insight to match.\u00a0 One of the best new books in this whole \u201cmarketplace ministry\u201d field, it is essentially a gathering of short pieces by a variety of business leaders, arranged by topic, most quite practical.\u00a0 So you\u2019ll hear a handful of businessmen or women talking about balance, or integrity, or leadership, or character.\u00a0 There is a section on calling, a section on handling money, a section of stories on relationships.\u00a0 There is one called \u201cpluralism\u201d which is very strong (and still a vexing matter to some, how to respect and honor the diversity of views in the modern workplace.)\u00a0 There is a section on sharing one\u2019s faith, and a section of important lessons about ethics.\u00a0 The section on giving could inspire young philanthropists and remind us about giving back, as they say.<\/p>\n

There are a few business leaders here you may have heard of, but most contributors, though, are not particularly famous in the religious book world.\u00a0 This should be seen as an asset; these are folks who are the real deal, businesspeople who spend their days in the trenches of global capitalism.\u00a0 It gives it a very practical, feel, showing that transformed Christian living in the business world is not only interesting, but do-able.<\/p>\n

Sequencing: Deciphering Your Company\u2019s DNA<\/i><\/b>\u00a0 Mike Metzger (Game Changer Books)\u00a0 $17.95\u00a0 I\u2019ve written about this interesting \u201cgame changer\u201d book before and almost every week or so find myself re-tweeting Mike\u2019s fascinating and learned Doggie Head Tilt web column.\u00a0 This is a complicated book to explain, but I can say two simple things: it is cool and it is crafty.\u00a0 Firstly, it is stunning to read and enjoy, with large graphics and interesting black and white photos offered in a arresting, eye-catching design.\u00a0 Secondly, besides the look and pithy quotes, this is a book that will help you explain profoundly Biblical principles without any religious jargon.\u00a0 Almost none.\u00a0 Mike doesn\u2019t want to compromise his evangelical faith but he also knows that long-term cultural renewal of the sort we so desperately need will have to bubble up from institutions and organizations\u2014like businesses\u2014who rethink their purpose and retool their internal DNA.<\/p>\n

This book helps explain what is often called the four-chapter gospel story (creation-fall-redemption-restoration),\u00a0 or what N.T. Wright calls the five act model of the Biblical drama,\u00a0 in ways that are creative and based in our shared experiences, using common language of the workplace, not theological lingo.\u00a0 Jesus said to be harmless as doves but crafty as snakes.\u00a0 Metzger is one of the best I\u2019ve ever seen at this important virtue.\u00a0 Consequently, this is a Christian business book that might actually be read by a non-Christian executive or nonprofit leader.\u00a0 It can help you unlock the culture of your organization, and how to determine if your company will be able to be innovative, or renewing, over the long haul, interestingly, by using phrases he proposes that are rooted in the Biblical story. Mike also makes an appearance as one of the session leaders in the Q Ideas curriculum DVDs, the one called The Kingdom Way of Life<\/i>.
\n
\nFaith Dilemmas for Marketplace Christian<\/i><\/b>s\u00a0 Ben Sprunger, Carol Suter, & Wally Kroeker (Herald Press) $7.99\u00a0 A small book of case studies, inviting conversation, or for your own pondering. You are not alone in having vexing matters, day by day.\u00a0 Helpful.\u00a0 A good forward from the Director of the Mennonite Economic Development Association.<\/p>\n

DISCERNING VOCATION AND CALL<\/span><\/p>\n

Courage and Calling: Embracing Your God Given Potential<\/b><\/i> (revised and expanded) Gordon T. Smith (IVP) $17.00 \u00a0This is a tad dense at times, but nonetheless truly remarkable \u2014 it is really, really good and this author is a deep and generative thinker. (His other books bring an evangelical eye to medieval spirituality and invites mature thinking about contemplative spiritual formation.) Here he combines two important themes: a profound and helpful understanding of vocation\/calling and mature guidance about discerning God\u2019s will for one\u2019s life. \u00a0I like his bit about decision-making and discernment, the way he on occasion indicates that he has vast insight into Ignatian spirituality (not bad for a CM&A pastor.) \u00a0Highly recommended for those wanting a solid foundational study which at least begins to point towards practical assistance in figuring out how to discern one\u2019s calling.<\/p>\n

