How will the Church in the 21st century “equip the saints for works of service” (Eph. 4:12) for the vast challenges we face in the world today? This seems overwhelming at first blush. But then I remember that God’s people are touching every area of our cities through their daily work, and it’s the Church’s privilege and responsibility to send…
Category: Integration with the Church
Theologies of Public Life
First in a series. The Holy Grail of the faith and work movement is to figure out how to bridge the gap between having the insight (God cares about work) and actually giving it the central place it ought to have in the church’s doctrine and discipleship. Mark Greene was right at Lausanne in 2010 when he said that the good…
We Have a Mandate to Act: Stories from BAM Global, Part 3
Arleen Westerhof initiated the European Economic Summit. Since 2014, Christians active in the area of business, economics, and policymaking have gathered yearly in Amsterdam. Before starting the EES, Arleen prayed fervently for influential Christians to rise up. She now witnesses answers to these prayers: “I see skilled and anointed followers of Jesus Christ all around the globe involved in social…
Seminary Spotlight: Western Seminary
By Josh Mathews and Derek Hiebert. Reprinted from the Oikonomia Network. The geographical and cultural context of the West coast offers some distinct opportunities for biblical and theological education. At Western Seminary, with our main campus in Portland and other locations up and down the West coast, we seek to live out our mission of gospel-centered transformation within this environment. As…
The Faith and Work Summit: Looking Back and Looking Forward
Remember all those Faith at Work Summit posts from a few months ago? Recently we checked in with Greg Forster, one of the 2018 Summit’s organizers, about the impact of the Summit – and its future. TGR: Two months after the Summit, how would you reflect on its impact? GF: I think we have really put two huge issues on…
The Faith and Work Movement Has a Problem
Well, now that I have your attention, it has quite a few problems. Read all the way to the end for some possible solutions. First, it tends to be theologically nerdy. That is always a temptation with any spiritual topic of interest, but seems particularly ironic when it comes to something as practical as work, affecting almost every Christian. We…
Seminary Spotlight: Fuller Theological Seminary
By Mark Roberts Reprinted from the Oikonomia Network website. Fuller Seminary remains grateful for the work of the Oikonomia Network and deeply committed to our common goals. In the past year, we have continued to help all our students grapple with issues of work and calling in required core courses. We have entered the second year of our D.Min. cohort that…
Setting God’s People Free
By Demi Prentiss With the passage of Resolution C005, the Episcopal Church’s General Convention earlier this year created the Task Force on Formation and Ministry of the Baptized. That group of 12 Episcopalians have been charged to “identify or develop curricula, practices, and strategies that can be used by dioceses and congregations to encourage and engage all the baptized in…
Economic Wisdom and the Future of the Church: 5 Useful Principles
By Charlie Self In seminary classes and seminars, informal conversations and large conferences, I enjoy asking pastors, church planters, and revitalizers this question: “As you plant and revitalize, have you given any prayer and thought to how your congregants will eat in the next 10-20 years?” This query is met with puzzlement. These gifted and sacrificial men and women are prayer-walking,…
Book Review – Immanuel Labor: God’s Presence In Our Profession
I have mentioned many times, probably too many times, the seeming Mount-Everest-height stack of books published over the last 7-10 years relating to the integration of faith and work. One could justifiably argue we do not need any more books, but rather to read the books already written and apply their principles to our work. But for good or ill,…
The Green Room 