By Jim Grubs, reprinted from Minding the Gap. In the 15th chapter of John’s gospel and beyond, Jesus is spending significant time teaching his disciples about the nature of the kingdom of God. Here he focuses on the metaphor of the vine and its branches. Incarnation Church’s pastor Jeanne Hartfield used this text as the basis for her message on a…
By Scott Rae, Helen Mitchell and Matt Williams, reprinted from the Oikonomia Network. Note: Appropriately for the new pandemic reality, this spotlight update comes to you via Zoom video. A transcript, with links to the resources discussed in the video, is provided below. Scott Rae: We’re happy to bring you this update from Talbot School of Theology and Biola University…
By Luke Bolton, reprinted from Faith Driven Entrepreneur. Over the years I have enjoyed many jobs, from trim carpentry and truck driving to university teaching and financial services. With a passion to serve God, I finished degrees in theology – but did not enter church ministry as a full-time job. In God’s plan, my theological education has been woven into…
By Michelle Koh, reprinted from the Salt & Light Australia Daily Devotional. He came in, lugging a huge steam cleaner. I honestly felt doubtful, wondering if that small stain on my couch would ever come off. He moved my furniture, meticulously ensuring I had a towel near the suspecting stain, so the water wouldn’t destroy my rug underneath. He set out to…
By David Williamson, part four of a series. We are now somewhere in the middle of a deadly world-wide virus – a pandemic. As I read Genesis 3, I am aware that Genesis 3 introduces a deadly virus into the high view of work introduced in Genesis 1 and 2. Unfortunately, much of what people experience in their work, “reality now”…
By John Terrill, reprinted from Made to Flourish. As pastors, we can forget that the American workplace – in addition to the local church – might be one of the most important settings to prompt enduring change with respect to racial equality. Institutions engender commitment, demand results and challenge us to rebuild vital social capital that has been lost in…
Reprinted from the Chalmers Center. Maria walked to the front of God’s Compassion Church of Manila and testified, “My child would have died had it not been for the help of the members of the savings group. I was able to get a loan for the medicine, and they also prayed for me and visited my sick child.” Maria sat…
By Andrew Parris and Don Pope, reprinted from Christian Business Review. Citations have been omitted. Part three of a series. We propose seven principles of Lean that make it more understandable and applicable to a wider variety of organizations, along the lines of those cited above who studied the origins of Lean… 4. The Greatest Long-Term Gains Are Achieved Incrementally and Continuously While…
By Jeff Haanen, reprinted from the Denver Institute for Faith and Work. Part one of two. It was the second week of the pandemic. Late March 2020. I was driving back home from the office, trying to figure out what this would mean for Denver Institute, and for my own work. As I headed south on Santa Fe, just across…
By Fletcher Lowe, reprinted from Living God’s Mission. We at Partners for Baptismal Living have been exploring how race impacts our daily lives. There is a major contrast. Here are conversations with two African Americans. A former CEO of a large Richmond, VA hospital said that white privilege is subtlety present as he interacts with white folks in the workplace.…