\"let-your-life-speak.jpg\"Let Your Life Speak: Listening for the Voice of Vocation<\/b><\/i> Parker Palmer (Jossey Bass) $18.95 This is short and contemplative, written by a passionate, sweet Quaker with huge concerns about inner integrity and public justice. \u00a0He\u2019s all about finding that place where you can best serve by being reflective and intentional about one\u2019s own heart\u2019s truths. \u00a0Yeah, he\u2019s a bit touchy feely for some, but it is honestly written, elegant in a subdued manner, caring, and full of gentle passion.\u00a0 Very impressive for such a short rumination. \u00a0A lot of people love this, making it one of the biggest sellers in this topic. \u00a0Is it wrong to say \u201cto thy own self be true?\u201d\u00a0 Or, as Beuchner has, \u201clisten to your life?\u201d\u00a0 Lovely.<\/p>\n

The Echo Within: Finding Your True Calling<\/i><\/b> Robert Benson (Waterbrook) $13.99 I just love this book, elegant and thoughtful, wherein this fine guy (who is now an Episcopalian spiritual writer) tells of his work in his father\u2019s famous gospel music biz in Nashville. He just couldn\u2019t live with himself following his dad\u2019s and grandfather\u2019s shadow into this great position, and had to follow \u201cthe echo within\u201d to hear what God was telling him to do.\u00a0 Which meant taking some risks, being honest about his desires, and finding ways to be a writer.) \u00a0He has some very good theological insights, but it is still a short memoiristic reflection on his journey to decide how to follow his own sense of calling into a vocation unlike what his family had expected. Especially good for anyone sensing a desire to be a writer or artist.\u00a0 Very, very nice.<\/p>\n

The Messy Quest for Meaning: Five Catholic Practices for Finding Your Vocation<\/b> <\/i>\"messy\u00a0 Stephen Martin (Sorin Books)\u00a0 $14.95\u00a0\u00a0 The first section of this wonderfully written, recent book is nearly a memoir as Martin tells of his growing dis-ease at his journalistic job, his struggle to understand his ill-health and anxiety, his religious confusion, and his mental state\u2013worrying about death, almost unable to finish even a simple task.<\/p>\n

Interwoven within this narrative, though, is another story, and it becomes the heart of the book. Martin was raised in a serious Catholic family, and has an uncle who is a priest. A conversation about calling, vocation, purpose, \u201cthe distribution of talents,\u201d and such soon put him on a quest: how do monks come to learn that they are called to their particular vocation? Might insight from that<\/i> process\u2013monastic insights about desires and vocations, the will of God and the grace to pursue our callings\u2013help him in his own struggle to make sense of life and to find his purpose and place and career?<\/p>\n

Well, indeed it did, and he lived to tell about it. The Messy Question<\/i><\/b> is not a career-guidance handbook, but something more profound, more foundational. Early on, in high school and college, Martin dabbles with existentialism and other faddish philosophies, but through a particularly scholarly mentor at Duke University, he returns to his childhood faith; the book therefore draws overtly on Catholic teaching. Yet, non-Catholics (perhaps especially non-Catholics) might find that this moving story and the process he chronicles resonates with them. Drawing on hefty chunks of his own life, as well as inspirational anecdotes from his own acquaintances\u2013from basketball star Danny Hurley to literary star Reynolds Price to movie star Martin Sheen\u2013he highlights the stages of discerning and living into a clear sense of calling.<\/p>\n

Merely listing those stages does not do justice to his storied and nuanced telling of them, but here they are, with the aim explored in each phase: Desires (Digging for What You Really Want), Focus (Channeling Your Passions), Humility (Embracing What You Don\u2019t Know), Community (Getting Outside Yourself), and The Margins (Probing Your Potential), followed by the concluding chapter\u2013\u201cHoly Ambition: Sustaining What You Start.\u201d In each chapter, he tells of his life and his discovering of various Catholic mystics and activists, and shows how seekers can integrate the wisdom of the saints into their own journeys of faith. Wonderful!<\/p>\n

By the way, Steve grew up in Dallastown, and more than one public school teachers get a shout out.\u00a0 He\u2019s a good guy.\u00a0 Catholic or Protestant (or neither) you should buy this book, not just to support a local boy, but because it is a tremendous read, interesting and helpful.<\/p>\n

What Am I Supposed to Do With My Life: Asking the Right Questions<\/b><\/i>\u00a0 Douglas Brouwer (Eerdmans) $14.00\u00a0 This Presbyterian pastor has guided many into these deeper questions, stuff about identity and values, achieving vocational integrity, determining vocation and\/or career goals. Very nicely written, nuanced and wise.\u00a0 More about meaning and purpose and calling than details about the job market, but it is nonetheless the sort of profound rumination that ends up offering very helpful guidance. Calm, thoughtful, and I think quite reliable.<\/p>\n

Getting a Life: How to Find Your True Vocation<\/i><\/b>\u00a0 Renee M. LaReau (Orbis) $15.00\u00a0 This young Catholic woman is a wonderful writer, clear and creative, interesting and challenging.\u00a0 She offers important insights about steps and stages.\u00a0 She is a facilitator for the renowned Notre Dame Vocation Initiative, a program that offers weekend retreats for young adults in exploring their vocation.\u00a0 U.S. Catholic magazine raves, saying it is for seekers of any age, needing help in figuring out \u201clife\u2019s big questions about career, relationships, and self.\u201d Nice.<\/p>\n

\"the-fabric-of-this-world.jpg\"The Fabric of This World: Inquiries into Calling, Career Choice, and the Design of Human Work <\/b><\/i>\u00a0Lee Hardy (Eerdmans) $20.00\u00a0 If the previous few are a strong because they are anecdotal, testifying to God\u2019s own tender leading in the lives of their authors, useful for those wanting gentle guidance, this is strong because it is painstakingly clear about his solid, Reformed worldview and the distinctives of a Biblical view of work.\u00a0 This, actually, was one of the early, really good books, written in the late 70s that we promoted then; a recent look through reminded me how good it is, how thoughtful, how nicely rooted in what some call a Kuyperian or reformational vision.\u00a0 It does have a bit about the corporate world, so is especially good for those entering that milieu. \u00a0His insights on management (and his critique of classic management philosophies that are not congenial to Christian convictions about calling) are foundational and very important.\u00a0 Dr. Hardy teaches philosophy at Calvin College in Grand Rapids.<\/b><\/p>\n

SHAPE: Finding & Fulfilling Your Unique Purpose for Life<\/i>\u00a0 Erik Rees (Zondervan) $14.99\u00a0 The foreword from Rick Warren gives a hint: this is the very interesting and useful resource developed at Saddleback, helping each person discover their spiritual gifts, heart, abilities, personality, and experiences.\u00a0 Filled with Scripture, real-life stories, and a strong workbooky inventory for your own self assessment. Thrilling!<\/p>\n

Made to Count: Discovering What to do with Your Life<\/b><\/i>\u00a0 Bob Reccord & Randy Singer (Nelson) $13.99\u00a0 I love Randy Singer\u2014lawyer, novelist, mentor\u2014 and with his upbeat pal they have here developed a very useful guide to evaluating your strengths, discerning your passions, and realizing that God wants you to make a difference in ways consistent with how you are meant to be.\u00a0 There is a great, free, online personality profile and spiritual gifts analysis included with every purchase of the book.\u00a0 Interestingly, a strength of this book is in naming our greatest fears and working with that in pretty interesting ways.\u00a0 Inspiring.<\/p>\n

Live Your Calling: A Practical Guide to Finding and Fulfilling Your Mission in Life<\/b><\/i>\u00a0 Kevin & Kay Marie Brennfleck (Josssey-Bass) $16.95 There are many books like this.\u00a0 Practical, workbook, offering step-by-step guidance for self reflection, goal-setting, living into one\u2019s sense of call.\u00a0 This one is truly one of the bests, with endorsements from all kinds of faith-based groups, colleges, churches, career centers.<\/p>\n

The tools and principles in this book can help young adults get their bearings and conquer obstacles.<\/i>
\nRebecca Horst, director, CALL Project, Goshen College.<\/p>\n

This book offers help for the reader to form a Life Calling Map that can guide them into a greater sense of significance for their lives. I commend it for its practicality, strong theological rootedness, and its psychological soundness.<\/i>
\nDr. Archibald D. Hart, senior professor of psychology and dean\u00a0 Graduate School of Psychology, Fuller Theological Seminary
\n
\nThis remarkable book will enable every follower of Christ to recognize and respond to God\u2019s calling on his or her life. I commend it heartily and unreservedly.<\/i>
\nDr. Ted W. Engstrom, president emeritus, World Vision<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"Hearing-God1.jpg\"Hearing God: Developing a Conversational Relationship with God <\/i><\/b>\u00a0expanded and revised Dallas Willard (IVP)\u00a0 $16.00 \u00a0I suppose I should end on a note like the one above, directly about calling and career, vocational choices and practical tools for assessing one\u2019s life.\u00a0 But I\u2019d like to end here, a basic, solid, mature, and thoughtful guide for any and all of us.\u00a0 Do we all not want to learn how to hear God\u2019s voice? Can we align ourselves with the promptings of the Spirit? Do these wise and practical spiritual disciplines form us in ways that allow us to take up our discipleship callings into all of life?\u00a0 Of the many books exploring what we mean by \u201cGod\u2019s will\u201d and the practices of determining our life direction, this is simply the best.. \u00a0A must-read, in my view.<\/p>\n

When the expanded edition came out in 2012 InterVarsity Press also released a useful six week DVD video curriculum which we recommend.\u00a0 It, too, is called Hearing God<\/i><\/b> ($30.00.)\u00a0 Maybe study of this spiritual practice might be helpful for your group to precede more detailed study of vocation and call.\u00a0 Or perhaps it could follow a study of calling. Excellently produced.<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This post originally appeared at the blog Booknotes. As we were leading up to Labor Day weekend, I was thrilled to know that the High Calling blog offered resources for use during this season since it is a natural time for church folk to teach, honor, and celebrate ordinary Christians and their calling into jobs.\u00a0 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2238,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[24,162,81,161,23,163],"class_list":["post-175","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-resource-lists","tag-calling","tag-career","tag-jobs","tag-labor-day","tag-vocation","tag-worship"],"yoast_head":"\nBooks on vocation, calling, work, and jobs. And we mean LOTS of books.<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"This post originally appeared at the blog Booknotes. As we were leading up to Labor Day weekend, I was thrilled to know that the High Calling blog offered\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/workcited\/2015\/09\/books-on-vocation-calling-work-and-jobs-and-we-mean-lots-of-books\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Books on vocation, calling, work, and jobs. And we mean LOTS of books.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"This post originally appeared at the blog Booknotes. As we were leading up to Labor Day weekend, I was thrilled to know that the High Calling blog offered\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/workcited\/2015\/09\/books-on-vocation-calling-work-and-jobs-and-we-mean-lots-of-books\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Work Cited\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2015-09-05T14:17:55+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2015-04-14T19:57:28+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"http:\/\/www.heartsandmindsbooks.com\/Lewis_Hine_Power_house_mechanic_working_on_steam_pump-350x490.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Byron Borger\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Byron Borger\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"48 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/workcited\/2015\/09\/books-on-vocation-calling-work-and-jobs-and-we-mean-lots-of-books\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/workcited\/2015\/09\/books-on-vocation-calling-work-and-jobs-and-we-mean-lots-of-books\/\",\"name\":\"Books on vocation, calling, work, and jobs. And we mean LOTS of books.\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/workcited\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2015-09-05T14:17:55+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2015-04-14T19:57:28+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/workcited\/#\/schema\/person\/05754327e27da5b747f88d0556dc06b2\"},\"description\":\"This post originally appeared at the blog Booknotes. As we were leading up to Labor Day weekend, I was thrilled to know that the High Calling blog offered\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/workcited\/2015\/09\/books-on-vocation-calling-work-and-jobs-and-we-mean-lots-of-books\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/workcited\/2015\/09\/books-on-vocation-calling-work-and-jobs-and-we-mean-lots-of-books\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/workcited\/2015\/09\/books-on-vocation-calling-work-and-jobs-and-we-mean-lots-of-books\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/workcited\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Books on vocation, calling, work, and jobs. And we mean LOTS of books.\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/workcited\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/workcited\/\",\"name\":\"Work Cited\",\"description\":\"Stocking your faith and work bookshelves.\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/workcited\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/workcited\/#\/schema\/person\/05754327e27da5b747f88d0556dc06b2\",\"name\":\"Byron Borger\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/workcited\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/6efb821ee7839142044c7dfe36979639?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/6efb821ee7839142044c7dfe36979639?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Byron Borger\"},\"description\":\"Byron Borger is proprietor of Hearts and Minds Books in Pennsylvania and author of the Booknotes blog.\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/workcited\/author\/bborger\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Books on vocation, calling, work, and jobs. And we mean LOTS of books.","description":"This post originally appeared at the blog Booknotes. As we were leading up to Labor Day weekend, I was thrilled to know that the High Calling blog offered","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/workcited\/2015\/09\/books-on-vocation-calling-work-and-jobs-and-we-mean-lots-of-books\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Books on vocation, calling, work, and jobs. And we mean LOTS of books.","og_description":"This post originally appeared at the blog Booknotes. As we were leading up to Labor Day weekend, I was thrilled to know that the High Calling blog offered","og_url":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/workcited\/2015\/09\/books-on-vocation-calling-work-and-jobs-and-we-mean-lots-of-books\/","og_site_name":"Work Cited","article_published_time":"2015-09-05T14:17:55+00:00","article_modified_time":"2015-04-14T19:57:28+00:00","og_image":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.heartsandmindsbooks.com\/Lewis_Hine_Power_house_mechanic_working_on_steam_pump-350x490.jpg"}],"author":"Byron Borger","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Byron Borger","Est. reading time":"48 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/workcited\/2015\/09\/books-on-vocation-calling-work-and-jobs-and-we-mean-lots-of-books\/","url":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/workcited\/2015\/09\/books-on-vocation-calling-work-and-jobs-and-we-mean-lots-of-books\/","name":"Books on vocation, calling, work, and jobs. And we mean LOTS of books.","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/workcited\/#website"},"datePublished":"2015-09-05T14:17:55+00:00","dateModified":"2015-04-14T19:57:28+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/workcited\/#\/schema\/person\/05754327e27da5b747f88d0556dc06b2"},"description":"This post originally appeared at the blog Booknotes. As we were leading up to Labor Day weekend, I was thrilled to know that the High Calling blog offered","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/workcited\/2015\/09\/books-on-vocation-calling-work-and-jobs-and-we-mean-lots-of-books\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/workcited\/2015\/09\/books-on-vocation-calling-work-and-jobs-and-we-mean-lots-of-books\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/workcited\/2015\/09\/books-on-vocation-calling-work-and-jobs-and-we-mean-lots-of-books\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/workcited\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Books on vocation, calling, work, and jobs. And we mean LOTS of books."}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/workcited\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/workcited\/","name":"Work Cited","description":"Stocking your faith and work bookshelves.","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/workcited\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/workcited\/#\/schema\/person\/05754327e27da5b747f88d0556dc06b2","name":"Byron Borger","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/workcited\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/6efb821ee7839142044c7dfe36979639?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/6efb821ee7839142044c7dfe36979639?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Byron Borger"},"description":"Byron Borger is proprietor of Hearts and Minds Books in Pennsylvania and author of the Booknotes blog.","url":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/workcited\/author\/bborger\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/workcited\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/175","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/workcited\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/workcited\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/workcited\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2238"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/workcited\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=175"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/workcited\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/175\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/workcited\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=175"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/workcited\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=175"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/workcited\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=175"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}